Tuesday, August 18, 2020

How Much Do I Love Homemaking? ~ Let Me Count the Ways

As of late, numerous people have been asking me "what will I do?" now that I finished home education in our little nest. I suppose that now that this is a house-full of adults, a full-time homemaker doesn't seem necessary. But honestly it feels like my golden years have begun and I can’t wait to continue my homemaking journey! There are still so many people to tend to (the homemakers walls extend beyond her own home), projects to try and pantries to prettify. The home is one big canvas of opportunity and now that a few extra hours have been gifted to me, there is no other place I would rather spend my time!


"We often take our homes for granted. But when we steep ourselves in our home, a deep sense of place begins to emerge. Life becomes more meaningful. We begin to have a greater spiritual awareness of what our home is and should be. Perhaps our most inspiring thought is that our homes, if we are to live well in them, require and deserve a lifetime of the most careful attention. A home absorbs caretaking like a sponge. All the hours we spend tending to it are never in vain, for everything we give to our home, is in turn, given back to us. Our homes will be only as generous and nurturing as the effort we invest in them."
by Miriam Lukken


And as I was pondering all the lovely little homemaking joys, I immediately thought of the title of Elizabeth Browning's poem...

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."

I have a waterfall of feelings on the subject and I think it would be easiest if I sorted them out into little posts -- like laundry ๐Ÿงบ piles I suppose!


Some of my reasons may seem shallow to some and soul stirring to others. It will either make sense or I will appear utterly insane. That is the way of a homemaker. Much of the beauty is in the ordinary tasks, the tiny details that make up a grand though humble life, the small routines, the orderly approaches to a home-centered world. We each experience it differently. You may love a quiet home with soft surroundings and floral fragrances while others enjoy upbeat music and the constant scent of brewed coffee.

How Do I Love Homemaking? Let me Count the Ways... Will you join me?


29 comments:

  1. It has been eleven years since I graduated our youngest from our home school. I remember thinking that I needed to do something big with my time but then the reality was that everything took so much time. I was used to having help with chores and arriving home from the grocery store and having help carrying it in and putting things away. Everything took so long but I loved doing it all myself. Now I am honored to be my husband's caregiver since he became disabled. He is a big help with the everyday chores as long as I instruct him on all he needs to do and it is sweet time too since I have him here with me everyday. If I were to go back eleven years I would make it much more a matter of prayer than I did but I was younger and thought I knew much more than I think I do now.

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    1. Thanks for sharing Lana! I also found that to be true! You don't realize how much help you get when your children are home with you and the groceries are a great example! I find that the extra time I have doesn't equal too much more to compensate for doing it all myself now. But I do enjoy it and it sounds like you have a new helper!

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  2. Looking forward to you continuing this series of posts (as well as Part II of What I learned Living Abroad). My fifth (the baby) just graduated from high school so I am in a similar place.

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    1. It's an interesting place isn't it? As far as the series go, I really appreciate your interest! :)

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  3. My children have grown and are married and in their own homes. They were all homeschooled and I was always at home. When my youngest graduated high school, everyone thought I wouldn’t know what to do with all my time. Not true! There’s not enough time in the day to do the every day tasks as well as the new projects I’d like to work on. I love everything there is about homemaking too! Just the act of cleaning the kitchen and leaving it sparkling does a lot for me. There’s calmness and security in the everyday ordinary chores. With the craziness on the outside these days, I long for the comfort and coziness of my four walls. ๐Ÿ’—

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    1. Exactly Yvette! You are speaking my heart 100 percent! ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—

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    2. Yes, Yvette! You’re right! There aren’t enough hours in the day! My youngest graduated our homeschool and I threw my teacher’s hat into the air with her mortarboard and tassel back in 2004! Today, my children are wives and mothers with the joys of homemaking full-time. I taught them things I had not been taught, like leaving a space better than you found it, letting a thing sparkle just because you applied your dutiful hands to it, restoring calmness where once was chaos, building up the home with a song on our lips, joy in our hearts and a spring in our steps.

      Oh, if the walls of our homes could speak, they would thank God they’re not “out there” where there’s anger, protesting, disrespect for one’s fellow brother and sister, fighting and arguing. It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home, for there’s no place else like it. What a pleasure to be made by God Woman, to serve my covering and Man, to bear and train and serve his children. To keep and clean our home. Please don’t wake me from this marvelous dream.

      *hugs*
      Mrs. Kelley Dibble

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    3. Yes, yes to it all! :). ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—

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    4. Yvette....exactly; your words are perfect! I am never able to understand this talk of "boredom" at home....when does one have time to be bore when the to-do and want-to-do lists are never ending.

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  4. Hello Jes,
    We have recently moved to our new little home after loosing our home to the bush fires on the south coast of Australia last New Years Eve. We are both retired now and I am enjoying setting up this home. We have planted roses and many flowers and veggies. In spring it will look so pretty. It has been interesting setting up a home again from scratch. Many of the things we lost, I really miss, like the little treasures from my Mother and Grandmother. However I am having a nice time collecting little vases and pretty linens from the thrift shops in our area. Im looking forward to your next posts on the different areas of your homekeeping. Thank you again for your lovely writings. This is always a very pleasant and gentle place to visit. Blessings Gail.

