Eyes 2 Jesus

The Home Management Binder

A Home Management Binder is a tool, to bless the Christian homemaker. It is a 3-ring binder, which houses lists, schedules, routines, recipes, charts, and perhaps other things, such as family documents, etc. It is not boring. It is purposely made beautiful, exactly to the homemaker's specific tastes. It is a joy to use.

It is housed in a large binder, and is not meant to be carried around. It is meant to reside in the Christian homemaker's headquarters - her kitchen. The kitchen should be the hub of the house; the place where the meals are prepared, where games and special talks take place around the table, and where good smells waft about. Kitchens hold some of the best family memories. The Home Management Binder should live there.

Creating a Home Management Binder that Blesses

STEP ONE: First, you need to gather together the basic materials. Mainly, you'll need a binder, and some paper. You can decide the thickness of the binder, and other things you'd like to house in your HMB.

STEP TWO:The Cover

Before you begin putting things into your HMB, please take the time to make the cover of your binder beautiful. You are not ready to work on the inside, until the outside makes you smile. What are images you picture in your mind, that bring you the feeling of warmth, happiness, family, and joy? Gather up some of those images and put them on your HMB's cover.

STEP THREE: Stock the Binder

Consider what types of tools you want to keep in your binder, and place those in a binder pocket or pouch. It may be handy to keep such things as a pen, dry erase marker, hole punch, etc. Also, it's good to use clear page protectors, and place all of your papers inside those. The Avery brand is pretty good, but there are lower cost off-brands that are great, as well.

In the front pocket, keep some scratch paper. Use this to jot down things you run out of, that will later need to be put on the grocery list. Also use the paper to write yourself little notes or reminders, when needed.

STEP FOUR: Pages of Inspiration

You may want to put in a pretty cover page, with a picture that you love, or one that inspires you. Scripture quotes are also nice to put here.

You may also want to put in a poem, or something you found off of the internet. Below is an inspiration page with the poem "Do the Next Thing," by Anonymous:

STEP FIVE: Schedules

Consider creating a cover page for each section of your binder. Also, putting on stick-on tabs, dividing the binder into sections, helps for quick reference. I got my tabs from the stationary section of Wal-Mart, and then I used colored pens to write the different section names on each tab.

If you are at a loss as to what to put in the Schedules section, here is a .pdf file you can print out. It contains a schedule chart, along with an example schedule, a blank to do list, along with an example to do list, and a blank reading list, with an example reading list. If you are new to this, then please use this print out, and build from there. It is a starting point.

STEP SIX: Menus and Recipes

On the same day of each week, make a menu plan for all the meals you plan to cook. Keep these menu plans in your HMB. Also, use this section to house some of your favorite recipes, and a master grocery list. You can print out examples and blank forms/charts for this section from here .

STEP SEVEN: Cleaning

Create a daily and weekly cleaning routine for yourself. Also, make a list of projects that you'd normally do on Spring Cleaning, and do one or more of those projects each week, and elimate Spring Cleaning. For examples and blank charts/forms for cleaning routines and projects, click here.

STEP EIGHT: Homeschool

If you homeschool your children, you'll need this section. Keep a copy of your state's homeschool laws here. Also, keep a list of your children's school books, materials, and subjects, along with their reading lists, and your homeschool routine. Chart printouts for this can be printed from here.

STEP NINE: The Budget

It is preferable for the husband to handle the budget, but some men allocate this to their wives. If you go over the budget and bills, then you can set up this section to help you. Put in a binder zipper pocket, and use that to house your bills. After that, put in some paper for budget planning, followed by any other financial pages you may need. Here are some print outs to assist you in setting up this section.

STEP TEN: Other

Keep fun things in this section. You may want to keep some family photos here. This is also a good place to keep things you may have printed off of the internet, and wish to study in more depth at a later time.

STEP ELEVEN: People Contact Info

Instead of having a separate book for addresses and phone numbers of friends and family, why not keep it all in your HMB? This is a good section to be the last one. This way, if you need to access the address book, you know to just flip to the last section of your HMB.

DonnaYoung.org has great printouts to use for a phone and address book in a binder here.

STEP TWELVE: Use It

Use and enjoy your HMB. It's the Christian Housewife's best friend, when it comes to running the household smoothly.

Remember, it should "live" in the kitchen. There is an exception, however - if you are going away for longer than one day, take it with you. I take my HMB with me on weekend getaways and vacations. It has always come in handy. I've used its recipes, utilized my address book, and more. It is also fun to show to friends and family.

