New Year’s Day Organizing Tips

by Blair Massey

It’s the beginning of another new year. What better time to get organized? Try these helpful organizing tips to get your New Year started in the right direction.

Schedule It.

Schedule all the annual appointments for you and your family –doctor, dentist and veterinarian (for the animals of course!). Consider setting up a standing appointment for your hair and nails.

Calendar It.

Get a new calendar and transfer over all birthdays, anniversaries and other important events. Don’t forget to add appointments that you have already scheduled for this year. Color-code each event by category using highlighters in different colors so that you can see what’s coming up at a glance. Purchase a calendar wall hanger and hang up your calendar for daily viewing.

Get It On Sale

Purchase Christmas cards, wrapping paper, tissue, bows, ribbon and decorations for next year while they are on sale now.

Make a List and Check It Twice

Make a Christmas card mailing list. Put each name and address into Word’s label feature (under tools, letters/mailings, envelopes/labels) so that next year you can save time by printing out address labels. Print them on festive label stock.

Make a master list of the people you purchase gifts for each year.

Write It Down

Write down your New Year’s resolutions and use them as a springboard for developing your goals for the year.

Perfectly Put Away

Organize your Christmas ornaments, lights and decorating items as you store them away. Try using a cardboard wine case for your ornaments. They can be picked up for free from the grocery store and have dividers that are just the right size for most ornaments. Label your boxes as you go so you know what is in them. Try grouping your ornaments by the location that you will use them in. That way you can easily find what you need for each area that you decorate. You can also apply this strategy to your other holiday decorations. Group decorations by season or holiday and mark each box accordingly.

Budget for Next Christmas

Take a look at your recent Christmas receipts and plan a budget for next Christmas.

Hidden Agenda

Find a hiding place for Christmas gifts that you purchase on sale throughout the year. Make sure it is “child proof”. Make a list of what you purchase that includes the person’s name, what you bought and how much you spent. Keep this list in your purse or wallet for easy reference.

Filing for the Future

Start getting your files and records in order. Make a list of what you need to do to update or revamp your filing system. Don’t forget to purge what you don’t need and move other documents, like taxes to long-term storage.

© 2009 Blair Massey

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world get their home, family and life organized. To get your home organized and start living the amazing life you were created by God to enjoy, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

Teaching Your Children the True Meaning of Christmas

by Blair Massey

The stores have put up their holiday decorations. Yuletide carols are being piped into shopping malls across the country. Ah, yes, the holiday rush is on.

It’s the time of year when the lines are long and shoppers are irritable. There are parties to go to, cards to write, baking to be done, a tree to get, lights to be hung and presents to wrap. Then there is the deluge of television advertisements that tell us what we must buy in order to make our loved ones happy.

The world has taken Christmas and turned it into a celebration of consumerism. For many children, Christmas is about what presents they are going to get. They have no idea what it is really about. What can we do as Christian parents to make sure our children know the true meaning of Christmas?

The answer lies in what we do as parents to put Christ at the center of our Christmas. If we’re too busy with holiday preparations to spend time teaching our children what Christmas is really about, then we can’t expect them to know the truth. The world will teach them its rendition and it won’t be about Jesus. But if we take the time to put Christ at the center of our Christmas, we will be giving our children the greatest Christmas gift of all: connecting with Jesus at a heart level.

Here are some ways you can teach your children the true meaning of Christmas. Begin by reading to your children the account of Jesus’ birth in the Bible. Next, discuss Jesus’ life. Read scriptures that show examples of how He loved and served others.

To make Christmas come alive for your children, teach them to imitate Jesus by following His example of serving others. I have listed some examples below for inspiration.

Before you make your plans please consider the following.  Make sure that you choose an activity that will have a meaningful impact. The activity should also require your children to give of themselves in an up close and personal way. And last but not least, be sure to participate in the activity with your children.  You’ll be teaching them a valuable lesson in serving, one that they will remember as they get older.

1. Teach them to give

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35.

• Have them choose one of their own toys (in good condition) or purchase a new toy out of their own money to give to a child who otherwise would not receive a toy this Christmas.
• Give a coat or shoes to a homeless person.
• Bring toys and clothes to an orphanage.
• Help a less fortunate family for Christmas by providing all the fixings for a Christmas meal, presents for the children and clothes if needed.
• Pack bag lunches to give out to the homeless. Include a sandwich, juice box, cheese and crackers, Wet Ones, bus pass, a list of addresses where they can get a hot meal and shower, change for a phone call, and invitation to church.

2. Teach them to share

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6:18.

