True Confessions of a Woman Devoted to her Home

I found this article (titled "Confessions of a Real Home-Loving Mom", which I wrote nearly 3 years ago, for a message board I help to moderate. I decided that I wanted to repost it here, on my personal blog. It was a good reminder to me, to just rest securely in my role as a wife, mother and homemaker, and to not worry about living up to anyone else's "ideals". I hope it will bless you as well.

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(article reprinted from HOMEschool Fellowship, by the author)

Do you know what the problem with internet access and a good search engine is? I have access to many wonderful websites full of the wisdom of many godly women whose hearts are fully turned toward home. Why is that a problem you ask? Well, if you're like me, you tend to read all the wonderful, encouraging stuff out there.... and then, you feel..... well, very inadequate.

Don't you ever wish that someone would give you a real slice-of-their life, instead of a "pie in the sky" overview of what a home-centered lifestyle is? Well, I'm here to confess...... and give you such a slice!

How I love my husband, my children, and having them home with me. The Lord has truly blessed us, giving us more than we could have come up with ourselves. I can't imagine being anywhere except right here, doing just what I'm doing. However, I have a few confessions to make......

Once in awhile, I'd like to do the laundry without my precious 2yo on her stool "helping" by throwing anything she can reach into the washer (including the clean clothes that I just removed from the dryer!!!).

I daydream about staying in my robe until noon, drinking a whole pot of coffee, uninterrupted......

I have to admit, when the boys are out playing and little one is down for a nap, I stop and relish the momentary silence of my house.

My least favorite thing to do on any given day is to have to pack the diaper bag, close up the house, and load the crew into the van to do errands!!!!

There is atleast one moment of every single day that I feel that what is expected of me as a wife and mother far exceeds what I am capable of!

I am extremely content on the rare occasion that I am in my home ALONE.

If I had a nickel for every instance of bickering that I dealt with, I'd be RICH!

Sometimes, I just want to listen to MY favorite music in the car.... very LOUD.

When I finish putting all the children into bed at night, I come down the stairs and breath out a sigh of relief.

At the end of really tough days, I collapse into bed and wonder how I will ever get out in the morning.

It would be really nice if all my meals could be planned, prepared, and cleaned up after for ME. Sometimes, I just don't even want to think about WHAT to fix for supper, and wish that we didn't "need" to eat.

I really do better when my house is very clean..... something that just isn't realistic when a family is living under this roof 24/7.

I daydream about the day when the kids are all old enough to stay home by themselves while I go grocery shopping.

Unlike the stereotype of most women, I DON'T multitask well, and can only think clearly when it's QUIET. (Hence, it is often heard in my house, "Quiet a minute.... mom needs to think!" )

But at the same time......

I pray and ask the Lord to daily remind me of the preciousness of this season of life with small children. I'm convinced that it's the busiest season of a woman's life, and one of the most taxing mentally and physically. At the same time, the blessings of being a wife and mother are profound. The Lord has created the family as his primary means for raising up generations that love, honor and serve Him. As wives and mothers, we have a position of honor in our families. Our honor comes not from ourselves, but because of the One who has placed us in this position. He is worthy of our dying to ourselves, losing our "own" lives, in order to pick up the life He has ordained for us to live in Christ. It is by His power that we overcome our flesh and selflessly love and serve our families. To Him be all glory!

So, let us encourage one another, and remember that outside appearances and first impressions rarely are accurate to the private struggles of the will. It is so valuable to see how other women are living out their lives honoring the Lord, but let us also not forget that on any given day, the "slice of life" reality can be very different than what we are striving for.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, might, mind and strength, knowing that He is worthy of a life submitted to His reign and rule as Father and Lord. He remembers that we are dust, and is fully able to complete that which He has begun in us, until the day of Christ Jesus! (Matt 22:37; Malachi 1:6; Psalm 103:14; Phil 1:6)