A SWEATY HOMEMAKER

AS I RELOCATE WHAT WAS IN THE BASEMENT PANTRY to the upstairs pantry and also the COTTAGE PANTRY, I will say that we had this one covered for a change. This is one area of LIFE that I will pat myself on the back and tell myself...you did it.  Your PANTRY was and is stocked.  

Just how long one should keep canned goods is something to keep in mind.  

I have an on going grocery list of what needs stocked, used up or given away.  To cut back on waste, the goods need to be looked over from time to time to stay up on the expiration dates. There have been times that something expired...oh I don't know....maybe 6 years ago and should have been used years ago.  grins.

I am having fun with NOT BEING PERFECT.  Exercising humor and grace.  Forgiving myself takes effort.  I hear voices in my head...telling me...blah blah blah.  Erase the noise and reset. Aren't we suppose to learn as we go?  Yep.  This journey called LIFE had better have some laughter or it gets too serious and rots the bones.

PITCH the aged cans and get on with LIFE.

Going back and forth between the COTTAGE and the main house is part of preparing for COTTAGE LIVING.  I'm hauling groceries to the Cottage Pantry and organizing my sweet 'lil pantry.  Another haul today of rice, pasta, beans, cake mixes, cookie cutters and oatmeal.  Most of this haul is in storage tubs that I two stepped up the stairs.

I saved my back by placing the tubs on the steps then lifting them a couple of steps up, taking a step myself and repeating until I had the tub up to the top and then I scooted the tub with my foot across the Kitchen floor.

Hubby will help me load it all into the car and then unload it in the COTTAGE.  I will spend some time playing grocery store as I organize the pantry.  If I do say so myself, THE PANTRY is looking like it ought to.  Like a little kid, I'm getting giddy over having an actual PANTRY once again.  Getting it set up has been like playing house when I was a child pretending to be a grown-up.

After today, the next haul will be bottled juices.  I know I know...some say NEVER DRINK JUICE because it has too high of a sugar content and your blood sugar level will SPIKE, but I say, "CARROT JUICE will not cause an issue and it's a JUICE!"  "V8 is my morning juice of CHAMPIONS.  So is TOMATO JUICE!"  The juice is stored in glass bottles verses cans.  I believe they will stay on the shelf longer without going bad.  Glass is way better than plastic.  Sometimes it's not the easiest to get the kind of juice I want in glass bottles.  I had quite a time finding Apricot Juice at all.  Finally did in all places...Peabody, Kansas at their tiny grocery store there, but THEY had some.  Just because you live in a small community doesn't mean you do without.  

A little pomegranate juice will be my friend.  GREEN JUICES will join the daily treat to benefit our health.

As for fruit juices...a little goes a long ways and that is what I'm aiming for.  MODERATION. SOoooo a little grape juice will probably greet my palette and be welcomed into my stomach rejoicing that it found its way to my gut.  

The juices have a shelf all to themselves.  Same with boxed and canned soups.  

I had hoped to start painting the Kitchen cabinet, but will wait until the PANTRY is a COMPLETE PANTRY.  In between hauls of canned/boxed foods and when resting from huffing and puffing, I work on paperwork.  I came across another box of important papers that are smoked stained that I need to go through and see what to save, file or shred.  

Today, I was sleeving obituary/life sketches/funeral brochures.  I am making a notebook for these and as I sleeve the paper, I reread them.  It's sobering.  SO many loved ones and friends along the way are gone.  Yesterday, a High School Buddy of mine shared that her Husband had died.  He was the LOVE OF HER LIFE.  It's sobering.

We are just passing through.  How one lives is important.  What is really important?  This time on earth is a time to decide and plan for one's future.  Where will you spend eternity and who is your God?  A time to reflect and slow down living life to the fullest.  Knowing that I am just passing through has given me courage to turn loose of so much that I have been holding onto.  I have been kind of a packrat.  In the near future I will go through all of my old Christmas cards...cards and letters in general and decide what to keep and what to say good-bye to.  I will probably sweat over the details.  

Why keep funeral brochures?  For now, I will have these in a notebook where I can think about the person and the relationship I had with them.  Just another way to be better organized having the notebook on a book shelf.  LIFE IS PRECIOUS.  People are precious.  Time is precious.  Live it wisely.

That saying don't sweat the small stuff...maybe there IS some wisdom in that after all.    

