These Three Are One - John 16: 12-15

Have you ever noticed that Jesus seemed to be really good at relationships? He seemed to constantly be attentive to other people’s needs, helping them grow, and pointing towards God. Why was Jesus so good at relationships? Because he himself was in a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit and God. 

Today is a special day in the life of the church, designated as Trinity Sunday. It is our time to uplift the doctrine of the Trinity - that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Honestly, this belief is hard to explain, so many times we avoid discussing it. The word Trinity never appears in the Scriptures, yet we declare that we believe that God is three in one and one in three each Sunday when we recite a creed. I believe in God the Father, creator of Heaven and Earth..., I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord..., I believe in the Holy Spirit. Each person is unique and helps us define who we are as Christians, yet they share the same holy substance and are in relationship with one another.  Its not just in creeds that we express this tenant of the faith. When we pray, we do so to God, through Christ, and in the Spirit. When we are dismissed each week, we are to go forth to spread the good news in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We repeat this belief each and every Sunday, yet it is hard for something so complex to sink into our minds and hearts and change us.

Jesus understands that the disciples whom he cared for deeply are confused, not only about who God is, or why Christ is leaving them, but about this Spirit of Truth that he says he will send to them.  In fact, Jesus is leaving them while he still has more to say. With so much more that needs to be said, and more direction and wisdom to be given, the Spirit of Truth is needed to speak to the disciples hearts and guide them. They will know it is the Spirit because it will glorify Jesus and will only declare the things that are of God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is not trying to explain to the disciples who each person in the Trinity exactly is or how one is different then the other. In fact, he is trying to comfort the disciples as he bids them farewell by explaining to them how the persons of God are related to one another. 

Our human views of community and relationship are often marred. Even in the relationships we hold most dear things aren’t always perfect. We disagree or fight. We neglect one another or go after our own desires. We don’t always communicate clearly or act in the most loving ways. But our human relationships are a starting point for an understanding of the Divine relationship. John is trying to express that the community that is shared amongst God is to be shared amongst the disciples. Amongst the Father, Son, and Spirit there is a mutual giving and taking. For all that the Father has is in Jesus. And the Spirit will take all that Jesus has and declare it to the disciples. The Father, Son, and Spirit, share and give everything, nothing is held back from the others. Everything is pointed towards the other in unselfish ways. Jesus speaks about God. The Holy Spirit communicates in a way that points people towards Christ. 

Today is also another special day in the life of the church - Peace with Justice Sunday. Half of all of the money collected around the annual conference today in special offering envelopes stays here in the annual conference for justice related ministries. One of the best parts for me as the coordinator of peace and justice grants is to go and visit the sites that received money. This year I saw this community relationship come alive in the recipients. At a transitional living center for woman who are struggling, the women who come to stay at the house give back by teaching classes to other women, supporting each other, and fixing up the house together. It truly is mutual giving and taking. At Sojourner Truth Ministries, people unselfishly give to the ministry, so the ministry can unselfishly give to others. In return, people who have so little give what they can, even if it is a bag of sugar, back to the ministry, because they feel so blessed. These communities of human relationships teach those within them something about the relationship of the Godhead with each other, and God’s relationship to us. They aren’t perfect, but they are a reflection of Divine love, where each person is invited to be authentically themselves and more fully who they are by being in relationship with one another. 

The disciples are invited to be part of this Divine relationship, for Jesus wants to share what he has with them through the Spirit. Last week we discussed how at Pentecost, the Spirit brought life to the Kingdom of God, and how we share in expanding that Kingdom. Sometimes being invited into that type of intimate relationship with God seems daunting. For just as their are sacrifices made by each person in the Trinity, so are we too asked to sacrifice. To have the Spirit bring us Truth is not just about us believing facts, its about the Truth leading us to live a certain way. The two aspects of Truth go hand in hand. When we are in relationship, we are never passive. There is always give and take, and action required. As this is true in our human relationships, so it is true with our intimate relationship with God. We cannot simply just get what we desire from God without giving anything in return, if this is a true relationship.

Further, the disciples are invited into this divine relationship with God together. Note that Jesus does not specify that each individual disciple would receive the Spirit of Truth, rather it would emerge and bless the entire community. This is hard to come to terms with in our “me and Jesus” society. The Spirit is coming, yes, to bring wisdom to individuals, but as we mentioned last week, the Holy Spirit does so much more than that. It also draws together Christian community to go out into the world. And the community is to point others to the ultimate truth in Jesus Christ. We do not need to have all of the right facts or fully understand the revelation of Christ ourselves before we go. In fact, no community has ever known everything about Jesus teachings, life, death, and resurrection. We are simply equipped and led by the Spirit to minister out of the Truth that Christ holds in our own lives. Faith is not so much about knowing everything, rather about acting on what we do know. 

