There are many frequent days in my pursuit of passionate homemaking that I have to fight for joy. I get weary from the constant demands of preparing meals, to wiping sweet bottoms, to dealing with cranky attitudes, to reading the same story for the millionth time. From sun up to sun down, a mother’s work is never done.
I know I am not alone. I know that you and I alike must purposefully strive to cultivate joy. You are about an eternal work.
God has assigned you a glorious task, how do we not loose sight of it?
1. Remember, each day is a gift.
“So here it is, another day. I did nothing to deserve it. I just woke up this morning, and there it was. I may have expected it to be there, but I had no right to. Just like Christmas morning, I got up to find a present waiting for me, a brand new day. Yes, today is a gift. And it has my name on the tag. This present from God has been custom-made for me. God has filled it with blessings, some obvious and some in disguise, its difficulties and challenges are tailored to fit my size. It may not be exactly what I asked for, but it is exactly what I need.” Read the full article by Russell Board, World Magazine.
This is a quote that deserves a place over my bed to read every morning. It is a simple reminder that each day is filled with God’s grace to accomplish the tasks assigned to me. Each struggle and challenge is perfectly designed to help grow and strengthen me in my faith, homemaking, and mothering skills. Remember, “this is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Each day, my son or daughter gets a little older. Each moment with them is a gift. Let’s actively pursue joy!
2. Keep an eternal perspective.
I was recently meditating upon this verse: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23). I was struck by these thoughts that I recorded in my journal:
In your mothering and homemaking, Lindsay, this is work indeed, and yet it is valuable work through which you can bring glory to God. Do this work – changing diapers, kissing bruises, training hard hearts, guiding souls – do it for Jesus! This work will bring forth eternal reward. Don’t do it complaining. Don’t run from it. Don’t fret or cultivate discontentment. Pursue it passionately for Jesus! Take control of your thoughts. Think about the things of heaven (eternal souls in my hands), and not the temporary things of this earth (lose of sleep, free time, late nights out, etc).
3. Take a walk.
When you are weary or feel like you need a break, take a walk. It is a simple and practical step, but it does wonders to your physical and mental well-being. I strive to get outdoors frequently, if not daily, to enjoy God’s creation, breath deeply the fresh air, and refreshment pours over my body.
4. Have a vision/purpose for your home.
Do you have a mission statement? This is something I have been praying through lately. What is my mission? What is my purpose in the home? I challenge you to compile a mission statement for yourself using the excellent guide provided by Kat at Inspired to Action. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18). A mission statement will help focus you on the priorities, guide you in making better decisions, and keep your view above the changing tide of circumstances.
My mission in my home is to cultivate a simple, peaceful haven or rest for my family and anyone that might enter my home. My mission is to make my home a place of blessing (1 Chron. 16:43), joy (2 Chron. 7:10), learning (1 Cor. 14:35), training (Deut. 6:7), and testifying together of the Lord’s goodness (Acts 2:46). Having this vision behind me continually is a great source of refreshment.
For further help in developing a mission statement, check out The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey, and their online guide.
5. Dig deep into the Word of God.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future” (Prov. 31:25). How does the virtuous woman have the ability to laugh? She is confident in the Lord. She daily finds her strength and confidence in spending time with Him. Find a method that works for you (listen to a sermon podcast while you work), but don’t leave it out of your day if you want to pursue joyful homemaking.
Your attitude has a powerful effect on the atmosphere of your home.
It can be a place of warmth and rest in the presence of a joyful women, or it can be a place of discouragement and depression in the place of a joyless women.
It’s your choice today.
How can you cultivate a joyful heart today?
Originally published April 5, 2010. Original comments included below.
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog. I especially appreciate your emphasis on missions. My husband & I serve as missionaries in Japan. I was happy to see that you’ve sometimes quoted my husband’s (Russell Board) writings in World magazine. May the Lord bless you!
Very encouraging post this morning. Thank you!
Such a good reminder! It’s really amazing how much a mom’s attitude does affect the atmosphere of the home…and the others living in it
. Thanks for encouraging us to take ownership of our attitudes!
What a timely post for me. Very encouraging to be reminded that all that I do should be for the glory of God and not unto man. Also, each day that I have with my son IS a gift. As I navigate the struggles of being a new mom I am beyond encouraged by this post.
Thank you for your encouraging words, which seem to be meant for me today .I was just thinking/writing about Col 3:23 and how I am prone to be that joyless discontented woman. To ‘actively pursue joy’, what a challenge.
