Dandelions and Daydreams

When I worked outside the home, I had a pretty good routine going. I got up at 5 am every morning, pulled on my clothes, and headed out for my morning walk. I’d get home about 5:30, pray, shower, dress, and fix a protein shake to drink when I got to work. I drove 20 minutes to catch a bus and then spent the next 30-40 minutes reading my scriptures or writing in my journal. By the time I got to work at 7:30, I felt like I’d gotten a good start on the day.

When I started my own home business, all of that structure flew out the window! I still got up early, but instead of heading out for that morning walk, I rubbed my eyes and walked into my home office down the hall. I’d get so involved in checking email, working on my website, organizing paperwork that I’d totally lose track of time. Some days it might be 10 or 11 am before I stopped long enough to even go shower. My dream had always been to work at home in my pjs, but this was ridiculous!

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Okay, so I may not be a highly effective entrepreneur…yet…but the same principle applies to those of us who are just trying to get buy. Since I am working from home now, I know how easy it is to get distracted from what I need to be doing by what I should be doing. I can’t say that I have my system all worked out yet, but I’m getting there.

My nomal routine is that I get up with my husband and get ready for the day. This means that I shower, eat breakfast, and treat my morning much the same way as if I had a job to get to at a particular time.

When I need to get some housework done I use my timer. I got this idea from FLYlady. If I have several things that all need to be done right now, I will make a list of three or four things. I tackle each of those things for 15 minutes. When I get to the end of the list, I give myself a few minute break and then start at the top of the list again. When one item on the list is finished, I add another item to the bottom of the list.

I have found that if I think about what’s for dinner early in the day then it will get made on time for supper. If I wait until the last minute, we live off of burritos, tomato soup, tuna, and take out. I think this is a good habit for anyone (work a home or not).

My last tip for this entry is to have a home office. Right now my home office is a computer cabinet in the middle of oour living room. This computer also doubles as the family entertainment center. While I am trying to relax with some music or TV I am constantly reminded of the work that I need to do. Having a home office will allow me to shut the door at the end of the day and mentally go home.

The key to being a successful entrepreneur is to treat your home-based business the same way you would treat a job working for someone else. If you were your boss, would you fire you? I think I would fire me.

Cara’s dad always said, “Discretion is the better part of valor.” I didn’t understand then what discretion had to do with being courageous. Here I am now, under attack. I am struggling with fear, uncertainty, doubts, profanity. The ghosts are coming out of the closets with their claws grasping for my throat. My breath quickens as the muscles in my chest tighten and I struggle, gasping for air like a fish that has just been caught and finds itself in an unnatural environment.
The demons are flying all around me, and my guardian angels have a vicious battle to fight. My heart grows weary from the battle and sometimes I stumble. So now I ask for grace if you have seen me fall face first into a mud puddle. You didn’t see, but I was tripped and Satan delights in seeing me wet and dripping, my face smeared with mud. If you see me, face down in the mud puddle, don’t allow me to wallow like a pig in the mire. Help me up, wipe off my face. Slap me around if I need it. Then send me on my way with your prayers guarding my back.
If I am tripped, I must rise again though my heart grows weary. I must continue to try and honor Him even when my knees are scraped and bruised. I must continue on even though I am wounded. I know that Jesus will open his arms and give me a place to rest. He will heal my scraped knees and my wounds.

The Warrior is a Child
by Twila Paris
Lately I’ve been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I’m amazing, strong beyond my years
But they don’t see inside of me, I’m hiding all the tears

They don’t know that I go running home when I fall down
They don’t know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
Deep inside this armour - the warrior is a child.

I have not had many great friends in my life, but there is one friend who I have loved my whole life. I have known her since–well, since before I can remember. We have been on many adventures together, and I look forward to many adventures yet to come. She has spent countless hours in prayer for me and almost as many hours just being there for me while I cried.

During high school, We would spend almost every Saturday morning just talking over a cup of tea. During college, every time I came home for a visit, we revived the tradition as if no time had passed. Even now, when our homes are 3,000 miles apart, we talk on the phone at least once a week whether we need to or not.

As a child, she taught me to become a woman, and as I became a woman she has led me with her example of being a virtuous wife. I will never have a girlfriend so dear to me as Mom. I have loved her all my life.