Bible Reading Plan {Simple & Effective SOAP}

I set a goal at the beginning of the year to read through the New Testament a chapter at a time. While I’d love to read through 7 chapters each week I knew that 5 or 6 chapters would be much more realistic.

However, the question still remained of how to make the reading meaningful and not simply breeze through each chapter in order to check it off of my to-do list.

Then I read about the SOAP method of Bible Study. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.

I use a composition book to take notes during by Bible reading. I simply write the date and what chapter I’m reading that day. Then I write an “S” for scripture.  
Before I read, I ask God to show my what he wants me to see in that particular chapter. Then I read the chapter straight through. After I’ve read, I go back through and look for one verse that stands out to me. I write out this verse next to the “S” in my notebook.

Underneath that I write an “O” for observation and write down what I observe about that verse.

Next I write an “A” for application and write how that verse and my observations are applicable to my life right now.

Finally, I write a “P” for prayer and write out a prayer thanking God for what he has shown me and asking him to help my take a step toward applying what I’ve learned.  
So far this Bible reading method has worked wonderfully for me. In the past I’ve always fallen behind in reading plans and then become discouraged. However, since I’ve set the goal for 5 days a week I don’t feel stressed out about reading my Bible. Also, as a person who grew up reading the Bible, this method is helping me to see familiar passages in a new light, which in turn motivates me to keep coming back to the Word.

Today’s Question: What about you? Do you struggle to find time and excitement in reading God’s word? How do you best focus and really make the Bible apply to your everyday life?

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Saving Time on Pinterest

If you’ve join Pinterest, you’ve probably see how it can easily become a time sucker. I love Pinterest, but to help manage my time online I needed to minimize the inspiration overload of my Pinterest home page.


Many times I simply go on Pinterest to find something I’ve previously pinned. But instead of going straight to the board where my pin was housed, I’d wander through the pins of those I follow for a few minutes (or more) first.


Even if I go straight to my Pinterest profile page I can still get a little distracted. (Just look at all those pretty things!)



So, now, when I need to find something I’ve pinned I simply type the pinboard name into my browser and go straight to the appropriate board. This way I’m able to bypass all of the new pin distraction and get right to what I’m looking for.


To go straight to a specific board simply type pinterest.com/your personal Pinterest URL/your board name. Dashes are placed between words and in place of apostrophes in the board title and symbols are omitted. You can easily find the URLs by looking at the address after you’ve click through to a specific board.

Here are some examples of my boards and the direct URLs.

Blogging = pinterest.com/heart4home/blogging

Healthy Eating & Real Foods = pinterest.com/heart4home/healthy-eating-real-foods

Alphabet Activities = pinterest.com/heart4home/alphabet-activities

By going straight to the board I need, I’m able to avoid wasting time and find the information I need more quickly. This is one of the ways I make Pinterest work for me.

Today’s Question: How do you deal with or avoid time wasters online?

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My Life–Let’s Break it Down

Many days my life seems slightly chaotic as I juggle all the demands of my very busy schedule. I’ve read that the mothers of little boys work from son up to son down. Oh, how true! Then you throw three little girls into the mix as a mother hen, an independent child, and a baby not quite 6 months old and you’ve got yourself a regular circus on some days.

I’ve found that the only way I get anything really accomplished, as opposed to simply putting out fires all day, is by establishing priorities and setting realistic goals.


This year I’ve found that setting yearly and even weekly goals has been such a wonderful exercise for me.

Without the framework of goals I often feel like I’m spinning my wheels; At the end of the day I’m exhausted but have very little to show for it.

I find it helpful to set goals as they relate to the various aspects of my life. While there are many more—housekeeper, cook, laundry lady, homeschool mom, crafter, and wannabe tree hugger—I’ve decided just to focus on the top three for today.

Having clear goals makes it easier to make and stick to my daily schedule.

So, let’s break it down, shall we?

Child of God
This is the biggest part of who I am. In fact, without this, you really don’t have me. This year I’m striving to spend more time in God’s word, the Bible. I’m also striving to make what I read applicable to my life and then—the hardest part—live it out!

Wife
Let’s just say it, being married is a big deal! Every decision you make can directly impact the person you love the most, but all this loving doesn’t always come naturally. With busy lives and demanding schedules it is so important that spouses capture the little moments and take time to reconnect.