And in this sense of acting upon what we do know, Truth itself is relational. What we believe and act upon flows out of our relationship with God and other people. We cannot walk the Christian life alone. We need other people to help guide us. We need to be mentoring other people. And we need to be looking to Jesus in all we do and say. Our relationship within this community and beyond should bring glory to Christ and should be lead by the Spirit of Truth. It is not always about what we have to say about Christ, but how we live out our faith in authentic way. One of my parents favorite lines while my brothers and I were growing up was its not so much about what you have to say as how you say it. How are we communicating the Truth of a relational God who invites us to be part of something bigger than ourselves? 

The Trinity is hard to understand. Relationships are hard to understand. The truth is hard to grasp. So why do we even try to talk about it? Because even if we don’t fully understand it all, it informs how we live our faith and who we are as believers. Just as each important relationship we have shapes who we are, so does our relationship with the Holy God, Three in One and One in Three. And the relationship within the Godhead is just glimpsed at through our human community relationships, that deeply impact us. We need those very human, messy relationships, including the Church, to help us more fully realize who God is as the Truth of Christ is revealed among us. We don’t have to fully get it to be transformed. Like the early disciples, we just need to seek to grow in relationship to God and one another. Amen. 

Cinderella

  Last night I was able to see Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway. It wasn't anything like I expected. Instead of portraying a young woman who needed a prince to come recognize her, the musical told the story of two people - both Cinderella and Prince Topher, searching to find who they are and stand up for themselves in a world that wishes to put them down.

   That, my friends, will preach. How often do we let what other people do and say to us define who we are? I know that over the past weeks I have had some absolutely awful things said to me that have broke my heart. And like Prince Topher and Cinderella, I much more readily accept people's negative comments then positive ones. We do live in a world that is trying to crush our spirits, so how do we partner with people who support us, especially when we have to do difficult things? And how do we forgive those who have hurt us? Timeless questions, set to music on the stage.

Let the Spirit Soar - Acts 2: 1-21

During confirmation class this year, the students were asked about the Holy Spirit. What is it? What does it do? And most gave answers that we too think of at first. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ inside of us that guides us. But it is also so much more then that. The bearer of gifts, the birth-mother of the Church, a wild and untamable force to be reckoned with. The spirit is not only soft and gentle, working secretly inside of us, it is also profoundly visible, if only we look for her movement. The Holy Spirit works to expand the Kingdom of God.

The disciples had went to the upper room to pray a prayer they couldn’t even fully comprehend - that the promise Jesus made them as he ascended would come true. That they would be blessed with the Holy Spirit. The disciples had no idea what they were really praying for that day, only that they were petitioning God to come true on this promise.And God did come through in a mighty and unexpected way. For as the disciples gathered together, suddenly they heard a rush of violent wind. Did they think of the still small voice of God that came after the violent wind for the prophet Elijah? Or did they scurry around looking for openings the wind was rushing through? Then tongues of fire appeared on each of them. Did they think of Moses and the burning bush - or were they too frightened to recall the story of God revealing the Holy Name? Then a sound erupted among them as they began to speak and understand different languages then their native tongues - languages they had never learned before. Did they think back to the tower of Babel or were they too amazed? 

As they stumbled out of the upper room they came across Jews from every nation. This was the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Pentecost, marking 50 days after the passover. Jews from over 10,000 square miles are mentioned in this passage as coming to bring the first of their crops, their very best, as an offering to God, in hopes that God would continue to bless them with bounty throughout the growing season. They came together to remember Moses receiving the law of God on Mt. Sinai, a law that they now carry with them and are directed by.

But the Spirit of God transformed the meaning of this day, just as it had transformed the meaning of Passover for those who followed Christ. As the disciples spoke about the goodness of God in languages that people from around the land could understand in their own tongue, the day became not about the first fruits of crops, but the first fruits of the Kingdom of God as thousands joined the movement of the Church that day. It became a day not about carrying the physical law of God, but about having the law of God written on the people’s hearts by the Spirit. It became a day marked by the soaring of the Spirit of God, drawing people to the Kingdom.

