Keeping Up When You’re Feeling Down

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29.3.11

Keeping Up When You’re Feeling Down




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On Monday, I normally share a big homemaking post..and follow it with a chat from the heart on Tuesdays for tea. But since I'm battling a particularly difficult cold, about the only tea I'll be drinking will be heavily laced with lemon juice. Today, I thought we'd talk about a pretty regular occurrence in most homemaker's lives and a great approach to handling it...over a cup of hot tea.


What I'd like to chat about today, is what I'm going through this week..trying to keep up..while feeling 'down'. 
We all love the idea of keeping house like Martha Stewart or June Cleaver, don’t we? Picture the lovely home, gorgeous figure, stylish dress, well behaved children,  the manicured nails..and our dashing knight arriving home with flowers to greet us with a peck on the cheek. Ahh…homemaking bliss!  But real life does have a way of intruding doesn’t it? It’s not that we never get to enjoy these perks…but usually not all on the same day..and not generally while nursing the baby, cleaning the oven or when we have a cold.



 tea cup


Is there any better comfort food for nursing a cold? If you'd like to join the party and show us your beautiful tea things, I know we'd all love to see them.   I'm drinking TONS of tea today..mainly chamomille. :o)

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This week, Amanda , my DIL, got to enjoy one of my favorite books on getting things done..regardless of the circumstances-- How to Have a 48 Hour Day by Don Aslett. It’s well loved and the pages are flop-eared, but it’s going where it’s needed most--to a mom with three energetic boys, who rarely gets a break because her military husband is rarely ever home.  It’s very very hard but like other military wives before her, Amanda is doing her best to ‘rise’ to the challenge.  She read bits and pieces of this book while nursing Nikolai (he’s almost weaned but not quite), while getting babies to sleep, and even while standing-LoL! I had to laugh. I used to read that way too. (I was cooking, cleaning, and helping with other children..in case you were wondering-Ha!)
Amanda and kids 2
Single moms, wives whose husbands have chronic illnesses, women with children with special needs, women whose husbands are out of a job, women battling depression…there is no end to the list of trying circumstances that can pop up in our lives.  As the bible says, “In this world you WILL have trouble”. The Lord is with us through it all though...and his grace is sufficient. I know that myself.  Cancer, surgery, caring for grandparents, financial troubles…all have ‘popped’ up in our lives at one time or another.

 DSC05971puppet show
Christian plays with the boys   
We had a few challenges even this last week. Along with my kids’ usual activities, we had three visiting grandkids, our dishwasher broke down and is in pieces on our kitchen floor.Nikolia pushed one button too many and the control panel needs to be replace. LoL! Who would have thought that just pushing buttons would de-rail a dishwasher? Not me!   On the bright side, Christian played with the boys all week leaving Amanda and I with some time to actually visit for a change..and watch a few movies when the kiddos were in bed.  We were so grateful!

cat on computer


And if that wasn’t quite enough for one week,  my computer completely crashed..I mean..dead. When Tim miraculously resurrected it, I did a complete back up (in little bits of time) on 8 DVDs (4 Gigs each).  So if it crashes again—which it probably will—at least I still have my photos and documents. :o)  “Grandma..watcha doin’? Backing up my hard drive..wanna watch? LoL!”  I did most of it after they were in bed of course. :o)    And I missed my dear friend’s daughter’s wedding yesterday because my cold is a horrible one. It’s that kind that makes your throat so sore you can’t swallow.   (Thank goodness for TheraFlu!)
C'est la vie…That’s life..:o)  

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Does this mean we throw in the towel? Call it quits?
Just let the house go? No… Of course not…:o)
We ladies are tough..and like Don Aslet said, “We can do it!”  He is such a great cheerleader. He’s always challenging me to not quit just because circumstances are tough. “Do-ers work even when ‘it’s raining”.  He said that it really is amazing what we can get done even when we don’t feel like it. Even when we are tired..discouraged..or everything in the world seems to have gone wrong, if we try..we can find SOME activity—some item on our ‘to do list’ that could be accomplished.