If I don’t schedule these in they easily get crowded out by the mundane, daily tasks. So, I write them on my schedule, because I’d really hate to tell my husband that I can’t kiss him because I have to finish the laundry!

Mom
Mother, maid, nurse, cheerleader, counselor, referee—whatever you call it, it’s hard work. In our family there are four precious little ones all under the age of 5. Yes, I know, it’s a little crazy, but it definitely is helping to break down my selfish nature.


As a stay-at-home mom, my days are filled with the delights of being a mama, but they are also packed with dirty diapers, temper-tantrum (mine and theirs), messy faces, messy floors, messy clothing. Okay, just a whole lot of messy!

But, I know that even more important than feeding and clothing their little bodies is for me, their mama, to feed and clothe them with God’s love. Not that my kids are starving (no one who knows our kids would ever accuse them of not eating) or running around the neighborhood naked (although an occasional streaker might be spotted at home), but their hearts are what I’m striving to focus on.

Do they love Jesus, are they kind to their siblings, are they concerned about those who have less than they do, are they learning gratitude—am I turning their little hearts toward God, and not being a huge stumbling block of hypocrisy along the way.

So, what are the top priorities in your life? How do you make sure that they get the time and focus they deserve?

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Weekly Goals

I love looking over my goals for 2012 and seeing that I am already making some progress. Of course, I still have a LONG way to go so I'm following Crystal's lead and breaking my goals down even further into bite-sized weekly chunks.

Spiritual
1. spend time in God's word daily (Matthew 8-14)
2. complete Chapter 2 days 1-3 of Lies Women Believe workbook
3. choose the 12 passages I want to commit to memory this year
4. pray specifically for my husband and each of our children daily

Marriage
5. pack Tim's lunch each evening

Mothering/Homeschooling
6. refocus on using the red light to get up from naps
7. train Emahry to have quiet time after she wakes up from her nap
8. take the time to let the kids help with household duties
9. complete Funnix Reading Lessons 10-11 and Math Lessons 6-9
10. have Bible time after breakfast each morning Monday-Friday
11. send cards from the kids to their great-grandma and great uncle and aunt

Personal
11. get dressed each morning
12. do 3 days of The 30 Day Shred
13. write in my 10 Year Journal every day
14. take pictures of Amelia's quilt to send to my aunt

Home Management
14. check off my to do list everyday
15. clean the downstairs on Friday and the upstairs on Saturday
16. plan meals for the week

Blogging
17. recently more things have been added to our schedule so I'll be cutting back on blogging to make time for more important things (thanks for understanding)

What are your goals for this week?

Visit Money Saving Mom for more weekly goal setting encouragement.

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Simplify Your Life: One Bite at a Time {20% Off & Giveaway}

With the new year comes a lot of reflection on the old one -- what you did well, what you'd like to improve, and where you want to be this time next year.

For our family, New Year's resolutions typically revolve around simplifying our very filled lives. We have a lot of goals for our family, most of which are only possible when we take time to focus on them and keep ourselves clear of the busyness that can so easily sweep us up in its hectic flow.

Tsh, founder of SimpleMom.net has put together a wonderful resource to help you simplify your life in easy manageable steps.

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler is an eBook filled with secrets, tips, and great advice to help you move towards intentional simplicity.

This eBook is filled with projects in the following 8 categories: Green Living, Living Well, Money Management, Organizing Your Mind, Organizing Your Space, Relationships, Taking Care of Yourself, and Time Management.

Tsh tackles 52 projects in an easy step-by-step format. You can do them in any order, at your own pace, and customize them to fit your needs. In One Bite at a Time, Tsh addresses topics such as getting more sleep, creating a daily to-do list, carving out intentional down time, decluttering your wardrobe, downsizing your children's toys, meal planning, and much, much more.

Get a 20% Discount:
Right now you can instantly download One Bite at a Time at a 20% discount for only $4.00 using the code HAPPYNEWYEAR. This discount is valid through January 10, 2012, regular price is $5. If you're looking for some help in simplifying your life, One Bite at a Time is perfect for you.

You can also find great reviews, a list of all 52 projects and even a free chapter to read here.