I am a HOMEMAKER.  I rejoice that I am a HOMEMAKER.  The world tells me I have no value because I don't have employment.  The world isn't my GOD.  

I manage the money that runs a HOUSEHOLD.  I have to know how to stretch the dough sort of speak.  I have to manage the nuts and bolts of things.  Sometimes it is a challenge to be successful at being THIS HOMEMAKER.  Smile and put some pearls on. Mist some perfume on. Shade-in some lipstick across the mouth.  Clean undies.  grins.  I will rejoice because I want to. I'd rather enjoy this journey than to dread it.  

As I continue downsizing and getting organized...I'm thanking GOD that I am a HOMEMAKER, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a mother-in-law, a sister, a daughter, a sister-in-law, an Aunt, a cousin, a friend, a Christian, a child of GOD, a woman, a person, a thinker, a creator, a decorator, an artist, an author, a junker, the list goes on.   

Can I NOT SWEAT the small stuff?  Working on that as I sweat in real life carrying and shuffling boxes of groceries, dishes, paperwork, and a multitude of other things.  I am a Homemaker making a HOME.  

I am a sweaty Homemaker...amen and amen,

~d      

Scripture draw:
~2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Prayer:
Most gracious Heavenly Father God, help me to be aware of my limitations being willing and ready to ask for your help.
In Jesus name I pray,
amen.

~d

Why I decided To Become A Homemaker

At the time of this writing, I'm 56 years old.  
Been married 37 years and have never been asked
why I became a Homemaker...ev verrrrrrrrer.  

EVAH? NEVAH.

When I was about 22, a Vaccuum Salesman came to my HOME and asked me, "You're JUST a Housewife?"  I took it wrong.  It hit a raw nerve.  What I thought he was implying struck a bad cord.  

This was in a day when it wasn't scary to open the door to a salesman.  He was assisted by one of my College friends that I knew.  Ching ching....made a sale. 

It's from women just like me that buy vaccuum sweepers to clean their humble abodes.  It wasn't the norm back in the early seventies to remain in the HOME as a FULL TIME HOMEMAKER...off to work we go...a job...a career out side the home...a position that makes money and has a title (position) so you can be a somebody and......pay taxes. 

This mind set that you aren't a complete person unless you are employed started a while back.  From personal experience, homemakers were viewed differently than those in the workforce.  

Some people believe that you 'aint a anybody unless you issss making money. 

Going back in time...Television broadcasted a commercial of a singing woman in a business suit.  Bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan, 'cauz i'm a women. w. o. m. a. n.  The Vietnam War had already ended.  Being LIBERATED as a Women Libbers was encouraged.  Burning of the Bras a thing of the past.  President Nixon had saluted the sky in public with a Peace Sign as he left this distinguished office early because of Watergate.  MEN stopped opening doors for REAL WOMEN who were insulted that a man would do such a thang.  After all....who needs a 
M A N.......i am a wooooo man, woooo mannnnn say it again.  Helen Reddy would sing it...HEAR ME ROAR IN NUMBERS TOO BIG TO IGNORE.  And down came the hammer.

I suppose that if I had told the Salesman.....oooh no, I'm a career woman and you just lucked out catching barefooted me at home in the middle of the day holding this baby on my hip doing chores on my day off...I would of somehow had more value to this salesman?  Wasn't my money as good as a career woman's?  Somehow it seems to be.

At that time in history....i could have spit nails.......it didn't rest with me when asked what i did AS IF being a homemaker was rated as a second class citizen with no brain in one's head with no talents/skills and no importance as a human being as if being a homemaker was not enough...eventually i came to have peace about this question asked me.  E v e n t u a l l y.

BUT FIRST came the effort to give the public a better description of what I did 9 to 5 plus evenings and Holidays and week-ends and like all the time, day after day after day.  I liked it when Domestic Engineer was brought to light.  I boasted I was a Domestic Engineer.  THEN I grew tired of boasting. 

With trying to be more sensitive toward the homemaker/housewife occupation, I'd hear, "Do you work outside the home?"   Some were not sure what to say next when I'd reply, "Yes, sometimes I work in the yard outside my home."  I'd chuckle...got 'cha.

When I married in 1974 I became a homemaker that was a college student.  I was a college student that worked (EMPLOYED) and took care of domestic chores, wife and almost pregnant homemaker.  Through the years being a HOMEMAKER developed into something I truly wanted to be fulltime along with being a fulltime momma.