• Take a basket of homemade cookies to a neighbor you don’t know well and invite them to church.
• Have a friend over for dinner who doesn’t know about Jesus and share the Good News with them.
• Have your child invite a school friend to Christmas service at your church.

3. Teach them to care

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalms 68:5-6.

• Visit a convalescent hospital and sing Christmas carols.
• Visit a children’s hospital. Bring cookies and games to play.
• Bring a meal to someone who has a chronic illness.
• Invite a military person who is away from home to spend Christmas dinner at your house.

3. Teach them to serve

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28.

• Volunteer to make and serve a meal at a homeless shelter.
• Spend an afternoon at a senior citizens’ home. Bring cookies and reading material, sing Christmas songs and serve in any way that may be needed.
• Take an elderly person shopping or do errands for them.
• Do yard work, pet care or housework for someone who is not physically able to do those things for themselves.

By teaching our children to imitate Jesus this Christmas season, we will keep the true meaning of Christmas alive for this generation and for the next. Jesus is the real reason for the season.

Copyright 2002 – 2009

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world get their home, family and life organized. To get organized and start living the amazing life you were created by God to enjoy, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

Cranberry, Apple, Sage & Rosemary Stuffing

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

• 1 loaf unsliced French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 green apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon cube diluted in 2 cups hot water
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup maple-flavored syrup
• 2 tsp. dried sage
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted on the outside but still slightly soft inside. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, apples and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread cubes and remaining ingredients, stirring until broth has been absorbed. Spoon into prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour, tenting with foil if top browns too quickly.

How to Make the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

When it comes to finding directions on how to make the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, suddenly everyone you know becomes an expert. Your neighbor, your mail carrier, your hairdresser, your car repairman (even though he’s never cooked a turkey in his life) and last, but not least, your pest control man. Everyone has to put in their two cents worth on the subject. Well, I guess that means I’m in good company. Here are my instructions on how to cook the best Thanksgiving turkey you’ll ever eat.

Creating Perfect Flavor

I am going to let you in on a little secret. There is a method that the five star restaurants use to give their turkeys incredible flavor. What is it? It’s called flavor brining. Yep, that’s their secret. Historically, brining was done as a method of preserving. However, today it is used primarily as a vehicle to impart unbelievable flavor and moisture into a lean cut of meat.

Note: You should begin the brining process at a minimum of four days before you plan to cook your bird.

How to Brine Your Perfect Turkey

1. Purchase a 14 to 16 pound natural, young turkey. It should not be a self-basting or kosher turkey. These types of turkeys have a ton of added salt. Be careful to look at the ingredients on the turkey package and if it says it contains sodium or salt, keep looking for one without salt.

If your turkey is frozen, you will need to thaw it for at least two days before you begin the brining process. Remove the innards.

2. You will need a non-reactive, food-safe, 5-gallon plastic bucket large enough to fit your turkey with enough headroom for the brine to cover the turkey entirely by about one inch. Restaurant supply houses usually have these types of containers. You can also check with a local restaurant to see if they have a container like this that they are discarding. Be sure to clean it well with very hot soap and water before use.

3. To determine the amount of brine mixture you will need, put your turkey in the container and cover it with water. Remove the turkey and measure the remaining water. This is the amount you will need to make. Discard this water.

4. Place your thawed turkey (innards removed) neck cavity side up in the container and cover with it the brine (see recipe below). If you need to weigh your bird down, fill one or two large plastic zipper-type bag with ice and place them on top of the bird. This will also keep your bird at a cool temperature.

Refrigerate or place the bird in a cool place to brine for at least 12 hours or up to two days if desired. You can place the bird outside as long as the weather won’t cause it to freeze and the lid is secure against pests and animals.

If you are concerned about the bird being too salty, stop after the 12 hour period. It is better to err on the side of caution.

5. When the brining process is complete, rinse the bird well inside and out to remove the excess salt, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Air dry the bird over-night in the refrigerator to let the skin dry. This will help in the crisping of the skin as it roasts. Stuff your turkey as usual and roast according to the instructions below.

The Perfect Brine Recipe

You may need to double this recipe in order to have enough to cover your bird. Additional spices such as allspice berries, crushed thyme leaves, sprigs of rosemary, cinnamon sticks, and candied ginger may be added to this mixture to create your own unique flavor.

• Approximately 1 gallon of cold, no-salt vegetable stock or water.
• 1 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (if using Morton’s Kosher salt, use 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
• 7 fresh leaves sage, bruised
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 10 cloves of peeled, crushed garlic

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, onion and garlic in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve all the solids and then bring to a boil. Remove the brine immediately from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Pour the mixture over the turkey and refrigerate or keep in a cool place.