Also, be sure to check out SimpleMom.net in 2012 as Jeannett Gibson of Life Rearranged offers a monthly dose of camaraderie and accountability as she works through various projects from the eBook. Readers will also be invited to link to their own blog with project results. I can't wait to see how other's implement Tsh's ideas.

Remember, the 20% discount is only available through January 10th, so take just a few minutes and download One Bite at a Time today!

Giveaway

We're excited to be able to offer one of our readers a free download of One Bite at a Time to help you jump start your intentionally simpler life! (Open worldwide.)


You can get two entries into this giveaway:

1. Mandatory ~ Leave a comment telling us why you'd like to win a free download of Tsh's eBook. Make sure you include your email address so we can contact you if you win!

2. For an additional entry, subscribe to our blog via email. (Leave another comment telling us you've done this.)

This giveaway will close January 8th, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. The winner will be contacted via email and will need to reply within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

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Tell Your Time eBook: 100 Free Copies (8pm Central) Plus $0.99 Sale!

Amy's wonderful eBook, Tell Your Time (instant download version only) is going on sale TONIGHT (Nov. 10) at 8pm (Central).

The first 100 copies will be FREE with coupon code: FREEDOM

After that, ALL copies will be $.99 with coupon code: ONLY99 (until Monday morning, November 14)

This is a great resource that will help you budget your time and get your schedule organized. Be sure to check it out at this rock bottom price.

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My Night

Just finished this...

While Amelia did this... 

Now I have to fold these... 

Then I'm off to bed.

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Organizing Your Time for the New Year

If you're anything like me (or thousands of others worldwide) one of your goals for the new year may be to make better use of your time and get your schedule working for you not against you.

If so, I have good news for you! 

I've recently read Amy's new ebook Tell Your Time and can't wait to go through it with Tim and begin implementing her tips to help our family accomplish everything we need to without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out!

I think one of the best tips in Amy's book is the idea of setting up an envelope system for your time. Much like a money budgeting envelope system, time budgeting envelope style requires that you prioritize your activities and place them into pre-determined "envelopes" so as to not overspend your time.

This is how the concept works (excerpt from Tell Your Time):

1. Total up the hours in a day (or week). That’s easy, 24 (or 168).
2. Make a list of the activities you want to accomplish in that time (i.e. your envelopes).
3. Divvy up your activities between your allotted time envelopes.
4. If there isn’t enough time in the day to cover one of your activities, you have four choices:

• “Steal” time from one of your other activities.
• Figure out a way to streamline so it takes less time.
• Get someone else to do it for you.
• Drop it completely.

In Amy's book she outlines how to determine your goals and then break those down into manageable chunks of time. She also discusses the pitfalls to avoid and the principles to adopt in order to meet your goals without becoming stressed out and stretched thin.

Amy has also included several printables with her ebook to help you map out your goals, time, and schedule.

I believe Amy's book could help anyone with time management, no matter what season of life they are in. I'm very excited to see the changes that come about in our home after we've implemented these changes. 

Oh, and one of the best things about Tell Your Time, it's a quick and easy read tat won't make you feel like you're wasting time trying to figure out how not to waste time. In less than 30 pages you'll be able to start setting up changes in your life that will leave you feeling more fulfilled and less frantic.

Also, now through January 7th you can get Tell You Time for only $7 by using the promotional code CLEANSLATE.

Do you have any time management tips that work great for you? Leave us a comment, we'd love to hear about them.

Disclosure: By purchasing through the links above you are helping to support A Heart for Home and our family - at no cost to you, of course. It's a win-win situation for all involved. Thanks!

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Fleeting Moments

The day slips by quick.

All too soon they are in their beds, chests rising slowly, breath easy and sweet.

Did I even read them a story today? Yes, two. No, three.

Did I hug them and love them and write the words of God onto their hearts today?

Did I show them the God-man made flesh with my actions or did I drive them away with my busyness?

Two loads washed, dried and put away. Another clean, spread over the couch, the remains of too much ambition and not enough planning. Kitchen cleaned. Living room dusted. Clean dishes pile high in the drying rack and regret weighs heavy.

Did I play? Or simply scold when my work was interrupted by childhood?

Lord, teach me to capture these days for your glory...

to intertwine...
chores with childhood,
laundry with love,
stains with stories,
training with truck races,
and duties with dolls.

Help me to make the most of these fleeting moments!