Of course, not everyone believed that day, just as not everyone believes today. Some accused the disciples of being drunk, early in the morning. But Peter, the disciple who betrayed Jesus out of fear just months before, was now the very first to respond to the nay-sayers, speaking of the texts they would know about the last days. He knew he was speaking to Jews who fervently believed that they were living in the last days, and the Spirit empowered him to share these words of prophesy to reach people’s minds and hearts as he proclaimed that God was doing a new thing during these times. 

I believe that the Spirit is what lead Peter to give the testimony he did in response to the accusations of being drunk. I’m not so sure that impulsive Peter would have given that answer on his own with the work of the Spirit. But the accusations of the onlookers and Peter’s passionate response is something that we need to consider today. For the onlookers were so taken aback by the new thing that God was doing that they tried to rationalize it in their minds, and then convince others of the foolishness of the disciples by saying that they were drunk. Are onlookers saying similar things about the Church today? Are they so struck by the new thing that God is doing that they rationalize our outpouring of passion? Or are we not showing the marks of the Spirit enough for people to even say anything at all? If they aren’t saying anything is it because the Spirit is working in ways that they understand or is it because we are hiding the Spirit within us?

Today we celebrate Pentecost as the “birthday of the Church”, which may be well and true, but it is also so much more than that. Its the time when the disciples firmly stood on the promises of God. It was the event that tied together the resurrection of Christ and the gift given with his ascension. Its the celebration of the fact that our spiritual lives have the power to transform peoples lives. And it is the time the Church was born into a community. A community where everyone was welcome - all genders, ages, and social classes came together on this day to proclaim the word of God. And a community that came not out of the religious institutions, but through the Spirit of resurrection and deliverance. 

Pentecost is rich in meaning for us as the church, and two particular Pentecosts stand out in my memory as ones with signifigant meaning for me personally. The first was when I was in eight grade. A group of eight students and our pastor had just spent the better part of six months together, every Sunday afternoon, learning about the Church. On this particular Sunday we were welcomed into the congregation as full members through confirmation. We each wore a red flower, symbolizing the renewal of our commitment to uphold our baptismal vows. The church was filled with red paraments. When the congregation clapped for us and welcomed us among them as equals, I remember thinking that this was a vital step to becoming an adult. 

The second Pentecost was in 2008. I had been invited by a pastor 45 minutes from my house to work on her team to launch a new service, with the hopes that it would become a daughter church of her current congregation. We had worked months to prepare and now the day was finally here. We may not have had as many people show up as we would have hoped for, but I started to think about Pentecost differently that day - as we celebrated the birth of a new service that was designed to live out the reality of the day, not simply see it as another church holiday to move past. 

It was on these two Pentecosts that I stood on the promise of God that the Spirit can transform lives, because it transformed mine. Transformed the way I saw myself in the body of Christ. Transformed the way I saw the body of Christ reaching out into the world. These were the days that I recognized God was a force to be reckoned with and was doing a new thing in me. Friends, do you see today that God is doing a new thing in you? In this church? In this community? In this world? Do you stand on the promise of the power of the Holy Spirit or are you trying to tame its movement? May we be bold like Peter, Spirit lead, to soar on the power of the Spirit, all for the Kingdom of God. Amen. 

The Body of Christ Carries the Treasure of God - 2 Cor 4: 1-15

I am not gifted when it comes to art, but one of my favorite places to be in college was the art studio. To watch my friends create something beautiful using their hands. I would spend hours watching brushes and pencils swiftly move across paper to create an image that someone had in their mind, or hands cup around wet clay, taking something that had no shape and giving it definition, a purpose. 

Paul understands the value of craftsmanship and sees God as the ultimate potter. The one who has created us, clay jars, in order to hold God’s treasure. Many of us don’t like to think of ourselves as earthen vessels - we would rather be made of something more resilient, yet that is exactly why Paul poses this image. Clay jars are fragile, even when they are glazed. They may be beautiful from the outside, but only for a period of time. After much use, the paint begins to chip away and their may be small cracks that emerge. Clay vessels are easily broken. And that troubles us. We do not want to be thought of as broken or vulnerable.

But we are vulnerable. Especially the audience to whom Paul is writing. He knows that they are facing persecution from every side - he’s been there and is facing it as well. But even persecution that may break the vessel, cannot deny the treasure we have inside. We may be afflicted - but not crushed. Persecuted - but not forsaken. Perplexed - but not to the point of despair. Struck down - but not destroyed. Because we carry the love of Jesus Christ in our very bodies. The gift of life that is the Holy Spirit. The knowledge that we were bought with the price of Jesus’ sacrifice and blood. And that is a precious gift.