My Homemaking Career morphed into something that I believe was by God's Design for my life.  When I did become pregnant, deep thoughts surfaced from the back of my mind and from the pit of my belly (my spirit).  I began to think I was going to become somebody's momma.  It wasn't all about me anymore.  Part of self died.  And it needed to.  Life took on a different outlook.  Still I was off the mark as a wife.  This would morph later.  Pity it didn't happen at the beginning of the marriage.  Being a WIFE......I was gender confused concerning marital roles and responsibilities in God's economy.  More on that later.  

The beautiful institution of marriage.  I grew up watching my momma take charge of home matters.  Dad worked long hours and he wasn't a take charge kind of guy in his home...mom was.  At least one of the adults was.  Dad was quieter about his at home duties.  I misunderstood what was going on.  Mom was mom and she was in charge of children, home, meals, cooking, cleaning, decorating, repairs, etc.  So much of what my Dad did wasn't explained to little ole me.  I misunderstood how this all worked.  

Through the years I'd come to understand My Dad's LOVE LANGUAGE to his family was to work hard at his job, love my Mom and provide material necessities for us all.  He was there for us.  He'd come home in the evening.

When I was 18 and dating my husband, I was carefree and stupid to say the least.  I didn't look much further than the tip of my nose.  I had little vision about present or the future.  I was contented to have NEXT TO NOTHING in material things....but when I married and love gifts were given to help set up a household...I liked it!  

GETTING MARRIED jiggled loose a desire to play house.  Then when I became pregnant, I NOTICED that I wasn't pleased with not having a baby bed for my baby.  There were things the BABY would need.  Diapers, baby bottles, food, grooming supplies, clothing, socks, shoes, sheets, blankets, toys, the list went on.  Don't forget the LOVE and TIME needed for a Baby.

This was A turning point in my life.  My Heart's CRY was coming to the surface.  I didn't want a baby sitter or daycare provider to RAISE my child.  My child.  I wanted the privilege of raising my own child.  CHILDREN.

Why a HOMEMAKER?  Because.....to me it meant something important to establish a home for my husband and our children.  As time passed.....I wanted to be a HOMEMAKER all the more.  Being called a housewife doesn't ruffle my feathers anymore.  Though I'm not a wife to a house...it no longer bugs me to be called a housewife.  I'm a person married to my husband, a wife and a homemaker.  A KEEPER OF THE HOME 
(a beautiful thing)...Biblical description to enjoy and honor.

Years earlier I wanted our HOME to be a welcoming place for our family.  Moving can be truly stressful.  New location, new neighborhood, bank, school, doctors, church, activities, routines, stores, expenses, etc.  Having to say GOOD-BYE to friends wasn't easy.  Having to say good-bye can be challenging and eye opening.

We'd relocate so often that I thank God that I was able to stay home to set up housekeeping to create a warm home environment for my family when uprooted to soothe the upheaval that came from moving. 

The children are grown now with families of their own.  I still am a Homemaker.

I became familiar with blogging about 6 years ago.
I loved it when I read that one Lady who did her housework called it A HOME BLESSING.
I loved it when I read that being a godly woman that is a homemaker is A KEEPER OF THE HOME.
I loved the uplifting verbage that I was reading....you see for the longest time I hadn't heard encouraging words directed toward women that wanted to be homemakers, wives and mothers.  Not in Church, not from relatives, not from friends, not in society.  

SPOKEN WORDS OF LIFE TO ME concerning being a Homemaker weren't shared.  An Art Teacher I had as a High School Freshmen asked me to research Homemakers as a Career when we were doing reports in class.  A Male Art Teacher.  I wonder where he is today. 

Before blogging I hadn't heard many loving words about being a homemaker period. 

From the public school system it was more or less engrained into me that I was to go to college and get a job.  PAY THOSE TAXES BABEEEEE.  Public school promoted that I wouldn't be a somebody if I didn't have a college degree and e m p l o y m e n t.  There was little mention of sharing my life with a husband and children, growing up and having a home of my own.  Being a law abiding tax paying citizen of the united states was expected.  Cudos.  I have sensed this for years.

HOMEMAKERS...I CHEER YOU ON!  YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING OF ETERNAL IMPORTANCE.

