Divine Challenge...

“The best way to make homemaking a joyous task is to offer it as unto the Lord;

 the only way  to avoid the drudgery in such mundane tasks 

is to bathe the tasks with prayer and catch a vision of the 

divine challenge in making and nurturing a home.”  

~Dorothy Patterson


Homemakers, are we bathing our tasks in prayer?

 I hope to better catch the vision and divine challenge of serving my Lord and my family through the keeping of the home God has so graciously blessed us with!

Free E-Book!!

Ladies, I am so excited to share a free e-book offer with you!

Written by Courtney Joseph, from WomenLivingWell.org, The Proverbs 31 Woman: One Virtue at a Time, is a priceless tool for women. I read it in one sitting--it's short and to the point. But the author packs a punch with loads of encouragement, wisdom, inspiration and exhortation.

I cannot recommend this enough! What a blessing it was to me, especially considering my struggles with discouragement this year. I've been so down--I've magnified my shortcomings and compared myself with women who seem to have it all together--"I always come up short" is what I've uttered a million times. But you know what? God. Still. LOVES. Me.

Yes, I have a lot of work to do.
Yes, it will be challenging to become more disciplined.
Yes, I'll still have to battle the enemy and fight the feelings of inadequacy.

But... "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth me"! (Phil 4:13) emphasis mine

And, oh, how I want to model the Proverbs 31 woman!

*I want to please the Lord with this calling He's graciously given to me.
*I want my children to one day "arise" and call me "blessed"!
*I want my husband to feel secure and confident in my role as wife and mom!

This book will encourage you to find that end! And this E-book is completely free!  All you have to do is "like" Women Living Well on Facebook. When you do, there will be a green/white/orange box under the author's profile picture labeled "Free Ebook". Just click on that and read, save or print!

Ladies, ultimately we should strive to imitate our Savior.
To follow hard after Him.

But since He wrote the entire Bible, through men inspired by the Holy Spirit, then the Proverbs 31 Woman is certainly someone we can be excited to model ourselves after!

Happy reading!!

Gratituesday: My Career

I tried to hold back the tears as I snuggled up to my husband and thanked him for working so hard for his family. And for believing in my calling to stay home with our children.

I hate that I take my career as a Homemaker for granted at times.

I hate that I get discouraged, lose my temper, fail, and become frustrated. After all, this is the career of my dreams.

But those issues come with the territory of any career.

The Lord has gently reminded me lately of the greatness of my calling. He's reminded me that He's made a way for me to stay home, when really, it sometimes seems impossible. But God has never failed to provide for our needs.

I know some women cannot stay home with their children. Some do not want to and some just aren't able to. This isn't a post to make women who have a career outside the home feel inferior. Because that would be wrong. And it's between God and the woman and her husband. Not me.

But this is a post giving glory to God for His provisions that allow me to be a Homemaker.

He knew my heart's cry even as a young, single gal. He even knew when I was a baby that I would one day want babies of my own with a husband of my own. He heard my prayers and He answered them marvelously.

With all the ups and downs, joys and triumphs, I'm blessed to be a Homemaker.

I'm blessed...

To watch my children reach developmental milestones.

To infuse Biblical truths into everyday situations.

To feel my heart soar as they learn new things.

To dry their tears when they are hurting or afraid.

To "Watch this, Mommy!" a hundred times over.

To help out a friend who needs a babysitter during the day.

To share a simple conversation with an elderly neighbor.

To visit my grandma when she's feeling lonely.

To load the kids up for a lunch date with daddy.

To welcome my husband home with a hug and a kiss.

To spend time throughout the day in the kitchen, cooking and baking.

To decorate my home for each changing season.

And yes, even to clean dirty bathrooms and fold mountains of laundry.

I'm undeserving.

And at times feel completely incapable.

But my God is bigger.

And He's seen fit to grant me my heart's desire.

And for that I'm eternally grateful.

What are you grateful for today?

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Shaken

The recent Oklahoma earthquakes have shaken more than my house.

They've shaken my heart a bit, too.

I feel as though I've been in a spiritual rut for so long. That comfort has taken precedence over the discipline of spending time with the Lord, of sharing His goodness with others, of serving selflessly for His glory.

I've got little ones under foot all day, so I'm a busy little bee. The volume of life simply drowns out what the Holy Spirit might be trying to say to me.

When the volume is lowered and the kids are asleep, I finally feel like I can relax. My hubby and I are big "down time" people. We like the late evenings for hanging out, surfing the web or watching a show on Netflix. It's a way for us to recoup from the craziness of the day.

But my shaken heart asks, "Why is time with the Lord not one of the ways to recoup or find comfort?" Not that those other things are bad, but why do I run there first and more often than the Word of God or prayer?