The first time I remember hearing this particular scripture passage being preached I was serving on a short term mission team in Russia. A friend of mine chose this scripture to talk about at a youth group meeting. But there was something that made this particular youth meeting unique - it was part of the Wesleyan Church. I’m not sure how much you know about the history of Russia, but here are some of the things I learned. Missionaries from different faith traditions used to be welcome in Russia, but under a leadership regime change, foreign missionaries were dispelled and the Russian Orthodox Church was lifted up as the only religion to be practiced. As time went on, it actually became dangerous to even attend the Orthodox Church. But with the fall of the Iron Curtin came an opportunity for missionaries to re-enter the county - only many were not allowed, and even those who were granted access were often persecuted. As a result, even decades laters, those who practice a faith tradition outside of the Russian Orthodox Church are often shunned. These young people understood what it meant to be persecuted for their faith. And they understood what it meant to be carrying the treasure of God inside of them.

Human beings have the potential to do great things w within us. We have the ability to be creative. The ability to love and be loved. The ability to think things through. But these marks of human greatness can often backfire on us. We can start to lift ourselves up. We can use these abilities to do less than great things that harm others and the world. But the gift that we have from God is not for our glory but for Christ’s alone. 

But how can we share this treasure with others? First, we need to realize that this is not our gift to possess. We don’t own God or have sole claim to the gift we have been given through Christ Jesus. We simply hold the gift within us to shine for God. We have this treasure because we are the Beloved of God, but it is our responsibility to let others know that they are the beloved as well. To show them with our words and actions what value they have in the eyes of the Lord. To be the embodiment of the Good News for our neighbor. We will use our words and and our actions, but God will be given the glory. 

You may be saying, Pastor Michelle that sounds really good, but what exactly does that look like? I want to take time this morning to tell you about a resident of the Care Home in Mainesburg who died this year. His made was Leslie Merle Odle, but we just knew him as Merle. Mr. Odle had a sense of peace that radiated out of him. Every time you saw him he had a kind word and smile for you. And even as his body began to transition from this world to the next at the age of 98, he still radiated that peace.

The last time I saw Mr. Odle he was at rehab. When I walked into the room, a big grin came across his face and he said, I’m so glad to see you. He had a therapist working with him in his room at the time, and at the sight of his smile, she started to smile as well. 

At Merle’s funeral, Rev. Allen Huslander spoke about the treasure he held within his earthen body. As he got older, and his body started to crack and show signs of wear, Merle didn’t attempt to keep the treasure of Christ to himself. Instead he let it shine through all of those cracks and nicks and broken places and always gave God the glory. Merle understood that the treasure of the good news of Christ was too precious for him to keep it to himself, and it leaked out of his life with everyone he interacted with.

We all know people like this, don’t we? People who seem to radiate the love of Christ? People who humbly give God the glory for every aspect of their life, because they know that it is a gift from God? People, who despite facing hardships, let their light shine into the darkness? What makes these people so special is that they have used the life that God has given them to share the love of Christ. They authentically are themselves, and use the traits God has given them for something bigger then themselves. And perhaps what attracts us to this type of person, the one who shares the treasure of Christ with their entire being, is that its sadly all too rare. Some have not realized that they hold the treasure of Christ within them. Others are worried that sharing it will diminish its meaning and value in their lives. And still others just don’t know how to share it. But when people do leak out the love of Christ, it is a powerful experience to interact with them. 

Bearing and sharing the treasure of God is our call as the Church. In the Latin West, the Church saw this sharing of the treasure of God - this being the hands and feet of Christ for our neighbors - as the basic ministry of the body of Christ. All who are baptized are called to be Christ to their neighbor. We are called to be passionate about the well-being of others. And we are poured out as a love offering for God.

In a few minuets we will have an opportunity to share in holy communion. To celebrate that great mystery of the faith. After feasting, I would invite you to pick up a small gem stone, and as you walk back to your seat, remember that you hold the treasure of Christ within you. How are you being called to share it? How are you being used for the glory of God? Amen. 

Outdoors

Today I cleaned outside, perhaps not the best idea since I've been having back issues the last couple of days, but there really wasn't that much to do:

Cleaning plastic lawn furniture:
Mix 1 C water
1 C white vinegar
3-5 drops tea tree oil
Wash down, let air dry.

Repeat with mixture of:
1 C water
1 C white vinegar
3-5 drops lemon essential oils


Cleaning car:
1.) wash windows, especially on the inside.