How timely this is. I’ve been needing it. Thank you!
Thank you so much. I get down sometimes thinking what I do isn’t enough, but I know it is not only enough, it is of the utmost importance to make a haven for my family and raise my boys in the ways of the Lord. Nothing is more important than our eternal life and we must equip our children daily! Thank you.
This post is very well written and really has inspired me. Life does seem so overwhelming at times. Thanks for the encouragement. I have saved this post and keep coming back to read it.
Hi there, first time visitor to your blog. I am a new mom to a beautiful 10 month old baby boy named Owen. I feel discouraged right now, but the few things I have read here have lifted my spirits. Every day is a gift and an opportunity and you have reminded me of that, thank you. I strive daily to be the best home maker that i can be, i have the same goals that you do. Its a struggle some times but i push on, my husband does not have the same heart for the Lord that I do, he believes but not the same. I pray often and know I must seek the Lord more in scripture, which i admittedly do not read much if at all. I don’t k now where people find the time. I guess they make it and I need to get my priorities straight. Anyways, I appreciated your blog and will subscribe and pray that it will help me in my daily striving to mold my child into a servant of the Lord, be an example to my husband and create a home and life that is pleasing for the Lord.
This is incredibly encouraging and helpful. Thank you for your honesty!
This is the first time I've visited this site and I must say I LOVE it. Such inspirational messages and thoughts. I'm going to recommend this to my daughter and my daughter-in-law. Someone recommended the site to me for the whole wheat baking ideas and info. It's so much more than that.
I was walking with my dog this afternoon and I always pray while I'm walking. One thing that I pray for daily is for more encouragement in my walk in faith. This site is an answer to that prayer.
I am a grandma to three little girls, 2yrs, 1yr, and 5 mos. Being a mom is such a joy but being a granny is like nothing I could've imagined. The 2yr old literally jumps for joy when I go to visit. My heart is filled with joy every time I see any of them. Reading this website reminds me of all the joyous gifts God has given and continues to give.
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing such sweet encouragement! That has been my prayer…that God would use me to bless and inspire others in their homemaking.
Finally I can post a comment!! Unfortunately, it seems impossible from a remote device (aka my iPhone!). Anyway, just wanted to say “hi,” and that we came to the Gathering last Sunday and met your family! Your dad said you'd gone to Aaron's family's for Easter…which is exactly what we are doing– visiting my husband (Ryan)'s family for Easter. We're from Louisville, KY. Anyway I called and left a message to see if you wanted to hang out today or tomorrow sometime. I have a car to use and my daughter is pretty portable… just email, call, post or otherwise let me know. My husband may be getting together with yours for computer-programming stuff, I don't know!
Love reading your blog!
–Christina
Thank yuo for reminding me of the gift I have been given, being a wife and mother is a blessing not a burden!
Thank you for the timely reminder, Lindsay! I admire you so much (and my husband does too for your encouragement in my homemaking!), I'm glad to know you struggle like I do some days.
With a baby and toddler at home, sometimes it's hard to relax. But today as I was feeding my baby in the room where my son was dozing off to sleep, I was thinking about what to do next, what I could be doing, then I paused. I may not have many more of these sacred moments of peace, enjoying the closeness of my baby and a quiet moment of my toddler's day. Before I know it they'll be teenagers as my nephew and nieces are (and I saw how quickly that happened) and I'll long for these moments as my brothers do now. I'm doing my best to be present in the moment and enjoy each moment I can.
I also have a quote up “The most important thing done at the end of the day is that there is love in the home.” So let the dishes, laundry, etc pile up a bit and love on your kids and husband. You won't ever regret what you do in love.
Final thought: Jesus came to serve and give His life. Surely I can do the same in this blessed life He's given me.
I use GIFT as my daily reminder this way: Gratitude, Inspiration, Family, Tranquility. I need a little of each of these everyday.
What a great word to remember!
Homemaking can be tough due to the repetitive nature of the tasks. My son is severely disabled and now has a progressive neurological disease. Every day really is a gift to me. I decided a long time ago that nothing else I ever would do in my life would ever be as important as the things I do for him. When you put your family first, everything else falls into place. I like to think that I go through life giving him the best care that I can and making sure that others know that is what I expect as well, whether it's the hospital or school. He spends a lot of time in bed now and I make sure to tell him how fresh his bed is, how his sheets are clean and how nice I made it for him. I want him to know he has value and that his life is important and I do this by keeping a nice home for him. I try to give him everything that I can so that when he dies I will feel like I have no regrets. Homemaking is the ultimate gift that you give yourself and your family. You set the tone for your home so how you do things matters. I find that making things beautiful in my home always gives me an incentive to keep things nice.
