Homemaking & Hospitality

3 Lies We Believe About Our Stuff {Homemakers Challenge}

March 23, 2012 By Leigh Ann Leave a Comment

As we have been preparing for our move, I have been going through our stuff and de-cluttering like a mad woman. We have taken more than six van loads to the local thrift store, and I have several more boxes set aside to take away. Stuff collects, and there is nothing like paying a premium to tote your stuff across the country to make you go on a de-cluttering frenzy.

Today, I’m over at the Homemakers Challenge sharing about three lies we tend to believe about our stuff. I hope you’ll jump over to read about the lessons I have learned, and maybe you can be set free, so you can start getting rid of the stuff that adds zero value to your home and family life. {Click here to read more.}

Filed Under: Getting Organized, Homemaking & Hospitality

Make Time for a DIY Project: How to Create a Photo Wall Clock {Homemakers Challenge}

February 7, 2012 By Leigh Ann 2 Comments

I want to interrupt our regularly scheduled program, A Surrendered Marriage series, with a fun DIY project. I have been bursting to share it with you since I finished making it (over a month ago)!

Isn’t that so cool? I saw this project in a magazine many moons ago (pre-Pinterest, if you can believe it), and I have been dying to make it. Head on over to Homemakers Challenge where I share with you a step-by-step tutorial on how you can make your own! {Read more here…}

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We will pick back up with our regularly scheduled program tomorrow.

In the meantime, how are you doing on praying for your spouse? Remember, it’s not too late to sign up to join more than 50 others in praying for your spouse daily! Ask to join our Facebook Group – A Surrendered Marriage Prayer Group, or send me an email at intentionalbygrace {at} gmail {dot} com and request to be added to my email list. Each day, I will give you scripture and a prayer prompt to remind you to pray for your spouse. We are using Ashley Pichea’s book 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse: Power of Prayer as our guide.

Filed Under: Homemaking & Hospitality

4 Tips to Create a Homemaking Routine that Works for You {Homemakers Challenge}

January 27, 2012 By Leigh Ann Leave a Comment

As homemakers, we can all do one thing well, but it takes discipline and planning in order to do many things well.

Every day, we work to prepare meals, change diapers, mop floors, wash clothes, kiss boo-boos, organize cabinets, and ________ (you fill in the blank). For some of us, whether we have a business of our own, work for another company, or in my case, manage a blog, part of our homemaking tasks include incorporating this additional work load into our daily routines. Therefore, we must train ourselves to be intentional homemakers, so that we can accomplish what we have been called to do.

Follow me over to Homemakers Challenge where I share with you what I do to maximize my daily output as juggle the many hats I am called to where. {Read more here}

By the way, if you’re enjoying this post, please consider subscribing to my blog.

Filed Under: Homemaking & Hospitality, Making A Plan

12 Do-It-Yourself Projects I Plan to Tackle in 2012

January 9, 2012 By Leigh Ann 9 Comments

I love Pinterest. I love scrolling through all the do-it-yourself projects. More than the scrolling, I love the doing part.

Pinterest can be a problem, as you may know. Lots of people spend time clicking “show me more pins,” and yet, they forget to click the “show me what I pinned actually in my house“ button. People, let’s get to doing! Imagine all the fun you could be having!

To be sure that my time spent on Pinterest isn’t a complete waste, I have decided on a list of DIY projects that I want to tackle in 2012.

12 DIY Projects I Plan to Tackle in 2012

1. Create a Photo Wall Clock.

2. Make Sam a pair of pants.

3. Create book shelves, literally.

Source: realsimple.com via Hipcycle on Pinterest

4. Make freezer pizzas.

5. Make birthday/anniversary calendar.

6. Make prayer book.

7. Make jewelry holder.

8. Make a lost sock board.

Source: somewhatsimple.com via Katya MMM on Pinterest

9. Make fried green tomatoes.

10. Make a wine cork creation.

11. Make homemade doughnuts.

12. Make house rules wall art.

By the way, if you’re enjoying this post, please consider subscribing to my blog.

What about you? What do you plan to make yourself this year?

Filed Under: Homemaking & Hospitality

Three Very Manageable December Goals

December 1, 2011 By Leigh Ann 12 Comments

Have you ever heard of the 3 in 30 Challenge? It’s a website created to encourage and motivate you to accomplish your goals one step at a time. The idea is to pick three goals you want to accomplish each month (approximately 30 days) and share them with others.

Therefore, I thought it would ~~hold me accountable~~ be fun to share my goals for December with you all.

1. Create a Jesse Tree Advent Devotional for my family.

Ann Voskamp has a wonderful (and free) Jesse Tree Advent devotional, which I highly recommend. I have thoroughly enjoy perusing it for our benefit. However, I want something a little more “baby friendly.” It would be discouraging for us to try to do this and never get past the first sentence. At this point, we just want to start a habit, and for us this will mean just a few sentences a night.