2.) vacuum out entire car, including pockets and trunk

3.) wipe plastic with mixture of:
1 C water
1 C white vinegar
3-5 drops lemon essential oil
Let dry

4.) dust car with dryer sheet

5.) clean out vents and small cracks using a brush or q-tip to apply mixture used to clean plastic



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Green Cleaning - Pt 2

     Today concluded the indoor part the cleaning adventure.

Living Room

1.) Wash all blankets. Store heavy fabrics.

2.) Remove couch cushions. Sprinkle with a mixture of:

1 C Baking Soda

4-5 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

Let sit for 1 hour before vacuuming off.

3.) Clean windows.

4.) Dust ceiling and fans. 

5.) Vacuum carpets and sweet floors. I have unfinished hard wood floors which I washed with a combination of:

1 C White Vinegar

1 Gallon Water

This solution can also be used to mop entrance ways. Always let air dry. 

6.) Clean and dust all shelves and electronics.

7.) Wash walls. Part of my walls are wood, but this mixture worked well for the entire wall, regardless of treating:

1/2 C White Vinegar

1 C Water

3-4 Drops of Lemon Essential Oil

8.) Finishing touches. Wipe the base board with a dryer sheet. Dip a Q-tip in Vinegar and run it along the edge of the window. Wipe candles with an old pantie hoe to pick up dust.

Apx time: 45 minutes.

Office

1.) Wash windows.

2.) Dust ceiling. 

3.) Clean out old files. 

4.) Remove everything from drawers and shelves and dust.

5.) Wash walls. (See mixture in Living Room #7).

6.) Vacuum, sweep, and mop floor. (See Living Room #5).

7.) Wipe baseboard with dryer sheet.

Apx Time: 30 mintues

Kitchen

1.) Clean refrigerator and freezer. Wipe off the shelves with a mixture of:

2 Tb Baking Soda

1 Q of Hot Water

Rinse with a damp cloth and dry with a clean towel. 

Clean the outside of the unit with a mixture of:

12 oz White Vinegar

12 oz Dawn Dish Soap

1 t Laundry Detergent

2.) Clean Oven and Microwave. To clean the microwave  put the following in a microwave safe dish:

1 C White Vinegar

1 C Hot Water

Microwave for 10 minutes. Remove (carefully - it will be very hot). Wipe inside of unit.

To clean the oven:

Spray the opened oven door with an equal mixture of Vinegar and water. Cover the mixture with baking soda. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Spray more vinegar on top. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Scrub. Wipe dry. 

Repeat with the inside of the oven. 

The outside of the oven can be cleaned with the same mixture used for the outside of the refrigerator. 

3.) Clean window.

4.) Dust the top of the cabinets and refrigerator.

5.) Empty all cabinets and drawers. Wipe inside clean. Reorganize the contents. Clean the outside of the cabinets with the mixture from the microwave.

6.) Clean all appliances. If the outside of your appliances start to look dirty, apply cream of tarter with a few drops of water on a sponge. Wipe off with a dry towel.

For an electric kettle. Run 1 C of Vinegar in a full kettle of water. Empty the kettle. Rub it again with only water.

7.) Clean Sink. The dish drainer can be scrubbed using the same solution as the outside of the refrigerator.

For the inside of the sink. Spray with vinegar. Cover with baking soda. Spray with vinegar again. Let sit for 10 minutes. Use a toothbrush to scrub out the drain. After 10 minutes rinse with boiling water. Wipe dry. Polish using olive oil on a towel. Wipe facet with wax paper to cut down on water marks. 

8.) Clean dish washer. The outside of the dish washer can be cleaned using the same solution as the outside of the refrigerator.

For the inside -  place a glass measuring cup with 2 C of White Vinegar on the top rack and run through a cycle using hot water. Then sprinkle 1 C of baking soda on the bottom of the tub and run through a short cycle.

9.) Wash walls. (See Living Room #7).

10.) Mop: 

1 L of water - brought to a boil.

After boiling remove from stove and add 6 peppermint tea bags - steep for 2 hours.
Add 1 L White Vinegar
2 T baby oil

11.) Finishing touches. Wipe the base board with a dryer sheet. Dip a Q-tip in Vinegar and run it along the edge of the window. Wipe candles with an old pantie hoe to pick up dust

Apx. Time - 2.5 hours.