Thank you for posting this. It is very needful to refresh the vision of our purpose! I went and made my mission statement, and I didn't think too much of it, but it helped make the day more purposeful.
I think it's something that develops over time – after you've been thinking about it for awhile. It's not until recently that my husband and I could – in the exact same words – sum up our mission statement. We could have shared the ideals, but several weeks ago we heard a quote by Anthony Norris Groves and said “THAT is exactly what we want our mission statement to be!”
It is “Labor hard, consume little, give much and all to the Lord.”
Great post. One thing I have found helpful is a small dose of things I love. I love to garden – but there is no way I can spend a 2 hour block in the yard each week. I can however spend 20 minutes a day. I tell myself, pull just this type of weed or water for 20 minutes. It is amazing what a difference this makes in me and my garden!
Thanks for the inspirational post…it's easy to get so caught up in the stuff, I sometimes forget who I'n serving.
Lindsay-
I really like the idea of a mission statement, but am a bit overwhelmed by the idea of what it should look like. Thank you for sharing yours. My husband and I plan to work on this together.
You also might want to check out 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. It includes a whole chapter on developing your mission statement and has been very helpful for us in this process.
Lovely post Lindsay! Everyday, every minute IS a gift, which is something I try to remember and live by. Thank you for the reminder!
A few months ago I stumbled upon a quote from David Livingston and I haven't forgotten it – in fact I was just reading it again today as I am moving portions of my original blog over to my new one about boys and this one was moved over today
The quote is beautiful and truly inspired me and challenged my thinking about “my Africa.”
“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa…Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink, but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in, and for, us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk, when we remember the great sacrifice which HE [Jesus] made who left His Father's throne on high to give Himself for us.”
really enjoyed this post, thanks!
Thank you!
Thank you!
What a blessing this post has been to me! I have printed and plan to read it often. How our attitudes would be so different if we just focus on the eternal things and not the earthly!
I read this post and thought, “Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful, timely reminder.” #2 was especially thought provoking for me: “Keep an eternal perspective”. Work heartily as for the Lord… Pursue my mothering/homemaking passionately for Jesus. Eternal souls in my hands…that is what my children are. Thank you for this encouraging and challenging post.
Wonderful post! I always love to be reminded to pursue joy. A friend once said “joy is a fruit of thankfulness” and I often think of this.
Linds, thank you so much for sharing this post! I really loved reading it and found it so encouraging!
I find myself continually complaining either to myself or to my husband about how hard this is or how tired I am. We have an 18 month old and a 5 week old. I am spent. Emotional, physically, mentally. But I have been ungrateful for the gift of our new baby..wishing everyday that she was older, that it was easier. Now I look at her and feel regret for having complained so much..only to find her looking so big already! Thank you for this post, I have some serious work to do on choosing to be joyful in the day to day. I truly admire your commitment to serving joyfully and hope that I will grow to be the same!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I want to cry after just reading this and remembering what an unpeaceful place our home may have felt like today. Sometimes my children (15 mos; 4 years) drive me absolutely nuts, even though I love them more than words can say. I have been doing my best to try to include a little snippet about God or Jesus throughout the day as we are learning or doing, and I now remember that my children will learn more by watching me than by hearing what I say.
Again….thank you for the wonderful reminder.
I am so thankful for this life I lead.
It was so nice to read this, Lindsay! Blessings to you.
Michele @ Frugal Granola
A woman's lot can be tough – to serve other's needs day in and day out (and during the night as well!), and to be joyful all the while, or else the whole family feels gloomy and grumpy. Thank goodness His mercies are new every morning!
We have been blessed with two sons, 5 years and 13 months. We are homeschooling, and my husband is self-employeed and works from home. In addition, my 88 year old grandmother lives with us. Let's just say we have an abundance of “together” time in our home! Our five year old is in a stage of talkativeness that is just amazing. He is so inquisitive! Some days, I feel like he talks 23 out of 24 hours a day. And sometimes, the constant chatter gets on my nerves. When that happens, I try to imagine what life will be like in 10 short, blink-of-an-eye years. Eli will be 15 then. Will he still ask me all of his questions? Where will he be looking for answers? Will he still want to marry me and live with us forever? Will he still want to cuddle up to me to watch tv, and rub my kisses into his cheek? A moment of thinking along these lines is all it takes to remind me to treasure each and every second of these “needy” years. They may be the ones I look back on with the most fondness when I am old.