Therefore, I need to make a plan. I will take it a week at a time, and write as many as I can. I am not going for perfection, but for the habit.
2. Create a Blogging Schedule to implement at the new year.

Every post I write takes my attention away from household needs.

Every email I send takes time away from my family.

Every facebook status I update takes affection not given in person.

Though I believe that Social Media platforms are worth some of my time, attention, and heart, they are not worth all – or even most – of my time, attention, and heart. Even if I am making money with my online work, I must be very discerning about the amount of time I am investing: does it cross the line into costing me more than it is worth?

At What Cost:: Social Media Behave – My inspiration for this goal.

Being a wife, mother, homemaker, and blogger promises a lot of work. Time management ensures that the right things are getting done at the right times. Of course, no one can do it all, and I don’t expect perfection. Thankfully, the man of my prayers doesn’t either. He is quick to switch the laundry, make a bed, or change a dirty diaper if I’m on a deadline. However, online time can become all consuming. You know, you’re curling up with me in my little corner of the internet. Come on, don’t make me go down alone.

Therefore, I want to take this month to really evaluate how much time it takes to do each task I am called to each day, and create a schedule that I can adhere to in order to ensure that my time is not wasted and I’m living intentionally every day.

3. Print pictures.

I have not printed a single picture all year. Isn’t that ridiculous? I take all these pictures with ideas to frame them and hang them “here” or “there,” and I never do it.

Therefore, I need to make a plan and get to printing. Even if I just print them and do nothing with them, I just want to take that first step.

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Three very doable goals for the month of December. I think I can do it.

What about you? Do you have any goals for December? Be sure to link up at 3in30 Challenge so you can be encouraged in your journey!

By the way, if you’re enjoying this post, please consider subscribing to my blog (and receive a free copy of Healthy Holidays: Slightly Indulgent Sweet Treats).

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This post is linked to 3in30 Challenge, Women Living Well, and Try New Adventures.

This post contains my referral link. Please see my disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Homemaking & Hospitality, Making A Plan

An Unusual Thank You This Holiday Season {Homemakers Challenge}

November 18, 2011 By Leigh Ann Leave a Comment

Today, I’m posting at Homemakers Challenge about an unusual thank you I have for this holiday season.

How is it that one can be so thankful for someone who makes them feel like they get absolutely nothing done in a day?

Well, you’ll have to click over to see what I’m so unusually thankful for.

By the way, if you’re enjoying this post, please consider subscribing to my blog.

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Filed Under: Faith & Womanhood, Gratitude, Homemaking & Hospitality

Pinterest – Do You Actually Do Anything You Pin?

October 4, 2011 By Leigh Ann 9 Comments

After dragging my heels long enough, I signed up for a Pinterest account. Personally, I thought Pinterest was just another way to waste time – time I already had a hard enough time managing. I had read Amy Lynn Andrews, Manage Your Schedule. Live Free. E-book, and I had a feeling Pinterest wasn’t going to be my way of living free.

When Intentional By Grace started, I told you that I will have successes and failures. I promised to tell you about both. Consider this post telling you about a … success!

In the words of my sister, “O.M.G(osh)! This is cool, right?” Did I talk like this in college? I don’t remember…

Anyways, I have been having a blast on Pinterest. My fear of addiction has been laid to rest.

Could I spend hours looking through all Pinterest has to offer? Sure I could. However, I don’t. I usually go on to look for something specific, or when I’m surviving football season. More on that later.

Here are some fun ideas I’ve been implementing around our house, as seen on Pinterest.

I used this as my inspiration for my mantle. I’m a book ~~addict~~ lover. I also love using meaningful items to decorate with. What better way than with my beloved books?

Idea from Everyday Lovely.

This was the inspiration for my dining room table. I love the details. I spelled out GRACE with my scrabble pieces, and placed them on top of our family devotions Bibles, which ironically the idea for those also came from the same blog, A Holy Experience.

I thought this would make the perfect centerpiece for my dining room table. I have all of these items on hand, which makes it even more fun! I can just change out my flowers for this to bring in the beauty of Autumn.

Idea from My Heart’s Desire.

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What about you? Do you actually do anything that you pin on Pinterest?

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Filed Under: Homemaking & Hospitality

Procrastination – Another Word for Lazy and that Pretty Much Sums Me Up

September 29, 2011 By Leigh Ann 2 Comments

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. Proverbs 14:1

I am a planner by nature. I love making lists. I have a list for house work, grocery shopping, projects to complete, pictures to take, blog posts to write, and so on.

My problem is I’m not very good at checking things off the list because I am a procrastinator.

Here are some things I procrastinate:

Doing the dishes. I can think of 101 “more important” things to do than get the dishes done.
Transferring laundry from washer to dryer. At least the laundry is clean, right? I can always do that later.
Cleaning Samuel’s high chair. It’s just going to get dirty again.
Starting dinner. I would hate for Mark to be running late and it get cold.
Finishing a book. I will pick up this other book for now. I can finish that later.
Making a phone call. You never know how long a phone call will take, and I would hate to be rude. I’ll make it later when I have more time.

