Does the idea of spring cleaning excite you all while making your bones ache with exhaustion? YES! Me too! So, how are we going to get those normal chores done and the “spring cleaning” items we rarely get to handle? Child Labor!

Having four kids, 5-years-old and under, we had to recruit their help early. Here are some of the ways we helped our kids get in on helping keep-up the house with daily little chores that are easy for littles to accomplish. Organization helps you and your child keep on top of the daily so once they’re in the swing of helping with those things on your list, you’ll be free to do those rare spring cleaning items on your bigger list!

Today on the Homemaker's Challenge, I am sharing how we organize our version of "Child Labor" so we can get to the spring cleaning. I'm covering our chore chart, how we rotate and train the littles, as well as our "allowance".

On a side note, look for the upcoming post where I give you some very convincing arguments for why you should never fold your little's laundry again.

I have always admired my friends who could reupholster things. I'm talking full couches and stuff. I've never been brave enough to try it, ya know, 'cause it would cost big money if I messed it up...

So when my hubs came home with some bar stools out of the blue that a friend gave him for free I thought I'd give it a try on these for a few reasons: they were free, the seats were so small it would only take a tiny bit of fabric, AND we can only fit 3 stools across our bar leaving 1 to be my guinea pig!

Supplies:

• bar stools
• screw driver
• fabric
• staple gun {and staples}

Directions:

1. Started with the most beat-up one {mine had splattered paint on it & was missing a screw} so you can test your skills.
2. Take out screws on the bottom. I removed them all because I was also considering painting them so I wanted to see if it could be done but if you're not, just remove the ones hold the cushion on.
3. Cleaned the cushion off really well.
4. Cut fabric to the right size. I had 1 yard and cut it into 4 pieces leaving them close to 1x1 foot each.
5. Remove decorative cover that is hiding the manufacture's staples so you can reuse it when you're done. {but you could make your own if needed}
6. Place fabric print side down.
7. Put your cushion face down directly in the middle of the fabric.
8. Pull the 4 corners up and staple tight into place.
9. Begin gathering tightly and stapling the rest of the fabric in a circular manner until you've gone all the way around the cushion.
10. Cut off excess fabric.
11. Reattach the decorate fabric to cover raw fabric edges and staples.
12. Reattach the cushion to bar stool legs.

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After jumping out to plant the valley
I've had several people ask me similar questions about
how we knew God was "calling" us.

Based on our personal experience as well as those we know who have gone through those step-out-on-a-limb decisions,

How do you know God is "calling" you to do something?

You will become unsettled in how you were formerly content living. When being 'called' to do something, I've often heard, "There was no reason to ..." When we left our comfortable, well established, thriving ministry down in Parker's Chapel, there was no reason to move. Life was great and it all made sense. And then God put an uneasiness in us toward normally lovable things and basic life.

That unsettled feeling led to restlessness and an eagerness to find what else God had for us. God will give you an unquenchable burning in your gut- a passion. Your unsettled feeling will become targeted and focused on something. That something will become your passion. It may be something that has been around for a long time and sometimes its newly found. It may not make sense but we know that logic doesn't really exist in God's upside-down kingdom.

God's will will never go against Biblical principles already established. God will never ask you to do something He has clearly deemed sinful. Searching scripture for conformation is always the 1st go-to in determining God's will. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow {Hebrews} so you can trust His character that's already been laid out for us in the Bible.

God will never ask a married couple to go separate directions causing division. God hates divorce. That's the raw truth. This is not saying God doesn't redeem things but if you are in the mist of a life-changing decision and your spouse is not on board, wait. This goes back to "God won't ask you to do something He's already said not to do." When you and your spouse are not on the same page, pray separately about the matter mainly focusing on asking God to turn some pages to get you both at the same place. Don't be stubborn holding out for your spouse's mind to change, it, very possibly, might be you God is changing.

How do you know you are doing what God has "called" you to do?

There will be peace that only comes with being in God's will. After the period of unsettled restlessness and searching for God's answer, there will be peace with following, going out on a limb, journeying a new road, etc. Excitement for what's to come will overshadow the looming feeling that you've made a horrible decision.

Things will not always 'fall into place' in our timing or how we thought they would. I wish I could tell you otherwise but when things just not coming together never means you should quite. If your decision doesn't go against scripture and there is God-given peace in the decision, keep truck'n. God will make a way. God will never give you more than He can handle. He is making a way but just like the "will for your life" is likely not logical, the path to completing it is likely not logical. When you finally arrive at what He's ask you to do, you will be able to look back at just how you got there and say, "Look what God has done" and know it could have only been Him.

There's a trail of "God Stuff". One of my favorite parts of hearing how God moves is the statement "and then God." It's always in there somewhere. I was fine in my job, and then God... We couldn't have children, and then God... We were going through financial trouble, and then God... Our marriage was almost over, and then God... We just couldn't sell our house, and then God... This trail will be made up of intricately woven paths crossed using intersections of people, places, lessons learned, skill sets, and so many other seemingly unconnected details of life. It will be beautiful! Write them down and soon you will see the grand picture like the finale of "How I Met Your Mother" where seasons of random stories were forming a beautiful love story all along; except this love story is all Yours!

Do you long for a "and then God" moment? Do you want to have the confidence in God's involvement in your life that can only come as the result of stepping out on a limb but are scared of the process? Seek God, search scripture, sit under godly counsel.

I would love to hear about your "and then God" stories! Please share, we're all eagerly awaiting goose-bumps.