As always, thank you. That's just what I needed to read!
Thank you, Lindsay! Thank you.
Thanks for these great reminders! I am working toward making my home a refuge for my family, a place they always want to be, a place where our Lord peacefully abides.
~traci
I am so happy to have happened upon your blog a couple weeks ago. Today's post was what was upon my heart today. Thank you for sharing
I really like that first quote that you mentioned. I will have to write it down to remind myself! I should also work on a vision statement. I am getting started as an almost-full-time homemaker so this would be good for me to do.
Thank you for this post! Some days, I'm there, loving every minute of homemaking, and others I'm not. I just keep praying for a servant's heart. Thanks for this timely post, as well as your constant encouragement in my journey as a mom. Your blog is such a ministry!
I love that the Lord can use different mediums (like blogs) to meet me where I am at! I have been feeling pretty weary these days and needed some encouragement. Thank you for sharing!
This encouragement is exactly what I needed today! I have a 3 year old and an 8 week old and rest and free time are hard to come by these days! I needed a reminder of why I chose to sacrifice and stay home with my sweet boys. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and being so transparent.
Thanks for a great reminder!
Great Post!! I need to do my daily Bible reading first thing in the morning, otherwise I feel so lost for the day. I will try to rejoice in everything I do today…thank you!
Blessings!
I'm so grateful for this post! Very recently, I have been so weary and discouraged in my role as wife, mommy and homemaker. I have been battling through this by praying for joy and praising God in prayer for all the good he wants for us. I don't believe in “coincidences”. God purposed this post and I'm so appreciative of the encouragement because this has been my specific prayer lately! You do an awesome job Lindsay!!
Thanks for these thoughts and reminders! Along with the weightier matters you mentioned, I'm glad you included the simple reminder to take a walk. Not only does exercise keep us healthy and fit, it encourages our hearts and souls, because we were created to be active and to enjoy God's beautiful creation. My son is almost 8 weeks old, and I try to take him on a long, brisk walk in the park almost every day. I can't believe the difference it makes!
What a great post! One of my temptations is to do the work for the sake of doing the work, rather than for the sake of cultivating my home as a sanctuary. When I remember that I am cultivating a sanctuary, I set myself free from my checklist and I do the work with joy.
Thanks, Lindsay. This definitely hits exactly where I'm at. If I'm not joyous, I can sure become demanding of my hubby! Thanks for this reminder.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic, Lindsay. I feel inspired to think about these things as I am on the verge of motherhood (one more month to go!) and want our home to be a haven for our family and others. Thank you for pursuing God in your home and sharing your journey with us along the way.
Started my day only an hour ago and starting to feel weighed down already….Your post is what God is using to remind me of the “present” of today. I'm rewinding my morning and starting out right….at His feet! Thanks!
Thank you Lindsay, I needed that this morning. Right now I'm dealing with some very interesting symptoms of my pregnancy which have left me drained and feeling completely icky and not able to accomplish a whole lot. Thank you for the uplifting words to start my day!
thanks, I needed this today
)
Yes, the demands of mothering and homemaking can be overwhelming at times. I was just sharing with my teenage daughter that when she was a little one, I had such a case of PPD, and I didn't know Christians could go through such things. The Lord knew I needed to go through down times in order to have compassion on others. Hope you are finding some relief.
I really needed to hear this today! Thank You Lindsay!
I really needed to hear this today! Thank You Lindsay!!
Thank you! This was an inspiring post. Just what i needed to hear this morning!
This is great Lindsey! I am working on cultivating joy in my mothering and homemaking too! I was just reading scripture…Jesus' story…where he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. And the words he said to them were “O Joy!” Some translations say something a little different but literally translated it is “O JOY!” He was Joyful about what he had done for us! Even though it was a huge sacrifice. How much He loves us. There is joy in abiding in Him. In being with Him. Let's never forget.
Woke up this morning to the birds singing and yet thought of the laundry pile was the first thing to pop into my head. Thank you for re-routing my thoughts to God's grander plan. I will sing his praises as I wash the clothes of the family I am so blessed to call mine. Thanks for the encouragement and God bless you today!