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    1. Hi Gail! It's nice to hear from you again! I am so sorry to hear about your home!!! What a crisis!!! But so glad you are nestled into another!!! I completely understand about starting from scratch and rebuilding... We have been doing that as we speak since our major move (with just some suitcases to restart with)... it has its challenges but so much fun at the same time (like you said, one thrift store purchase at a time!!!)...

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  5. LOVE this post, JES! There is no place like home and it is where my heart always yearns to be! We have been empty nesters for years but we are busier then ever! Probably because it takes us twice as long to accomplish anything!๐Ÿ˜ We enjoy the daily chores and the rituals that we have established There is so much joy in the everyday and so love the creative detours I am constantly taking!๐Ÿ˜ The joy of repurposing a thrifted tablecloth or an old piece of china in my kitchen turns my crank far more then taking a cruise! God has blessed our 50 years together with family and a love of home! Just so thankful!! ❤

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    1. Love everything you said Faye! You are such an inspiration! :) This all resonates deep within my heart! ❤❤❤

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  6. Hi Jes...you may have finished homeschooling your daughter but with your blog you are still schooling a lot of others...like me...I'm one of your students ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿค—๐Ÿ˜˜ have a nice day!!!

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    1. What a sweet thing to say!!! Thank you so much ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜Š

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  7. Where did you get those adorable glasses???

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    1. Aren’t they? ☺️ I purchased them from Marshall’s a year ago I think... ♥️

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  8. I love homemaking, too. Keeping our home warm and welcoming, serving delicious and simple meals, making beds, and opening curtains to let the light in. I have one child still homeschooling. He is 15. I'll soon be done with home education, but I will never be done keeping my home!

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    1. Exactly! All beautiful things! And I couldn’t agree more ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜Š

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  9. Oh, imagine my joy and surprise when I check your blog after a few months and find you're active and here! I found your blog by chance one evening when I was feeling quite sorry for myself and I have read every single post. I came back today to get some printables for a recipe book. You've brought much joy and peace to my heart in the last year or so, and I'm very glad you're back, I have subscribed so I won't miss any posts in the future. I love homemaking, it's where I feel happy, safe, and sure.

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    1. Thank you! This encouragement made my morning! ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜Š

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  10. I haven't been coming to your blog for long. I am quite hopeless as a homemaker. I try and I will let my comments rest at that. Even though my children are grown I now care for mu mother and she cares for me. Life is not my own at all.


    My greatest joy during the work week is caring for my only grandchild. It is such a precious time and early childhood is so fleeting. How I love to play, read and spend time doing simple things with this sweet little girl. I am blessed to have this.

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    1. Grandchildren are a blessing and investing time nurturing a little one's soul is the most beautiful form of homemaking!

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  11. My idea of a big thrill lol... I stumbled on a going-out-of-business sale (which is a sad thing) and it was slim pickings on what was left. I love kitchen linens and have been wanting some woven placemats for awhile. Just 4!! And they were the last four of a perfect set! I love green and they they were various green stripes. And cheap! This past Tuesday, I washed and ironed them, cleaned the table to a glimmer, & laid them out. I remembered a garage sale green leaf bowl I found for a quarter and put it on one of my mom's old doilies. I was so tickled with the presentation! And moreso when my husband commented, "Wow! The table looks beautiful." :::beaming:::

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    1. What a happy little homemaking story!!! Thank you for sharing ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜Š

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  12. I love being at home ...In the early years I worked as a nurse. Then later worked part time after having a disabled child. Then the 2ncd child arrived and I ended up becoming a full time homemaker. I have enjoyed every moment of it . And their are never enough hours to the day I homeschooled my daughter her last several years of highschool. It was fabulous only wished I had done it the entire time...My adult disabled son is with me each and every day nd with the pandemic daughter has been home from college for 6 months with us and husband is working from home also now due to the pandemic...I love having everyone home....But never enough hours...Especially now that I have cancer and am often tired I have been making the most wonderful memories being home with everyone full time....I am thankful we have this time together.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your homemaking journey ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜ŠI love that you are focusing on the positive memories you are sharing together...

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  13. I worked full-time outside the home while my children were young and never really took the time to think about homemaking. House cleaning yes, homemaking???
    Now, I am retired and more busy than ever with homemaking. One of our sons and his family live with us and it is a joy to do those little extras now. For example, yesterday was the first day back to school. I had the house to myself and decided to create a breakfast/tea bar to make those mornings easier. It was fun, and the expressions of joy when they all saw it were heartwarming!

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    1. I love that! Creating little homemaking zones makes everything smooth and so much fun! Thanks for sharing ♥️♥️๐Ÿ˜Š

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