Now, more than ever, I feel an urgency to draw close to the Lord. To spend my time working for the Kingdom because He just might be coming back soon. And I would hate to be ashamed about what I did with the time He gave me on this earth.

"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming" -1 John 2:28

Just a few ways this busy mom of little ones can draw close and serve...

I can wake up earlier so I have that quiet time alone with Him...(which will enable me to better understand how I can serve Him)

I can serve my children with a sweeter Spirit, knowing that I'm shaping lives for the Kingdom...

I can serve my husband with a selfless heart, knowing ultimately I'm serving my Father...

I can get to know my neighbors who may not know my Savior...

I can cook a meal for a family in need...

I can "live simply so that others might simply live"....

I can spend time on my knees in prayer for the needs of my family, city, nation, and world...

That's a small list. But it's a start.

Let's allow our hearts to be shaken for the Lord.

Because we never know when He may return. (Matt. 24:42)

It's Like Shoveling Snow

"Cleaning the house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing."

~Phyllis Diller

Today, I couldn't agree more with that statement. =)

But I love Proverbs 14:4 and how it can relate to children.

(not that our children are animals..hehe)

"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean..."

If I didn't have Ethan, I wouldn't have had the pillows all strung around and the toys all over the floor.

I let life happen today. And I'm glad I did.

My "manger" certainly wasn't clean...

But I've got the cutest little guy to take care of.

And I'd take him over an empty, spotless house any day.

Bye Bye Broom

I'm so tired of it.

Sweeping.

Mopping.

..and then stepping on a crumb.

I've affectionately named these renegade crumbs, "Houdini Crumbs".

After my last sweeping episode, I decided I was done with the whole broom thing.

I pretty much think they're worthless.

I'm going to jump into the Swiffer world and try that out for awhile.

What do you use to keep your wood floors from "Houdini Crumbs"?

I'd really love to know.

For the sake of my sanity.

Homework

When I was in college, homework was the bane of my existence. I detested the stuff. But after reading the following song, supposedly written in the 1940's, I've found a new love for a totally different kind of homework: Housework!

"Homework"

I'm so tired of working in an office
And it's making me blue
There is work that don't require an office
That I'm anxious to do

Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Staying at home and crocheting
And meekly obeying
The guy who comes home

A cozy kitchen to be in there pitchin'
Is the thing I'm longing to do
To be there learning when a steak needs turning
And just what goes into a stew

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who sits and plans with pots and pans at home
A genius who bakes a pie that keeps a guy at home

[2]
Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Messing around with French dressing
And slightly impressing
The guy who comes home

I long to settle with a steaming kettle
And a frying pan and a pot
And be the keeper of a carpet sweeper
That's the one ambition I've got

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who has a way that makes him stay at home
A genius who has what takes that makes or breaks a home

[3]
Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Patching his trousers and matching
The part that keeps scratching
The guy who comes home

A table wiper who can change a diaper
Is the thing I'd like to be best
And be the master of a mustard plaster
When the cold goes down to his chest

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who does her part so he don't start to roam
A genius who earns her keep that makes him sleep at home

(I found this song on Domestic Felicity, an awesome blog definitely worth checking out!)

My New Job

Last week I decided I would start a "new job".


For most of my married life (okay, all of it), I haven't been the greatest at housekeeping. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I would get in these moods where I'd clean like crazy and then go right back to being "blah" about it all. It's hard working a full day and then coming home and feeling motivated to clean...at least for me it was. So, when I was blessed to be able to stay at home, I was so excited! I knew I'd have more time and energy to devote to making our house a home.

...and then the TV got in the way, oh, and the computer...and whatever else that was non-housework related. Not to mention the fact that I have a sweet little boy to take care of. I would justify my laziness by telling myself, "Oh, I deserve this down time...I'll do better tomorrow" Yes, it is good to have down time. But not when it's everyday! haha

Needless to say, the Lord began convicting me. And then *mysteriously* everything I read for a couple of weeks would somehow always include Proverbs 31:27, which says, "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." Ouch.


I had to realize that God had given me an incredible opportunity--one which I didn't think would be possbile--to stay home with my son. It wasn't given to me so that I could sit around and watch TV, read, or play with my son all day. None of those things are bad, especially playing with my son, but when I let the house go, and my husband comes home stressed out from a long day at work only to find that I've been playing all day, it doesn't look good. Because it's not.

"He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I want our home to be a haven for my husband to come home to. And it can't be if it's disorderly. So, I said allll that to say this: My "new job" is that I put myself on a cleaning schedule so that I know for sure what is expected of me during the week; I know that everything (or almost everything) gets done that needs to get done. I remember my mom having a schedule when we were younger and our home always seemed so comfy, cozy, and clean. It was a peaceful place to be.

