Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Baby Steps to Becoming an On-Purpose Home Keeper - Part 1

I'm excited to continue my series on Becoming an On-Purpose Home Keeper. It's the on-purpose woman who understands the value of creating sanctuary in her home.

O.K., I am late in posting this, but as life would have it, my own morning margins began to overlap in finishing this post as I chose to help Breanna unpack and set up in her new apartment. It was a productive time as five of my dearest friends joined me to help Breanna set up her home. Roses to Anita, Linda, Jennifer, Pami and Andi!

Lately, I've been having fun conversations with my sister-in-law Breanna. I've been talking to her about how to take baby steps toward creating sanctuary in her home.

This morning, while on our way to Trader Joe's, I talked about the need for a woman to evaluate her personal heart attitude toward her home and her assigned role within her home. I also said that a woman needs to look at the bigger picture of what she would like to be said of her at the end of her life.

I asked Breanna what she'd like to hear Griffin say about her at the end. Then I told her to think about what she'd like her children to say. I said, "What kind of legacy do you want to leave? And whatever that is - it's going to be your framework for how you create sanctuary and become an on-purpose home keeper." I told her that it's those values that will guide her in why she does what she does.

It's one thing to "get organized" and have home front routines, and it's another thing to understand the value of and the long lasting effects of why we do what we do as home keepers.

Becoming an On-Purpose Home Keeper has everything to do with our attitudes,what we value and what we think about marriage, being moms and the value we give in taking care of our homes. Those heart issues determine how we become on-purpose home keepers who delight in the home, managing it well and stewarding the gift of time.

Creating sanctuary isn't just about the task of keeping an orderly home or having a meal planned and prepared. It's about those tasks (responsibilities) AND the relationships.

I told Bre that it's the tasks or responsibilities that provide support for her primary (home front) relationships - that of her husband and her children.

If you're walking through these baby steps to create sanctuary and become an on-purpose home keeper, take some time to evaluate your mindset toward your home, your marriage and your children. Think about your life now and think about what it might look like at the end of your life. Ask God to show you some of your wrong and right attitudes toward your assigned role as wife, mother and home keeper. Write them down.

From what you write down, you'll discover some things you value in your home. For example, I value supporting my husband's vision and partnering with him. I also value our family (daughters, sons-in-law, grandkiddos) and I value friends. As I look at those values, I know that my margins will be set up so that I can preserve energy for my husband and family so that I can line up with what I value.

More tomorrow. . . here's part 2.

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2 comments:

Precision Quality Laser said...

I am going to follow this series too :)

Sarah said...

i am looking forward to reading more!!!