31 Days to Clean - Day 2

Day 2- Created to Give Life

"Life-givng is about receiving from God in order to give to others." -Barbara Mouser, Five Aspects of Women


Today is about why we (as women) are the life-givers in the family. 
The book explains that the reason why we are this way, the reason why we as woman are life givers is because God made us this way. We give life in so many ways and we are blessed to have this ability to give life. 


Here are some specific ways that we as women give life:

-Through our words-
We can encourage and build life through the nice and loving things we share with the people around us. 
-Through our Home-
When we decorate our home, create a meal, be hospitable, or make the atmosphere of peace we are giving life. 
-Through our Education- 
When we educate our self, our children and the people around us we are giving life.  
-Through our church-
We can use our gifts to create life in our church. 
-Heritage and Traditions-
You can enrich the lives around you by instilling these traits in the people you love.


Mary Challenge:
How can you bring life into your home, children, husband, and sphere of influence?

For my home:
I would like to do at least 1 load of laundry daily. To keep my laundry going and keep my bedroom and Stratton's bedroom clean.

For my child:
I would like to do an art project weekly with Derek and Stratton for Stratton. 
Here is my plan:
Take three black 8x10 frames and give Derek, Stratton and I any art supplies we could need and make one picture for the week. Once they are ready to be hung I would like to hang them up in the kitchen as a reminder that we can bring life to our house weekly by spending that time together and I can help Stratton be more creative through his drawings.
For my husband:
I would like to go on one walk a week just to have some personal time to really get to knowing each other again. I feel like we spend too much time with me doing computer work and him watching the television. I think an hour a week of walking would not only help us stay in shape a little more than we are but it would also be a good way to grow. 
For my sphere of infulence:
I would like to make sure I encourage my friends in whatever they are doing and make sure they know that I am always there for them. I also want to build them up when they are down and make sure I am a pillar for them to lean on when they need me.  For those that don't know me as well I would like to be a good influence and show them it's ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.


Martha Challenge:
Kitchen: Clean out and scrub down fridge and freezer. Wash exteriors as well. 

Cleaning Tips:
Day to Day Cleaning-

• Clean up any spills as soon as they happen. That means that you need to remove the drawers and clean under them. This is the location with the most potential for trouble as the stains are likely to stay.
• Always store food in covered containers. Open things can easily spill or be pushed to the back and forgotten about until they spill.
• Keep an eye on the leftovers. Throw out food when it expires or goes bad. Food that is stored too long will develop mold which could contaminate other foods.
• Monitor the temperature. You need to keep the gauge set accurately so that food does not spoil and bacteria does not grow.
• To stop odors, store an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator.
• Use a sanitized towel to wipe down the shelves, handles and door each day or week as needed.

Heavy Duty Cleaning-

• Start by removing everything from the refrigerator. Put the food in a cooler or another refrigerator if you think the project will take you a while.
• Turn off the light bulb and raise the temperature.
• Remove all of the removable things such as the shelves and drawers. They will be washed in the sink later.
• Use a terry cloth, dish detergent and a bit of scrubbing to wash down everything inside. Try to remove any and all debris that you can. You’ll come back again to sanitize after you get the grime out. Get into all of the seams, edges and any other hidden areas.
• Use a sanitizing solution or just use a clean cloth to wipe down everything a second time. This will insure that there are no germs lurking.
• Air dry or use paper towels to dry off the inside of the refrigerator.
• Wash down the drawers and shelves thoroughly. Use dish detergent and hot water, rinsing well. Allow them to air dry or dry them with a paper towel.
• Reassemble the fridge, turn it back on and load the food back in.

My internet is currently down at home so I will post pictures first thing tomorrow morning of the before and after! Hope everyone is having  a wonderful week.