by Alaina | Nov 29, 2020 | Sunday Scripture
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
The leaves have all fallen here in Pennsylvania. The reds and oranges that burnt bright against the blue sky are now turning brown on the ground. The bright colors that blazed bright on the hillsides have now vanished and we have brown and gray where we once had yellows and reds.
I love fall but after fall comes winter. Don’t get me wrong, I like winter too, but it can be rather gray….especially when it is dragging on into March! The other thing about winter here, is that it is cold. I know it gets colder elsewhere but really who want to go for a walk or run outside when it is twenty degrees?!
I want to be out doing things, working various projects, and enjoying the sunshine- but winter is not a season to be outside working. Instead it is a season to rest. To dwell indoors and work on things inside. I marvel again at how the natural world is such a perfect mirror of the spiritual world.
There is a season for everything the Bible tells us, but in our 24/7 world we try to make all the seasons uniform when they were never intended to be. We want to push harder and make more happen, fill our days, our schedules, our homes, but why do we think this is normal? In nature the ground rests, the animals hibernate, and the colors fade into gray. Colorless. A blank space. We need that in our lives too. If God made the season for all of nature to rest why would we be exempt?
There are seasons of doing, of stepping out, of making things happen. There are also seasons for us to be introverted, to ask what God is doing on the inside of us, to ask Him to work inside of us. How many of us still follow the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy? I believe He intended for us to rest. But we don’t. He made a season devoted to it. What would our lives look like if we followed the tree’s example and focused on what’s inside, and invited God in to do some heavy duty work inside of us and took a season of rest?
Disclosure
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https://biblia.com/bible/niv/ecclesiastes/3/1
Take a look at more Sunday Scripture posts found here on Essestially EmmaMarie
by Alaina | Nov 25, 2020 | Cleaning, Homemaking
We have reached the holiday season; and with it comes company! With so much to do already before the company comes;(wrapping presents, preparing food, etc.), cleaning can be the thing that throws off your nicely planned schedule. How can you keep from going crazy cleaning before the company comes? How can you keep your house clean for the unexpected guest without quitting your day job or getting rid of the kids??
The answer is routine. I know that’s not an exciting answer, a cleaning routine just sounds like one more thing to implement into your already hectic life but here’s the thing- staying current on your cleaning will save you time from doing a massive but infrequent overhaul. Not to mention it will make you feel better, and breathe easier- literally it turns out because there will be less allergens floating around your house!
Where to Start?
The goal here is to come up with a plan that works for you. If you look up cleaning schedules on Pinterest you will see countless schedules and routines of how often you need to clean certain areas. These schedules are absolutely helpful but don’t feel like a failure if you don’t vacuum your kitchen floor,scrub your sink, and clean your toilets everyday- no one really has time for that!
A lot of people are proponents of cleaning a little everyday. This is good in theory but when studies have been done on this method time management experts have found that it is more efficient to do most things weekly rather than daily; do all your laundry at once rather than a load everyday, do all the vacuuming or dusting in your house at once rather than one room a day. By trying to do a room each day you will lose time pulling out your cleaning supplies and then putting them away each day, rather than just tackling it all at once. However if you thrive on a daily routine, or lack a big chunk of time at any point during the week then it might be worth it for you to do a little everyday and thus conquer the cleaning!
My schedule during the week is crazy. I never plan to do any chores during the week unless I know I have an exceptionally light work week. My rule of thumb for cleaning is the same as for cooking; I try to do one big batch during the weekend and then only very small tasks during the week.
I have found a routine that works well for me and my family at this stage of life. Here’s what it look like:
Friday: I typically work a shorter day than I do Monday- Thursday. After work I swing by the store and pick up groceries and head home. I put the groceries away. I start a load of laundry. I like to then dust, do the bathrooms, vacuum and ideally mop. Now lets be real- very seldom is there time and energy to do all of this Friday evening. In my perfect world yes, but life isn’t perfect so we have to pick and choose.
Cleaning schedules will tell you to clean bathrooms and kitchens once a week, and dust weekly to every other week. This is what I was doing when I realized it didn’t work for me. There is just my husband and myself living in our house right now. We have 2 bathrooms and while we do use our guest bathroom, we use our master bath much more. When it comes to dusting however I am OCD. I CANNOT stand to see dust, hair and crumbs on any surfaces. This bothers me much more than the hair on the back of the toilet. So I went radical- I would do the dusting every week since that’s what bothers me most and I clean the guest bathroom every week if I can, but if not then it goes two weeks.
What areas drive you crazy? For me if my surfaces are dusted and my floor is mopped and vacuumed I feel great- even if my windows and doors have quite a few nose prints from our pets!
Still Struggling?
It is overwhelming- especially if you have a large house to keep clean! Below I have listed some guidelines to follow. Remember though, whatever it is that is the first thing you see when you walk in the door of your home, that is the thing that you need to make time to clean at least weekly, if not more often.