Sisters, I hope having a HMB blesses you greatly.

Build Your Foundation on the Rock of Salvation

The terms "Christian" and "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" have been thrown around so much, that for many people, they have lost their original savor. What is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Is it going to church? Is it being a "good person?" Is it via doing certain rituals, or following certain traditions? No, it is so much simpler than that.

"Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me." -Revelation 3:20 CEB

Let Jesus into your heart and life. Put your faith and trust in Him, and in Him alone.

Why did Jesus Christ come to this earth? He came to pay for our sins. Have you ever broken any of the Ten Commandments? Did you know that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that just looking at someone with lust in your heart is the same thing as committing adultery in your heart?

Many people will say I'm a good person. Sure, I've stolen a few paper clips in my time, and I've told some lies, but I've never killed anyone, so I'm good enough for heaven. Don't be so sure. Have you ever felt hatred toward someone? If so, then you are guilty of committing murder in your heart:

"Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that murderers don’t have eternal life residing in them." -1 John 3:15 CEB

If you have stolen, lied, lusted after someone, hated someone, loved someone or something more than God, etc., then you have broken at least 5 of the Ten Commandments. Do you really think you'd make it to heaven? Not according to God's Word:

"Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom." -1 Corinthians 6:9-10 CEB

"That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:11 CEB

Even Mary, the woman chosen by God to be a vessel that would carry Jesus in her womb, was a sinner, and in need of a Savior:

"In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior." - Mary said this in Luke 1:47 (CEB). Only sinners need a Savior, and Mary also accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.

"This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully. But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." -1 John 1:5-8 CEB

The blood of Jesus Christ is what cleanses us from all sins. Jesus came to this earth to die to pay for our sins. You see, Leviticus tells us that 'the life is in the blood,' and that it takes spilt blood to atone for sin.

When we choose to truly believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and to live our lives for Christ, then Christ's spilt blood cleanses us from our sins:

"Come now, and let’s settle this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow. If they are red as crimson, they will become like wool." -Isaiah 1:18 CEB

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son." - Jesus said this, in John 3:16-18 (CEB)

"Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart you have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation. The scripture says, All who have faith in him won’t be put to shame." -Romans 10:9-11 CEB

"There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy 2:5 CEB

"Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin." -Hebrews 4:14-15 CEB

"Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you?" -Matthew 15:3 CEB

"Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory." -1 Timothy 3:16 CEB

If Jesus isn't the Lord of your life, then I hope that you will let Him into your heart and life this very moment.

"But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8 CEB

Jesus is the way. If you would like to receive Jesus into your heart and life, then let Him know. Pray to the Lord, telling Him that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and that you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty for your sins. Tell this to God in your own words, from your heart.

"The wages that sin pays are death, but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23 CEB

"You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ." -Ephesians 1:13 CEB

When you believe on Jesus Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit. You are sealed as a child of God.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior, and you believe that Jesus died on the cross in your place, to pay the death penalty for your sins, and that Christ rose from the dead three days later, and you are ready to let Him lead your life, and you will live for Him, then you are saved, and born again.

You are now a saved Child of God, with the Holy Spirit living within you. Dedicate your life to the Lord, and live for Him. Please get a Bible (I suggest the Common English Bible - CEB) and turn to the Gospel of John. That is the fourth book in the New Testament. If you don't have a Bible, then you can read it for free, online - here.

After you've read the Gospel of John, go on to read Acts, and then Romans. These three books will bring you through the Gospel, the early church, and basic Christian doctrine. After you've read these three, then turn to the beginning of the New Testament, and read it all the way through. After that, read both the Old and New Testaments.

You should also follow the Lord and get baptized in water. A Believer's Baptism doesn't save you. Only faith in Christ saves you. A Believer's Baptism is an outward showing of your salvation. It symbolizes you being born again. When you are lowered under the water, it shows you dying to your old self, and when you are raised up out of the water, it symbolizes you being born again, as a new creature in Christ. This is called a Believer's Baptism, because, according to the Bible, a person is supposed to get baptized after they have believed on Christ. Anyone who was "baptized" before having faith in Christ just got wet - nothing more. You don't need to find a church to get baptized in. Any born again Christian can baptize you in any acceptable body of water - even a public swimming pool.

Find a good, local church congregation to attend. Search in your area for a Nazarene church, Foursquare church, or non-denominational Full-Gospel church.

Immerse yourself in the Bible. The Bible is God's love letter to you. It is also your Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.