12.04.2013

Sometimes, I Microwave The Veggies

Sometimes,

I microwave the veggies. And...
I use boxed potatoes when I need them mashed.
And I buy pre-cooked bacon.
If the girls didn't get their clothes really dirty...I let them fold them up and put them back in the drawer.
...and if we aren't going anywhere, I call 'jammie day' and don't even ask them to get dressed.
Baby wipes make great emergency bathroom sink wiper-outers. And counter-wipers. And table-wipers, and spill-wiper-uppers, and good I don't-have-time-to-bathe-you cleaners...
Dusting sometimes has to happen on accident. Like, if I'm wearing socks and the floor is dusty.
Sorting the laundry into darks & lights? Yeah, not so much.
Sometimes "baking" with my daughters means dumping something out of a box and mixing it with an egg or two, water, and maybe oil and/or applesauce.

Bacon = baked, from lunch.
Potatoes & Peas = boxed & canned, microwaved, from dinner.
The girls needed a lot of attention concerning their
rudeness toward each other today - lots of shortcuts at our house!
My heart holds many dreams. One is the dream of growing most of our own food, living in a little farmhouse on acres and acres of open space, preparing all of our food from scratch and having a home full of sweet littles & biggers who help me keep home a bright, orderly, organically clean haven.

Those are good dreams, and worth hoping for and working towards. But somedays,

getting hung up on that dream

d
r
a
i
n
s

me. And that is not healthy for my family.

With my days being full of homeschooling, caring for my 3 daughters & Elizabeth's health needs, managing our home, and desperately trying to be the wife that my husband needs and often falling short (in all of those areas), I cannot live in my dream world of totally wholesome food or cleaning everything non-toxically most of the time. Not now.

Perhaps in another season, it will work and little by little I strive toward that 'self-sufficient' homemaking realm. But God calls me to be content and faithful where He's got me, this day. and sometimes that means taking shortcuts in homemaking so that I can spend time making sure the hearts of my husband and my daughters are spiritually healthy. Making small concessions every now and again more often than I care to admit in the do-it-all-from-scratch mindset actually goes a long way toward the overall health of my home and the dear ones in it. And not holding on to the guilt of making shortcuts goes a long way toward my overall health.

I don't make all of those shortcuts a habit (...not sorting the laundry is definitely a habit though. for real. and probably for life.). But when the best thing for my family is to pull out the potato flakes and whip up 'mashed potatoes' in under 5 minutes so that I can spend extra time addressing a little girl's daily struggle with selfishness or to really listen to how my husband's day was - I let my hope of serving freshly peeled, boiled, mashed, pinterest-worthy potatoes go. For the health of my family.

What shortcuts do you take once in a while in your home-making?

Using the boxed potatoes now and again,
for His glory!
~Lisha

I may be sharing this post at these encouraging Link-up parties!
If this post has encouraged or blessed you, please comment, share, or pin it :)

16 comments:

  1. I'm with you on this! A dream can become a burden. I'm glad you take steps so that it doesn't drain you.
    Just found you on the Thrive@Home link up and I'm pleased I did.
    Best wishes from England!

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Alison! I'm blessed that you are here :)

      I hope you have a lovely week!
      ~Lisha

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  2. Oh yes! I am right there with you too, girl. Give yourself grace in every season. That is what I continually remind myself. :)

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    1. Grace in every season!! Thank you, Jenni :)

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  3. I love this, Lisha. I was nodding so much as I was reading this post. Love it that you keep it real and the priorities you place towards what is really important show us your heart.
    Thanks for linking up at Essential Fridays. Blessings.
    Mel from Essential Thing Devotions

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    1. It's so nice to know I'm not alone in my microwaving tactics. :) I spent so many years wanting the tangible stuff to be perfect and I'm grateful that the Lord keeps bringing me back to the truth that the hearts in our home are of infinitely more value to Him than whether or not every single food item in my home is organic. There's so much liberty there!

      Thanks for your kindness, Mel! I hope you are having a lovely week so far :)

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  4. This post brought me laughter as I thought for a minute you were in my house. What a freeing post!

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    1. I'm thankful for the laughter! It's so sweet to know that other ladies just get it :) Thanks for the encouragement!

      ~Lisha

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  5. Thank you - loving this! What do I do? Leave the boys (3 & 18m) on their potties watching telly for waaaaay too long, use the bibs to wipe... erm... pretty much anything, serve up leftover porridge from the fridge for lunch (they love it). Hah! I feel cleansed for letting it all out!! Thank you again! Love from England :-) Sarah xx

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    1. Sarah, thank you for the encouragement and for sharing in the freedom of admitting that we all take shortcuts! :) I am blessed that you stopped by!

      Hugs, from New Hampshire!
      ~Lisha :)

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  6. I think you were peaking into my house this week! Oh..... the only time I sort the laundry is if I must bleach something. Other than that, I do well to get it all washed, dried, folded and put up! Hopped over from the Modest Mom Blog.

    God Bless!

    Julie @ LA Strawberry Adventures

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    1. Julie, I honestly don't know if I've ever bleached anything. Just keeping up with the washing, drying, folding, etc is enough, like you said! :) I am glad you're here!

      ~Lisha

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  7. I'm all for doing our best, but sometimes doing our best can become an idol, especially when we sin through our words, thoughts, or attitudes when something (or someone) gets in our way. If my desire to have an immaculate house causes me to neglect relationships, or yell at my kids because they mess things up, or spend so much time cleaning that I don't have time to read my Bible, then that clean house has become an idol. As Oswald Chambers wisely said, "The good is the enemy of the best." May it not be so!

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    1. Yes!! That statement is so true - someone shared it with me once in regards to marriage but I've found it to be applicable for every area of life :)

      Thank you, Lori!
      ~Lisha

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  8. Bless you my dear--I have been there, and I STILL do it a lot more often than I like to admit! I try to do all the things I 'should' do--I still don't sort laundry worth a darn (we wear t-shirts and jeans, so it makes not difference!), and the microwave can be my best friend at times...and when a friend gives me free convenience foods because she no longer wants to 'live unwholesomely', I take them and use them with great joy and thankfulness. You keep on keeping on, girlfriend!

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    1. Thank you! What an encouragement to read this, and a sweet reminder to be joyful in all the ways He chooses to bless us! I'm so glad you stopped by :) Blessings to you!

      ~Lisha :)

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