Bringing My Heart Home

When Ross and I were first married, I LOVED the idea of being a homemaker.  Ross had lived in a house for four years- so I had a real home to decorate and care for.  I loved it.  I spent that first summer and my last semester of college gladly cooking, cleaning and decorating.  It was fun.

Then, I student taught and started teaching school.  I came home so very tired.  I would cook- and that was about it.  Cleaning happened, but only when someone was coming to dinner : )  Decorating stopped almost completely. 

Then Caleb came.  And I was home... constantly.  And I really wanted to be anywhere but home.  It suddenly was so boring and mundane.  Although I was home constantly... caring for him was so overwhelming... again, cooking would happen, but little else.  Cleaning and caring for our home seemed like such a huge task.  And a very not-fun-one at that.

One afternoon, Caleb was sleeping in my arms and I was reading Feminine Appeal-a book we have a love-hate relationship with... (I love it, many of you hate it... we can still all be friends : ) ) The book is an expostion of Titus 2.  I was reading the chapter on "being busy at home." 

I don't know if you know it or not, but in Titus (which is in the Bible :)) women are COMMANDED to be busy at home.  That's so counter-cultural, you know?  Society drives us to be busy everywhere- work, school, shopping, even church- everywhere except home.  Yet, God, in all of His wisdom, tells us to get busy in the simplest place. 

The chapter I was reading encouraged me to change my outlook on housework and homemaking.  Stop looking at it as mundane and boring.  Stop thinking it's too much.  Start loving your husband and your children and honoring your God in the simplest place.  Love the LORD your God by doing the dishes.

I know what I just wrote is so not politically correct.  But it's biblical.  : )

Now let's fast forward 18 months....

Caleb and Genevieve and I were very busy this morning- we were out and about with my mom.  First, the social security office (oh, the joys...) then Target, then lunch and some frozen yogurt (yum!).  A few moments ago, I was sitting on the couch, going over the rest of the week in my head.  Genevieve is getting her pictures taken this week.  We have a few social engagements.  Now, when am I going to mop the kitchen floor?

That thought made me smile so big!  God is doing a good work in my heart!  The thought of mopping the kitchen floor- a year and a half ago- would have made me want to puke.  Now, it's a reasonable thought.  It's a task that needs to be done.  A task that honors my husband and my God.  I need to set aside time to do it : )

Thanks, God, for stirring my heart towards things of you.  Thanks for bringing my heart home : )