When I was growing up I'd go into HOMES where the Mom stayed HOME to take care of business, I admired their clean homes and sweet personalities.  And if the Christian Wife was employeed, I noticed her sweet personality.  Being Christian made all the difference.

On a godly level at my childhood HOME, little was discussed about who to marry, what to look for in a spouse, how to make a living, how to make a HOME.  I compared NOTES between what was being taught at school and what was going on at HOME.  By observation I learned.  Raising a Family is more than keeping a clean house and fixing meals.  The close and personal conversations about godly lifestyles and why we should be godly need to be a part of the upbringing of children.  Why we need God in our lives should be explained to where a child can understand this important character building reality.

As a married woman with children that moved around a great deal, I found a circle of Christian Ladies everywhere we lived and grew to desire having a godly home where we supported morals, taught right from wrong and WHAT WOULD JESUS DO.  I grew to admire women that were stay at home wives, moms and homemakers.  I practiced and exercised living on one income and with God's help when I bottomed out with not having peace in my life....God showed up to teach me a better and more excellent way to live in this world.

There are sooooo many wonderful blogs out there where others follow websites based off of domestic skills and decorating homes.  I know there's a huge audience made up of those that LOVE THEIR HOMES and FAMILIES that want very much to be better at being a domestic goddess with inviting homes that produces happy hubbies and balanced children.  They crave making their HOMES a better place.  Their hearts desire personal homes.

I've also noticed a cultural push presented by the media and others in this day an' age to NOT GET MARRIED and NOT EAT MEAT.  HUG A TREE and abort a Family.  The Bible speaks of such a time when marriage will not be encouraged by people and foods especially MEAT are a taboo.  Another blog post for sure. 

Marriage is a wonderful thing.  A awesome institution.  Having a home is a wonderful place.  Having children is wonderful.  Eating is a wonderful thing.  

Many talk among themselves that being unwed is the way to go and we should not consume calories or breathe air.  Having less is more and there's no need to be a christian.  Down size, downsize, downsize till you have nothing because whallah we don't need stuff that we don't use everyday and if you haven't used that thing in over a year, pitch it.  I question, well you don't use the money that you have in the bank...does that mean you don't need it?  You don't wear more than one pair of underpants at a time...does that mean you don't need more than one pair of underpants?   You don't sit in more than one chair at a time....does that mean you should only own one chair?  Getting off the subject matter...rant. 

In many ways I am my own boss that operates an estate.  It takes skill and discipline to be a good housekeeper, balance the books, stay on a budget, decorate, create, cook, clean, shop for bargains, sew, create, organize, do the laundry, create, garden, can goods, schedule appointments, social secretary, create, carpool, provide childcare, give instructions and directions, create, meet deadlines, and on an' on.

Many think that being a homemaker is beneath them. 

I understand that some women have no desire to stay home.
I understand that some want to stay home, but can't or won't.  I understand that I understand.  God be with you.    

Why did I become a Homemaker?  I wanted to be a full time homemaker.  I'm convinced that this is where I am to be for the time being.  Not to say that I won't take a job outside the house and be gainfully employed down the line.  Have mercy.  I may create a cottage business to generate additional funds.  A homemaker that makes some mulah$$$.  The virtuous woman did and does along the way of LIFE.

I have the awesome privilege to be able to stay at home.  At the present time the United States  g o v e r n m e n t   has not dictated to me how long I can stay at home or what line of work I must be occupied doing.  PRAISE GOD.  This is a wonderful blessing to have.  

If for some reason you do not have the privilege to stay home, God can give you the strength to do what is required of you.  God.  He can show you how to do what you have to do and do it well.  Staying at home full time or part time does have its challenges.  Lord, I seek you...how do you want me to do this? 

So why did I become a Homemaker in the first place.....I wanted to.   I feel called.  It is the BEST place for me to be.   

Domestically Yours,

~Deanna~

Homemaker

MOST GRACIOUS Heavenly Father, 
You've given me such a blessed life as a wife and homemaker.  
There's not another home just like this one. 
Unique and custom made.  Thank you! 
I bless your HOLY and precious name.
Always in the name of Jesus I pray,
AMEN
 
~Deanna~

Homemaker With Heels On

Dear Ones,
Hello from the Kansas Flint Hills.  Bitter cold outside this morning. Around 6 degrees.  So it really is comforting to be indoors where we are warmed by radiators.  My sweet husband gets up early each morning to tend to our 4 outdoor Airedale Terrier Dogs then off to work he goes while I am a Keeper of the Home.