Spring Cleaning Pt 1

   Spring - one of my favorite times of the year. Time for new life. Time for rebirth. Time to air out the house! And also one of the two major times I clean throughout the year. While I clean the house every week, spring is a great time to clean every nook and cranny. Thus a  two-three day cleaning extravaganza.
   As I was cleaning today, I thought back to times I have cleaned with such vigor and enthusiasm in the past. While I don't particularly like cleaning each week, I fund a lot of joy in these bi-yearly marathon cleaning sessions. They are a great stress release for me and remind me of cleaning bedrooms, houses, and apartments of my friends throughout the years.
    While I have been dabbling in home mixed cleaners for a few years, this is the first year I did most of my spring cleaning with them. With the exception of Windex, Pledge, and Toilet Bowl cleaners - which I am still working to find a substitute for. I wanted to take time to share what my spring cleaning looked like this year, along with some mixes for those of you turning towards natural cleaners.

Bathroom

1.) Clean out all drawers and the linen closet. Throw away anything that's expired. Wipe drawers and shelves out with dryer sheet (to pick up any dust and dirt, minimize cleaning in the future, and leave a fresh scent). Reorganize toiletries for easy access.

2.) Wash mirrors and inside windows.

3.) Clean window treatments. I have plastic blinds in my bathrooms. To clean them mix:
1 C Water
1 C White Vinegar
Apply by placing hand in old sock and wiping blind with mixture.

4.) Clean Toilet. Clean both the interior and exterior of the toilet. Be sure to clean the front, side, seat, and back of the bowl. After the toilet seat dries, wipe with a dryer sheet.

5.) Scrub Shower and Tub. Spray tub with the following mixture before wiping (I let it sit for about 5 minutes):
12 oz White Vinegar
12 oz Dawn Dish Soap
1 Tsp Laundry Detergent
After solution is wiped out, clean out the drain with the following mixture:
Pour 3/4 C of baking soda in drain
Followed by 1/2 C of White Vinegar
As it starts to bubble, place a plate over the drain. Let sit for 30 minutes before washing with hot water.
Cleaning shower head by attaching a plastic bag with a rubber band to the head containing:
1 C White Vinegar
1/3 C Baking Soda
Let sit over night. Rinse and wipe off the next morning.

6.) Clean all metal fixtures. Wipe with baby oil using a cotton ball. Wipe with dryer sheet after they dry.

7.) Wash Walls with a mixture of:
1 C Water
1/2 C White Vinegar
A few drops of lemon essential oil or lemon juice.
Let dry.

8.) Mop floor the following:
1 L of water - brought to a boil.
After boiling remove from stove and add 6 peppermint tea bags - steep for 2 hours.
Add 1 L White Vinegar
2 T baby oil
I usually don't mop with a sponge on my hands and knees, but I did with this and was really impressed.

9.) Finishing Touches - Wipe base boards with dryer sheet. Dust ceiling.

Note: I cleaned the sink using the same solution for the shower. 

Total Time: Apx 1 hr and 30 minutes per bathroom.

Bedrooms

1.) Launder winter bedding and store. After you strip bedding cover the mattress with:
1 C Baking Soda
4-5 drops of lavender essential oil
Let sit for 1 hour before vacuuming off of mattress.

2.) Clean window treatments. I also have blinds in my bedroom and used the same mixture as above. (Bathrooms #3)

3.) Wash mirrors and inside of windows.

4.) Wash walls using mixture from above (Bathroom #7)

5.) Clean out shelves and drawers. Dust furniture. 

6.) Reorganize closets. Decide what to donate.

7.) Vacuum carpet. Dust ceiling.

Total Apx Time: 1 hour per bedroom

Laundry Room

1.) Sweep and mop floor.

2.) Dust and reorganize shelves. Throw away any expired or empty bottles.

3.) Clean washing machine. I have a top loading washer. If you have a front loading washer do not follow these instructions:
Fill the machine with hot water and add 1 Q of Chlorine Bleach. Let sit for 1 hour.
After an hour have the machine run through its longest wash/ spin cycle.
Fill the machine with hot water again and add 1 Q of White Vinegar. Let sit for an hour.
While the machine is filling, use a cloth soaked in the water/ vinegar to clean the outside of the machine - knobs, lid, etc.
After an hour run the machine through its longest wash/ spin cycle.

Total Time: 3 hours with cleaning washing machine.

Hallway

1.) Clean out any closets. Store winter items. Reorganize.

2.) Wash walls with the mixture above. (Bathroom #7).

3.) Wipe wood treatments with dryer sheet. Dust ceiling.

4.) Vacuum.

Total Apx Time: 45 minutes.