Daily:
- Do a quick tidy up before bed. Pitch mail you don’t need, put shoes where they belong and return cords to their homes.
- Keep a rag in both the bathroom and kitchen to do a quick wipe after using the surface areas.
- Wipe out sink
- Squeegee shower doors if you have a glass shower.
Weekly:
- Kitchen: quickly wipe off appliances, stove top, microwave, and counters. Scrub sink.
- Bathroom: wipe down sink area, scrub toilet bowl, and wipe down outside of toilet.
- Clean showers- you can do a quick wipe down while you shower!
- Dust all horizontal surfaces.
- Vacuum
- Mop
- Purge fridge as you bring in groceries, and clean any spills.
- Sheets
Monthly:
- Clean windows
- Dust anything hanging on the walls
- Wipe down fronts of cabinets- you have cabinets in the bathrooms too!
- Lauder floor mats.
- Clean the inside of the dishwasher and washing machine.
- Baseboards
- Vacuum most often used upholstery
Every 3-6 Months
- Change air filters
- Vacuum all other upholstery
- Deep clean baseboards
- Spot check walls
- Deep clean fridge
- Clean oven
Once a year or as needed:
- Shampoo carpets and upholstery
- Defrost freezers
- Clean kitchen drawers and cabinets for crumbs and dust. Clean the cabinet under the sink- you’ll be surprised how dirty it gets!
We are all different, and therefore how, when, and how much we clean will vary. For a more detailed breakdown of cleaning routines, and suggested cleaning rotations for different personalities enter your email in the box at the bottom of the page and I will send you my free in-depth, cleaning schedule with different breakdowns according to your personality!
I hope these guidelines help, again these are just guidelines shared in hopes of making life easier- not to stress you out and make you feel like you aren’t doing enough. Try to carve out 3 hours a week to spend on these chores with an hour or 2 a month to help get through some of the irregular cleaning. If having a clean home is important to you always remember that there are cleaning services and people out there willing to help! It may be worth adjusting your budget to get a little extra help if you are stressing over cleaning that seems like it is never done. Life is about what is important to you- so prioritize accordingly!
by Alaina | Nov 23, 2020 | Sunday Scripture
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Philippians 4:12
November is always the month when we emphasize being thankful. It is a time of year that we set aside time, a whole day, to count our many blessings. This year has been a rough one. It has been so easy to complain about all the things this year. It has been a year full of annoyances, and constant change, from day to day, and week to week with very little constant in between. For some it has been a year of tragic loss. One thing though, is true for all of us: we can make the decision to focus on what is good and what we have to be grateful for.
As a lover of history I tend to think about the pilgrims at this time of year. Those brave people. They sailed across an ocean to a land of which little was known. They were scared- and with good reason. Yes, there were those who came to make a profit but it’s important to remember that the pilgrims were not part of this group. They came looking for the freedom to worship as they pleased. They braved treacherous oceans, possible attacks from native peoples and animals, sickness, and starvation.
They did all this for their faith. For their freedom. They felt that they had no other choices. They left their homeland, their families, and their way of life. Then they came to America and nearly starved. Almost half of them died that first winter. Still, they endured. The Native Americans helped the pilgrims. Then about a year after they had first landed on the soil of what we now call America, they came together, Pilgrim and Native American, and held a three day long celebration with the feasting we read about today.
The Pilgrims endured much for their faith. After that first winter they didn’t pack up and leave. They stuck it out for their faith. The lived out what Paul talks about in Philippians 4:12 when he says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” So this Thanksgiving let’s not dwell on how much isn’t like we want it to be. Let’s remember the strong brave souls who have gone before us, let’s remember God’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let’s gather as much as we are able with the friends and family closest to us, and give thanks to God for all of our many blessings.
by Alaina | Nov 21, 2020 | Grace Notes
There are two times of the year when I am especially focused on the founding of our country. These times are Indepence Day and Thanksgiving. I think about how there was fellowship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans way back in 1621. How the Native Americans stepped up to help the Pilgrims, and how they learned from each other. I think about how our country has changed and been shaped over the nearly 400 years since. I think how much fellowship between people has fallen by the wayside more than we should have ever allowed.
I was talking with an elderly neighbor the other day and she told me of her life growing up in the late 1930s and early 1940s. She grew up in an immigrant mining town, of which, her mother was the postmaster. By nature in this immigrant town, many of the adults didn’t speak fluent english. As their children grew and sought to better their futures they needed help filling out college applications. This woman’s mother would help them to fill out the paperwork correctly. On Saturdays she would make hot donuts to share with their community and the little post office would become crowded with people. This woman built community. She didn’t let a need go unanswered, she stepped up and pulled her weight and did what she could.
A little while ago I stopped by a family owned farm market and greenhouse. The owner was there, an older gentleman who announced that he had been there since 1948! He took the time to explain to me where everything in the little shop was sourced, the values they hold as a business, and he answered my questions. His friendliness made me a loyal shopper!