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A Quick Post: Readjusting Our Schedule

We're still having to use the computer lab on campus so our posts will probably be short for now.

Since moving, almost a month ago now, we've been trying to find the new rhythm for this season of our lives.

Tim's now settling into a very busy school and work schedule, while the little ones and I are striving to plan our days around when Daddy will be home.

Emahry and my morning learning time is having to evolve as Jonathan has given up his morning nap. We're also trying to spend more time training Emahry and Jonathan to play quietly together, which will be an invaluable asset when the new baby joins our family in February.

I'd love to hear about how you structure your days to include teaching, training, cleaning, meal preparations and everything else that's on the busy mom's to do list.

Tackling the Laundry Pile

In our house we don't have a specific laundry day. With an 8 month old in cloth diapers and starting his first foods, a 2 year old in the final (hopefully for good) stages of potty training and still learning to use utensils to eat, a gardening, grass cutting, weed whacking husband, and the fact that I can't seem to go a day without getting something on my clothes, laundry is a daily occurrence in our home.

On most days I start a load of laundry before eating breakfast. However, while the clothes might be cleaned every day I have the awful habit of simply pulling out what we need from the pile of clean clothes instead of taking the time to fold and put them all away.

A few months ago I read a tip about sorting the pile of clean clothes before I begin folding and then putting each smaller pile away as it is folded. I like to sort our clean laundry by where it goes once folded. If you have older children that help put laundry away, you could also sort by what each child is responsible for.

Presorting the laundry and putting away each smaller pile has cuts out a huge problem with our clean laundry situation. If you have young children at home, you may be able to relate to getting an entire load of laundry folded and placed into neat, sorted stacks on the floor only to have a baby or toddler make their way through the middle of the stacks or try to "refold" the clothes by themselves.

So far, this idea has been working well at our house. It's also a great way to start training children to help with the laundry. Even a toddler can place all of the diapers in a pile or separate out all of the socks. The best part is that since nothing has been folded when the clothes are sorted, there is nothing to mess up.

No, it doesn't mean that I always fold the clothes on the day they were washed, I'm still working on that. It does however save me time, which means I'm more likely to begin. And once I begin to sort and fold I normally feel compelled to finish folding and putting away.

Here's a sample pile of clean laundry that needs to be put folded and put away.

Here are the piles that I presorted the laundry in to. left to right and top to bottom

Tim & My Dresser
Kitchen & Bathroom
Diapers
Kid's Dresser
Kid's Blankets


Once each pile is folded, I put it away before moving on to the next pile. This way no laundry gets unfolded by my helpers. :)

Do you have any tips for completing housework with children underfoot? We'd love to read your suggestions!

Related Posts:
Training a Toddler: Dish Washing
Getting you Toddler to Clean the Toilet
Involving Our Children

To see other piles that have been conquered visit Tammy's Make Your Home a Haven.
Visit 5 Minutes for Mom to see other tackling projects.
Presorting laundry works for me!

My Morning Routine

I struggle with beginning my days in a haphazard way. I normally use the excuse that since both of our children still get up at night, whether to nurse or use the potty, I'm never quite sure when I'll be getting up so I can't make a definite schedule. However, just because I might not know what time my morning will start, doesn't mean I can't have a plan of action for getting it started on the right foot.

I know for me, one of the best ways to get my morning started right actually takes place before I go to bed. If I take a few extra minutes to straighten the house and do the dishes at night, my mood and outlook is so much better in the morning. It's amazing what waking up to a tidy home can do for you.

So, as part of my commitment to starting my day right, I'm going to be working on tidying up the house before I go to bed. Specifically, I'm going to make sure these things are complete:

1. Living Room floor cleaned up
2. Table cleared off (or at least all of the papers put into one pile)
3. Dishes washed and in drying rack

In the morning, I'll be working on these 5 things:

1. Make bed
2. Put dishes away
3. Make & eat breakfast
4. Bible Time with children
5. Clean one room (we have 5 rooms & I clean one room each weekday)

Are you looking for a little more order as you begin your day? Then head on over to Tammy's to read about implementing a morning routine.


Do you think my plan is realistic? Do you abide by a morning routine? I'd love your comments and feedback!

Contributed to Blissfully Domestic.

A morning routine Works for Me!