My Calling: The Homemaker

"...Do not grow weary in your mundane tasks. Mundane tasks are the hidden treasure to creating a home that is a haven." Women Living Well. Courtney Joseph

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:27

Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance? Phyllis Diller

When it comes to "housework" I'm probably more like Phyllis Diller than the Proverbers 31 Woman. I'm a sweep the dirt under the rug kind of gal. Or just throw it in the dishwasher [I'm sure I can fit just one more thing in there and still get everything clean ...] I'm blessed with a husband who long ago agreed to divide the chores [it probably was his idea]. He cleans the house and is responsible for the outside stuff (like mowing & snow shoveling) and I cook, do the dishes and laundry. We have gone through seasons in our relationship that have changed this somewhat, but we always go back.

And now that I'm reading through Courtney Joseph's book Women Living Well (on sale October 1 -- pre-order for some awesome give aways!) I'm thinking about my various roles in our family, one is of course the "Homemaker." I struggle with that title. While I like to be home and hanging with my family, I am not a "stay at home mom/wife" person. I worried a lot about our move to Brookings because I thought I might have to stay home for awhile -- I'm sure that gave the Lord a good laugh as He had an amazing job opportunity planned for me. And made me profess my faith in that many times. Yet, I "get it," one of my responsiblities in my family is that of the house and making it our home.

As we prepare to move into a new home [and believe me, I am counting the days until we are there], I'm planning the ways to make it ours. Thinking about what do do in the girls' room to give it the jungle theme that Maggie would like. How to organize our towels [fixated on this for a while, not sure why]. Changing some of the closets to give us more storage. What will be the first meal I cook [thinking a nice crockpot full of chili] and how to get back to meal planning. Family walks around our new neighborhood, helping Maggie ride her bike, pulling Jessie in the wagon with probably 3-4 naked Barbies. Trick or treating in our new neighborhood [does Rusty get a costume]. What pictures go where. Breakfasts at the kitchen island. Watching movies and eating popcorn in the family room. Turning those walls, roof and floors from a house into our home. Into a place that, should we move again, I will hate to leave. A place that I will walk through and remember all the blessings that happened. Where we laughed and cried.

The mundane tasks are not just about who makes the bed or does the dishes. And sometimes they can be frustrating. Some mornings, you just don't want to make the bed. But sometimes, it's not about having a bed that looks neat and tidy. Sometimes, it's about taking that step outside of me.