We may not have the energy to do something BIG..but we can do some little things.  What little things should you do in between nursing a brand new baby, or when you feel that slight bit of energy in between bouts of misery with the flu or a cold? Ahh.. that is a very good question!

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Flylady talks about the importance of the morning routine. The items on your ‘morning routine’ list are the most important of the day. It doesn’t matter when they get done as long as the get done!

You Can Do These ESSENTIAL Tasks…. in your ‘spare’ time.
Your Day will be so much brighter for it! :o)
  • Start a Load of ‘whites’
  • Put a Chicken in the crock pot
  • Wash a load of dishes
  • Take out the trash
  • Swish the toilet
  • Bump the clothes to the dryer
  • Pick up the living room (put it in a basket if you have to)
  • Damp mop the kitchen floor if it needs it.
  • Stick some potatoes or rice in the crockpot when the chicken is done.
  • Make a cup of hot tea for yourself..make a whole pot!

    As long as you have clean whites, supper in the crockpot, the dishes are washed and the living room isn’t a disaster..you can keep up!  As I write, my dishes are air drying, my chicken is finished cooking, and the rice is now in the leftover broth. The living room is ‘decently’ picked up..and the whites are ready to bump. As far as I’m concerned..I’m through for the day! I’ve laid in bed ‘all day’ except for a few brief intervals when I’d get that little bit of energy..right after my theraflu drink (hot cider and medicines). I know I’ve got about five minutes before I’ll be ‘beat’ again..but that’s long enough to do anything on the above list. And I know I’ve averted most of the ‘crisis’ for the next 24 hours. 


    Why do all this? Why not just lay in bed and feel miserable? Because life’s difficulties are discouraging enough without adding dirty laundry, no supper, and a messy kitchen to  the pile of miseries. There is nothing that will cheer you up more than the knowledge that at least you have things under control even when the day isn’t going well.   

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    Sometimes, there just isn’t anyone to rescue us. But with a little focus..and a wee bit of energy..we can rescue ourselves!  If you were my neighbor, I’d come over and do just these things for you..but sadly, I’m not. So..this is the best I can do.  I thought I was too tired to write my Monday post. But…bit by bit..I squeezed it out. 

    This story from St. Paul was on my mind today..and it seemed so applicable..

    2 Cor. 11:27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?       30If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

    2 Cor 12:9And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 
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    Flowers from Hubby…
    I’m not feeling to good, but I thought I’d at least share with you the pep talk I give myself at times like this…  If we can do a few essential things to keep life going when the going gets tough—we can bless our families..and ourselves too.

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    Tuesday Update:  I'm feeling much better..but coughing a LOT!  I wanted to mention a couple of darling tea posts that were shared last week. All of them were just gorgeous!! But two caught my attention in particular. One is a post by my good friend Kerrie of Kerrie's Korner SC who has just started doing tea posts on Tuesdays. She wrote the sweetest post about having tea with me called 'late for tea' I felt like I was sitting in her kitchen. It made me think of the white rabbit in Alice and Wonderland. Thanks so much Kerrie. I was honored. :o)


    And my new friend Amy has a blog called A Tea Girl in a Coffee World. Isn't that a great name for a blog? She was talking about her memories of using Constant Comment tea from a Grocery Store (yes --that's ok!) ..and someone from the company actually came and left a link where you could read the history of Constant Comment tea. How interesting!
    And if you’d like to visit some other tea parties..do drop by my great tea party friends.  They have the most gorgeous tea settings and china you will EVER see. Table settings beyond imagination. I almost feel embarrassed linking up my homey table settings. LoL!  But I hope mine do fit my 'country' setting.  Hopefully, next week I can do some new china tea cup photos. It's about time! :o)

    Raising Homemakers Homemaking Link up
    Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday
    The Plumed Pen's  Tea for Two
    Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday
    A Delightsome Life: A Return to Loveliness

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    Thanks again Rayanne for starting this lovely tea party tradition at Comin’ Home!  