God gave me my dream job, and up until last week, I'd been taking advantage of it. I decided I should start treating my position as the career that it is!

"Housekeeping is a profession, - The first thing to be done in order to better this state of affairs is to realise that household management is a serious profession, and that, like all apprentices, the woman who means to keep house must serve her time and give her energy to learning her profession." -How To Keep House

Recently, I checked out a book at the library called, "Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House" by Cheryl Mendelson. There's soo much to learn (it's a really thick book!), but I've enjoyed it so far. I love reading books about homemaking. They're inspiring. Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I'm telling ya what; that woman was amazing!

Here's my schedule:

Monday: Laundry/Ironing
Tuesday: Dusting/Vacuuming/Visiting my Grandma/Menu & grocery planning
Wednesday: Heavy Duty Cleaning
Thursday: Grocery Shopping/Errands
Friday: Paperwork/Organizing/Visiting my Grandma (Fri., Sat., or Sun.)
Saturday: Light Cleaning

Sunday: Day of rest! Yay!

(I usually end up doing light laundry another day during the week--especially since Ethan is so talented at keeping his hamper full!)

Thankfully, the schedule has worked quite well. It may change later on, but so far I'm liking my new job!

My prayer is that I can keep this up! I'm good at starting things--but it takes serious discipline and determination to finish them.

Do you have a cleaning schedule? If so, what's yours like?

Fall is in the Air!!

The yummy smells of Fall have been tickling my nose lately here at home.

Growing up, when Fall came around, my mom would always set a pot on the stove and start simmering some of the most comforting and homey smells around!

Here's what she did, and what I do now, to make our home feel cozy and Fall-like!

Get a pot (small-medium) that you don't mind getting messed up a little bit. I usualy fill the pot with water about 1/3 or 1/2 full. Then I cover the surface of water with cinnamon. I then sprinkle in some allspice, toss in a palm full or so of whole cloves, and throw in some orange peel if I have any on hand.
Let it come to a boil (and don't forget about it like I have before! Messy, messy, messy!) and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer as long as you'd like! Just make sure you keep adding water periodically or it will scorch.

You won't believe how delightfully yummy your entire home will smell!! If you love Fall, you've GOT to try this!

Enjoy!

My Profession

I'm so incredibly blessed to be able to stay at home with Ethan. I LOVE IT! It's always been my dream to be a wife and mom and to be able to stay at home.

I know not all women get to be in this situation; some don't want to be, but most do, I would say. I have NOTHING against women that work outside of the home; I know that it is necessary sometimes. And believe me, we could definitely use the extra money right now if I did have an outside job; but my heart is in the home and God made a way for me to be there--even when it seemed impossible.

I'm so thankful.

I do miss the people I worked with at my last job, and sometimes I take being at home for granted. But I would never want any other profession. I hope I'm always a homemaker. Always.

"From the raw material of four walls and a roof, a shelter over our heads, we will have made a home by force of our own personalities.
We will have warmed, cheered, and sustained the head of that house, turned progeny into a family. We will have learned a dozen skills and enjoyed the fruits of such skills. For us the baby will have taken his first step, repeated his first word. We will have heard the schoolchild call "Mommy" as soon as he puts a foot inside the door, not so much to have a reply as to be assured that he is safe, life is ordinary, and that we are there...Free choice, importance, the prizes as well as the perils of a career--they are all ours. What more can one ask of a profession?"
~Phyllis McGinley, Sixpence in Her Shoe

Fun Fact!

According to The Price of Motherhood by Ann Crittenden, "Homemaking, the fundamental task associated with raising the young, is still the largest single occupation in the United States."
Taken from Queen of the Castle, by Lynn Bowen Walker

Where Do I Begin?!

What wonderful pictures above, huh? The happy housewife at work.
A spotless home is lovely..and oh so relaxing....
But my confession for today: My house is a wreck!

This weekend we had a garage sale--a last minute decision (but worth it--Praise God, we did great!). I stayed up all night getting things ready, and pretty much tore the house up in the meantime.
Sunday we were at Bob's parents' celebrating his dad's 65th birthday! It was a nice day of relaxation..away from the mess!

Today, I'm ashamed to say, I finished reading a book, surfed the web, and watched the last of my recorded shows,--we're turning the cable box in tomorrow. I did a little bit of laundry and made dinner..but other than that, it was a very lazy day =( Guess what verse kept coming to mind?? Proverbs 31:27: "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness". Ouch.

I just look around the house and think..."Where do I begin?!"