Most days, I generally write in my day timer to refresh my mind what I need to get done and/or hope to get done.  Nothing is cast in concrete. My day timer is actually just a spiral notebook that I bought for a quarter.  I prefer using it over the fancy ones that are on the market.  It doesn't matter how neat or sloppy I write in my spiral...I am relaxed to plan.  If I scribble out something, it's no big deal.

Since I have been a stay at home woman for years that doesn't carry a brief case and wear high heels all day, I was once asked, "What do you do all day?" I simply replied, "Everyday is different and every year is different."  This could have gotten into a harry discussion about what I do with my time as well as to having value as a human being.  But if I had been more on my toes, I could have used it as an opportunity to share WHY I choose to stay home.  Live and learn.

In the eyes of those that think a HOMEMAKER doesn't count because she's not making a paycheck and the use of my time is odd.  PRAISE THE LORD!  I have learned that ALMIGHTY GOD is who gives me value and I don't have to LIVE TO THE STANDARDS of those that cannot see the importance of a woman being a keeper of the home.  I honestly think that they don't know what this is.  Oh government...plezzzzz don't take this away from me!  PTL (praise the Lord) we can have our eyes of understanding opened to see things as God would want us to see. PTL, I live in a country that still allows women to be homemakers without getting taxed more for breathing air.

Have you encountered those that think a baby in the womb is just tissue and not really a baby?  Have you encountered those that think babies have no value because they don't bring home the bacon (cash)?  What about you have value as long as you make money and contribute back to society because you make money?  Couldn't we debate that the more money made the more value a person has? The issue of how they made their money isn't really important, just the fact that they made lots of money...so a drug lord that is rolling in the dough has so much more value than the little guy that pays his bills and gives an honest days work?  I don't think so. 

Using money is part of the system we live in, but it's not my god.  Value doesn't come from the amount of mula we make, but value comes from God.  We can have huge bank accounts and still have value in God's eyes.  We may only have two nickels to rub together and we still have value in God's eyes.  It's not the money that gives us value in God's economy.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying money is all wrong.  It can be an answer to many things.  We still need to be responsible with what money we are allowed to handle.  I'm saying it's not the money that gives us our true value, tis God that gives us our value.

I use to not take COFFEE BREAKS nor down time during the day while at home because I thought I had to justify why I stayed in the home and had NO career.  I had to justify that what I did in the home had as much importance as the woman in the so-called work force.  That I worked just as hard if not harder than those employed.  My focus of what was important was in "want."

I fully understand that there are situations where women must be in the work force.  These precious women were not who I was in competition with.  When push came to shove, I was in competition with my own husband wanting his approval for being a Homemaker and not a so-called career woman.  As well as wanting to outshine the secular world that was breathing down my neck. 

Emotional support and the cheering section that could of been Homemaker Friendly was not coming from family and friends.  Not even the homemaker peers I was honored to associate with gave encouragement to be a Keeper of the Home. So I believe that it is part of my godly duty to CHEER HOMEMAKERS ON and that it's perfectly alright to be a woman that stays home to raise her own children or be a woman that stays home without children.  Homemaker with children or without children.  And to those dear ladies that wish they were home instead of in the work force...We can pray.  God answers prayer.  God is still on the throne and answers prayer.  He will show you the way in which you should go.

Thank God my thinking changed and I take coffee breaks, spend time in prayer and don't always get dressed before noon. Ouch, did I really admit that I don't always dress before noon?  Can that be possible.....what will you ever think of me?  

I still believe while teaching young children how things are done that order and structure are important teaching tools.  My presentation is so different now then what I practiced as a young homemaker and full-time momma before God opened my eyes on many things.  Thankful that HE did.  My husband has matured a great deal when it comes to wanting a wife at home verses being a playboy driving a new sports car.  God did a number on him as well.

This internet stuff with all these fantastic Christian Women Sites and Blogs is awe inspiring.  I am so impressed with the number of women that are sold out to Christ and desire to have a Christian HOME that becomes a HAVEN to respect their husband in and nurture their children in.  Praise God!

As for wearing heels?  Well, sometimes you've just gotta! Playing dress up isn't all bad.  Don't forget to splash a little good smelling parfum on behind the ears.

Til next time, may our homes be a haven that's a ministry to our families.

God Bless and don't forget to pray,
Deanna