I can procrastinate with the best of them. I really can. It is foolish. I am not guaranteed to have another tomorrow, let alone to do something later (James 4:13-17). Procrastination is folly that tears my house down.

Fortunately for me, God has not left me to myself. As I have been studying His Word and His desires for me as a wife, mom, and homemaker, He has clearly revealed my sin of procrastination to me, or said another way, I have been convicted of my laziness..

It grieves me.

Over the last several months, my procrastination has robbed me and my family of joy, peace, patience, kindness, and goodness; this is only the tip of the iceberg of the areas procrastination has affected.

Procrastination leads to chaos. I’m constantly running behind, and I’m never on time for anything. My lists continue to build one on top of the other, never accomplishing anything. I have experienced chaos where chaos should not exist.

The ugly truth about my labors at home can be illustrated by the following sentence:

I am constantly working so I can just go sit down. I just need to sit. I’m so tired. If I can finish this, I can sit.

What is it with all this sitting? Why the desire to sit so badly?

Recently, I was reading in Proverbs 31 using Elizabeth George’s devotional, Discovering the Treasures of a Godly Woman, and a light bulb went off. The Proverbs 31 woman works with a willing heart. Other translations say “with delight” or “joyfully.”

Am I working with a willing and joyful heart? Am I embracing the work God has for me, or am I only working so I can have what I want – a break?

It was a humbling thought. I was not willingly laying down my life for my family. I was only doing my duty, and that’s certainly not loving or Gospel promoting! I was only working to accomplish tasks because I wanted to be able to sit down guilt free.

In toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

This proverb is a warning to people like me. It is a rebuke against people who are always talking and planning but never accomplishing anything {ESV Study Bible Notes}.

As I seek to grow in this area, I am studying the life of many women in the Bible, including the Proverbs 31 woman. God is pruning my heart, and for that I am grateful. I have seen much grace over the last couple of days as I have endeavored to work diligently and with joy. I pray for continued growth in grace as I seek to care for my home and make it a place where it is impossible to not think about God.

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What about you? Do you struggle with procrastination or laziness?

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Faith & Womanhood, Homemaking & Hospitality

Created to Give Life

September 2, 2011 By Leigh Ann 2 Comments

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. ~ Genesis 3:20

What is life?

By definition:

Life is that property of plants and animals (ending at death) which makes it possible for them to take in food, get energy from it, grow, etc. {Webster’s New World Dictionary}.

As women, we are that property. We bear the same title as Eve. We are life givers. Although Eve was found guilty of sin and sentenced to physical death, just as we are, we still have the privilege of giving life – both of the physical and of the spiritual. Isn’t that amazing?

This is our higher calling …

I am posting over at the Homemaker’s Challenge blog today. Come join me over there to continue reading and learn how we, as women, can extend life to those around us, specifically our husband and children. Don’t forget to comment and show some love!

Need your own copy of 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way? Only $4.99 on Kindle!

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Filed Under: Encouragement, Faith & Womanhood, Homemaking & Hospitality

Developing a Personal Mission Statement

September 1, 2011 By Leigh Ann 14 Comments

Recently, I shared with you that my life goal is to create a home that makes it impossible to not think about God.

After I wrote this post, I continued to ponder this goal, as I do every day. What I realized was that I had a goal, but no idea how to get there. I have been aimlessly pursuing this goal without stopping to consider how to achieve it. As I prayed for God to give clarity and direction to my goal, the words of my husband came to mind.

Every year, during our planning retreat, he has urged me to create a mission statement. Every year, I balk and declare I don’t need one.

Much to my chagrin, and relief, I have created my first ever mission statement. It was wonderfully freeing, and incredibly motivating. I am so grateful that I finally heeded my husband’s wise counsel and created this beautiful document.

My mission is to create a home that makes it impossible to not think about God.

To accomplish this mission, I am committed:

To intentionally pursue Jesus, by daily emptying myself of me and kneeling before my maker in humble pursuit of His purposes for my life, relationships, and home.

To intentionally love my husband by affirming his leadership, passionately pursuing him and meeting his needs, and partnering with him to fulfill God’s call on his life.

To intentionally nurture, love, and cherish my children, embracing them as my first ministry, my disciples, to train them up in the ways of the Lord so that they will be effective tools for the Gospel.

To intentionally manage my home, making it a tangible reflection of God’s beauty and grace for my family and all those the Lord brings our way.

To intentionally cultivate an atmosphere of love, learning, and passion in our home by being an encourager, example of humility, and quick to forgive.

To inspire others to joyfully commit to living life intentionally by grace for the glory of God through my writing, hospitality, notes of encouragement, and my life. May every action make the Gospel attractive.

My mission statement fills the first page of my homemaking binder, along with my daily routine and menu plan, reminding me to be intentional with how I walk out my days. I review it daily. I am no longer left to wonder if what I’m doing is drawing me closer to my goal or pushing me further away. It is the foundation by which all of my other plans and routines are established.