    17 comments

    Natasha in Oz said...

    Donna, I am so sorry to hear you have been so unwell. You are right about so many things in this post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and publishing something so worthwhile even though you are so sick! What a wonderful friend, mother, grandmother, blogger you are!

    Take care and keep sipping that tea!

    Best wishes always,
    Natasha.

    Debby said...

    Hi Donna. So sorry that you are so sick. Please rest a bit. You have had a busy week. I hope you feel better soon. (((((HUGS))))

    Unknown said...

    Donna, I do hope you feel better soon. My house is sooo past the point of return right now... When I started reading your post, I wanted to roll my eyes and say but I've been in bed for three months with horrible morning sickness.....

    then I stopped and read. You are right. I need to be better about getting up and just doing it. I used to be great at that.


    Let me know if you need anything, I am finally coming out of my fog and can help others again.

    Donna said...

    Christi..How I remember those longs months of morning sickness! So discouraging! But yes..we do have to get up and do just the bare minimum. Supper, laundry, and dishes...that's it. It's a lot sometimes..but it can be done in little baby steps.

    I feel just awful right now...but it will pass. It's not three months of misery though. I'm glad you are feeling better.

    Thanks sweet friends. There are worse things in life than a sore throat!

    xo
    Donna

    Solid Rock or Sinking Sand said...

    Praying for you to get well. I really enjoyed reading the posts on your blog. I would like to invite you to come on over to my blog and check it out. God bless, Lloyd

    Needled Mom said...

    I hope you feel better soon. Sip on that tea and keep on moving!! Take care of yourself too.

    Kelly said...

    Donna; I hope you feel better soon. You are a true inspiration to us all! I'm at work today on two Dayquills - getting through the day! Hugs and blessings
    Kelly

    Jill said...

    Donna,

    So sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Hope you start feeling better soon. This is a great post and so true about women. However I hope you do make some time to rest and get well! :-)

    Many blessings to you!

    Jill

    Rae said...

    Dear sweet Donna,
    I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling bad :(
    I'm praying for The Lord's healing balm for you.
    Get some rest, get well and feel better soon, that will make us all happy again!!
    Blessings!

    Donna said...

    Believe me ladies..I'm mostly RESTING. It's only five minutes here and there. :o)

    The cold and fever broke at midnight last night. I slept so good! Taking it easy today... Still napping. :o)

    xo

    Amy said...

    Get well soon! Hope the tea helps:) We have that same puppet theatre. ~Blessings and Healing to you~

    Millicent said...

    Donna, hope you're feeling better by now. Next time you might try making your "tea" out of fresh ginger and garlic. You can add lemon to that, too, if you like. It really helps when you drink this broth. You'll feel much better very soon!

    LadyV said...

    Hi, I just found your blog and I'm a new follower. Love this post and hope you're feeling well.

    Have a wonderful and uplifting day.

    Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

    Hi Donna,
    Sorry you haven't been feeling well. Tea with lemon should help you feel better.
    My computer was quite sick over the weekend but thankfully I have a son who knows his way around these mysterious objects and he helped us get it up and running again.
    You always share such wonderful posts with the blogging world. It did my heart good to see your Bible open in the first photo! Thanks for sharing and joining me for tea. Take care and I hope you have a lovely week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

    Room for More said...

    I hope by the time you rad this you are more like your old self! I am sorry you got the 'crud'!

    Trudy said...

    Donna, so sorry you've been so sick. Thank you for taking the time to write this. You are amazing how you can keep going even in difficult times.

    Maria Killam said...

    I love the way you talk about your not being well and turn it into inspiration! Thanks for this great post, I loved reading it!
    x
    Maria

    “There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.” ~ Margaret Sangster

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