Roasting Your Perfect Turkey

The goal in cooking a turkey is to get your bird cooked and beautifully browned without drying out the breast. Here’s the problem: white meat cooks faster than dark meat. Traditionally, the bird is cooked breast-side up. This method causes the breast meat to cook quickly while the legs that are under the bird cook slowly. What you end up with is dried-out breast meat in order for the legs and thighs to be done properly.

So what is the answer you ask? Roast your turkey breast side down. Now before you brand me a heretic and have me burned at the stake, hear me out. Yes, this is not how your mother or grandmother did it but I am telling you, once you try this method you will never go back to cooking your turkey breast-side up again.

Why do it this way? Because when the breast meat is on the bottom, not only is it protected and cooks a little slower but all the juices that are in the turkey drain down into the breast making it moist, tender and juicy. Unless you have your heart set on a Norman Rockwell presentation at your Thanksgiving table, this is the best position in which to cook your bird. It may not look as pretty as the other, but who carves their turkey at the table anyway? We never do.

The last tip to the perfect turkey is to put your bird in the oven and leave it there until it is done. Calculate the amount of time that it will take to cook your bird, then put it in the oven and don’t peek until the timer goes off. No basting is necessary. You don’t need to baste if you cook the turkey breast-side down.

Roast your turkey at 325 degrees F. A 14 to 18 pound, unstuffed turkey will take approximately 3 3/4 hours to 4 1/2 hours.

For an unstuffed turkey, place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, taking care that it does not touch any bone. Roast the turkey until the meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees F.

For a stuffed turkey, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the dressing. The center of the dressing inside the bird (or in a separate baking dish) must reach a temperature of 165 degrees F. for food safety.

After removing the turkey from the oven and before carving, allow the turkey to rest at least 20 minutes so that the juices settle within the meat, which will provide the meat with even more flavor and tenderness and will also make carving much easier.

Bon Appetite!

© 2002 – 2009 Blair Massey

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world get their home, family and life organized. To get your home organized and start living the amazing life you were created by God to enjoy, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

Do You Have Homemaker’s Heartburn?

by Blair Massey

We all have our “off” days. It goes something like this: You wake up late and you just can’t seem to get motivated to do anything. Simple tasks like doing the dishes seem too big to tackle, and you don’t even want to think about that mountain of laundry calling your name from the laundry room. The kids wear you down and you wish you could escape to someplace quiet. Instead of having a heart that burns to be a great homemaker, you feel more like your heart has a case of homemaker’s heartburn. If this is where you’re at, it’s time for some refueling and refocusing.

Christ or Man?

Ephesians 6:7 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…”

It’s very easy to become discouraged about your homemaking tasks when you focus on your family as the motivation for what you do. When they make messes, destroy things, postpone progress and cause pandemonium, it is easy to become discouraged and even resentful. But when you focus on Christ as the one you are serving, it puts a whole new perspective on things. Then when you look at the day’s tasks you see them as serving Christ, not man. It is the Lord who has given you your role as the manager of your home and it is Christ who you are serving when you serve your family. That’s an assignment you can sink your teeth into!

Rested or Burdened

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (NIV)

Whenever I feel weary and in need of rest it always helps to give my burdens to Jesus. When I pray for strength He gives an ample supply. When I pray for patience He sustains me. When I need rest He provides it, whether it is through a change of plans or a change of attitude. Life can beat you down but Jesus is there to refuel you when you need it. Take Him up on His offer. You’ll find the rest that you need in Him.

Busy or Buried

Titus 2:4-5 “Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (NIV)

Often the cause of my discouragement is the mismanagement of my time. I spend way too much time doing things that I really should do after I have my housework completed. Then wonder why I am so buried.

Take a step back and ask yourself if a lack of proper time management is causing housework buildup for you. If the answer is yes, then you need to get busy with your homekeeping. It may seem awkward at first, but if you get your work done when you should, you will have plenty of time to do the things you like to do.

As I always say, “Do what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it and you will be victorious every time.”

We all have times when we fall short of the mark. To get back on track make sure that you focus on Christ, find rest in Him and get busy with your homekeeping. Then your homemaker’s heartburn will be transformed into a flame that burns brightly, lighting up your home with the love of Christ.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

© 2002 – 2009 Blair Massey

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world get their home, family and life organized. To get your home organized and start living the amazing life you were created by God to enjoy, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

Next Page »