Anyone who knows me well (and is honest) will tell you--I have some strengths in life--but at times I can be flightier than a flock of drunken pigeons. I was finding so much of my time lost in the search for phone numbers that I knew I had written down on the back of this napkin or that notebook. Receipts were kept--but some in an envelope in the pantry-- while others were filed away in a drawer somewhere. Needless to say--I needed a system! I truly didn't know that I needed a system--I just thought things were how they were and this is how one must live when they were created by God to be the right- brained artistic-type. Then one day, my dear friend Stephanie Pressley came over for a visit and revealed to me her "Keepers at Home" organizing system. I was astonished & amazed to say the least. I knew this to be the thing I needed to CHANGE MY LIFE! Then I found out that the organizer I felt I needed was $35.00!

Now, anyone who knows me well (and is honest) will tell you that in addition to being flighty, I am also frugal. I was determined to have this life-changing product without spending that much cash. So, I researched the Internet for uncountable hours and spent a ton of time compiling my own book which I deemed "Carey's Brain." The worksheets I had gathered came from numerous sites (and were copyrighted to boot). I then came to the realization that every homemaker in the world should have access to their very own life-organizer--for FREE and that it should come much easier to them than it came to me. So, began the birth of the downloadable "Brain." Please--take advantage of it-- pass it onto your friends--tell the world! Make life- organizers as gifts for new brides and for your daughters-in-law! Let's revolutionize homemaking-- one home at a time. :)

Several of my at-home mom friends and I agree that when we learn something new to apply to our marriage, homeschools, or home management systems, we obsess about it for a while. From a few days to a few weeks, we eat, drink, and sleep “The Big New Thing.”

I burned myself out in 2005 with Big New Thing obsessions. And somehow I went from mindless obsession to deep depression--I was overwhelmed, unfocused, and unmotivated. Climbing out of that hole required developing a filtering system to determine what’s worth my time and energy (i.e., obsession).

Actually, my only 2006 resolution is to run every opportunity/grandiose idea through the filter by myself and then again with my SuperHubby. I have to run it past him so I don’t make the “Honey, guess what I’m going to do?” proclamation when he walks through the door. I need his agreement (ooh – power in agreement) before I give commit to anyone else.

Are you ready to learn about the filters? Good!

First, are you only doing ONE thing? I adapted this concept from Sally Clarkson (wholeheart.org). In discussing the over-commitment of, Sally offered this tip from Philippians 3:13: limit everyone to one thing. Everyone gets one extra-curricular, one ministry, one whatever. Even with a family with 2 children, this can keep you hopping. Extrapolated to my mommy world, this means I can pursue ONE passion.

But I’m passionate about tons of things. Tough noogies! I can only pursue one. Really now, after wife-ing, mom-ing, and friend-ing, exactly how many hours are left in my day for passion-ing? To experience any worthwhile fruit, I have to keep it to one thing.

Which brings me to Filter #2: my one thing can’t distract me from my first responsibilities. Oh yeah, I’m armed with book, chapter, and verse, too! In the Amplified Bible, I discovered the secret of the ever- productive, never-slumbering Proverbs 31 woman: “She considers a new field before she buys or accepts it, expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties; with her savings of time and strength she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.”

And that’s how I discovered the filter question for my one thing. “If I pursue this, will it cause me to neglect my primary responsibilities?”

Let’s get down-n-dirty with it: the scripture says courting neglect--courtship precedes marriage-- courting neglect can cause your seemingly benign thing lures you into thinking it’s more important than all else--can you handle the responsibility of another marriage? No. Then maybe – for this season – you shouldn’t try to handle this thing. There’s nothing wrong with assuming new projects--it’s when they cause us to neglect everything else that we get out of balance.

If you made resolutions for 2006, run them through the filter.

Are my resolutions just one thing or a multitude of unrelated things?

Is this one thing causing me to neglect the first things?

Don’t you love that you can read this in private and you don’t have to turn in the answers?

So I leave you with my agreement with you in prayer that your year will be “filled with savings of time and strength” (paraphrase Phil 3:13, NLT).

Before I share a couple of recipes with you, please know that you are able to create low carb and low calorie meals for you and your family that are simple and tasty for everyone. Adding vegetables to soups, casseroles, and stir fries, and replacing bleached white flour products with whole wheat, high fiber items can make a huge difference. As you prepare your menu and grocery list for the upcoming weeks, think outside of the box. Although it may seem difficult to create your own recipes for cooking healthy meals, you are completely capable. Use many of the recipes you love most, and change a few of the items with whole wheat bread or pasta, veggies, low fat cheese, etc. They won’t be the exact same meal you have prepared over the years however they will still taste great with more health benefits!

Quesadillas Serves 4

8 whole wheat/high fiber tortillas

2 cups of misc. chopped veggies

(I use green pepper, onion, mushrooms, and carrots)

1 1/3 cup reduced fat colby cheese

2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Cooking Spray

Make a heartier and healthier meal by adding:

a side of beans (refried, black, etc.)

tomato

avocado

lettuce

small amount of low fat/fat free sour cream

picante sauce

Using a skillet, spray the pan with cooking spray, and cook chicken. After chicken is cooked through, add veggies. Cook together on medium heat for 4 minutes. Take veggie/chicken mixture out of pan, and set aside in a bowl.

Rinse out the pan, or use another skillet. Spray the pan, again, with cooking spray, and turn heat to medium/medium low. Then one at a time, place a tortilla in the warm skillet. Gently twist tortilla, periodically, so that the side on the pan gets a light brown tint. Flip tortilla and do the same with the other side. When tortilla is to your liking (crispy, light brown, just warmed, etc.) set it on a plate. Make a stack of the 8 tortillas, following these steps.

Once tortillas are cooked, you are ready to make the quesadillas! Place one tortilla back in the pan. Add a small portion of cheese, then veggie mixture, some chicken, and finally a little more cheese. Place a second tortilla on top. Continue the same procedure you did earlier by twisting the quesadilla (careful to not burn your wrist!)

After cheese melts on bottom half, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla to cook the other side.

Repeat this with the remaining tortillas.

This meal is complemented well with a side of beans. Choose the kind of beans that your family will eat, such as refried beans, black beans, etc. Heat them up in a bowl and serve alongside the quesadillas.

Also, a platter of lettuce, tomato, avocado, small amounts of sour cream, and picante sauce are healthy additions.

Enjoy!

Common, but still not overly made, Chicken Caesar Salad Serves 4

1 bunch of romaine lettuce

Grated parmesan cheese

Fat free or low fat Caesar dressing

Whole grain rolls

Chicken breasts, sliced

Spices--lemon pepper, basil, garlic powder, or whatever you enjoy

Cooking spray or olive oil

Salt and Pepper
Easy to make!

Cut up chicken breasts. Using cooking spray, or olive oil, heat a pan to cook the chicken. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Towards the end of the cooking, add your favorite spice(s). We like the lemon pepper. However basil and garlic powder are great additions too.

Rinse lettuce, one leaf at a time, or use a lettuce spinner.

Cut lettuce into small pieces, or tear into small pieces, and place on 4 separate plates.

After chicken is cooked through, add on top of the lettuce.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper over salad (salt and pepper make nice substitutes for all of the salad dressing, which can contribute in a major way to the unnecessary calories, and fat content).

You can decide if you want to leave your whole grain rolls/bread as they are, or if you want to cut them into cubes, and place them on a cookie sheet in the oven to make homemade healthy croutons.

Another helpful salad dressing tip is to put your dressing on the side of your salad so that you use it sparingly more easily than pouring it over the entire salad.

Enjoy! Of course!