Every year the day after Christmas my husband and I have a little date day. We pick a small town with a quaint downtown or main street we want to explore and we make a day of it! We get coffee, and hit the streets poking our heads into neat little shops and enjoying the last of the holiday season in local small businesses.
This year has been a very tough year for so many small businesses. It has been a rough year for our country here in America as racial, political, and gender differences have been exacerbated and tensions are high. Have we forgotten that amidst all of our differences we have similarities too? Have we forgotten that we are all Americans, people, neighbors, and family members? Have we forgotten that we need to remember our similarities to bind us, not our differences that separate us. We need to bring back the sense of community to our country, where we looked out for each other as neighbors.
I encourage you this holiday season; before you click the one click ordering on Amazon; to get out if you can, and from home if you can’t, and look around to see what small businesses in your community you can support this holiday season. Is there a food bank you can donate your time or money to? Is there a local business you can buy your tree or a wreath from? Is there a local bakery that is struggling that you could order Christmas goodies from? What ways can we step up as a community and amidst all of our differences pull together as the Pilgrims and Native Americans did all those years ago?
by Alaina | Nov 19, 2020 | Book Nook
I think what made me fall in love with history is when I found out that it’s not about names and dates, but rather people, places and events. I fell in love with history, and have learned a lot, through historical fiction. When you can imagine the story being told, unfolding on the streets that you are already familiar with, you will remember the history that happened there! Below are 3 really good, gripping historical fiction books that happened in Pittsburgh!
Consecrated Dust
What is better than a book that opens with a Christmas sleigh ride through the snow at the beginning of the Victorian era? Clara is young, beautiful, and being rushed to marry by her mother, as a daughter of well bred parents should be. Her mother doesn’t approve of Clara’s longtime friendship with Annie, daughter of an Irish immigrant family that has started working at the Arsenal in Lawrenceville. Clara can’t stand the thought of marrying Edgar; the wealthy businessman and suitor her parents have picked out for her. Clara likes the thought of marrying James- though not wealthy but definitely a handsome suitor who is smitten with Clara. Their relationship will have to withstand a war, and a battle against her parents as Clara faces pressure to marry Edgar. Pressure only grows for Clara as her father, a doctor for the Union in the war, is captured and money becomes very tight for the family- Clara will have to make a decision as to how best to help her family.
In the center of day to day life in Lawrenceville is the arsenal- in full production for the war effort. Then one devastating day there is an explosion and life will be forever altered for all of the characters in the book; and not everyone will make it out of the war alive.
As soon as I opened Consecrated dust I found myself being pulled into a bygone world. The stage is set, we see a world of both the elite, and working class, two different worlds- both affected by the start of the civil war. This book depicts not only what life was like on the battle front but also how life changed on the homefront too. We hear about World War One and how life changed on the home front but we don’t hear much about what life was like, especially in the cities, during the civil war. As someone who is familiar with Pittsburgh I loved hearing about how the city looked at the time of the civil war. I will never walk down the streets of Lawrenceville again without thinking about the Arsenal and the explosion that happened there over 150 years ago.
Carnegie’s Maid
Written by a Pittsburgher, this is the untold story of a woman who may have influenced one of the most influential men of the late 1800s. Little is known about Clara Kelley, the Irish maid who came to America and by a twist of fate ends up gaining employment in the Carnegie household. The only problem is the Carnegie’s don’t know who Clara really is- she is not the maid they thought they were hiring. Having to work doubly hard to keep her job while maintaining the false facade that she is who they think she is, she starts to build a friendship with Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie sees himself in Clara’s sharp intellect and business acumen. It is she that reminds him of where he came from, and it just might be she that inspires him to eventually give away all of his millions.
The Secrets of Flight
Contrasting from the present day to the 1940’s this story is told by alternating perspectives of a young girl in present day Pittsburgh, to a now old woman who was one of the first female pilots during World War Two who stepped up to serve her country in the war effort. You will not get bored reading this book. The author does a great job of spinning enough threads throughout the book that you are continually intrigued as to what will happen next but not so many threads that you can’t keep track of where the story is heading.
Most people are not aware of the female pilot program instituted during World War Two. We are not taught about how the women in this program had to learn to navigate not only the stresses of learning how to pilot a plane but also how they had to survive and navigate sabotage from male pilots who were not on board with this program. Neither are we really familiar with the racism here in the US against Jews at this same time. We hear about how there was much racism against Germans and Japanese people in the states at this time but sadly the Jews were not always welcome either. This book brings to light often buried tensions that were also at play during World War Two.
Not only were they books well researched historical fiction, they were also really good stories. I didn’t want to pull them down and I found myself getting caught up in the characters’ lives. If you want to learn more about history but don’t want to feel like you are learning try one of these books and get lost in their pages!
