I realize it's been an eon since I've blogged...... what can I say, life sometimes just gets too busy to keep up with technology!
June and July will be hiatis months for me, as I will be away working at camp this summer. Weekends will be too precious with my family to spend much time on the old 'puter..... so unless inspiration strikes and won't let go, I'm giving myself a hiatus from blogging until August.
Have a great summer, and I'll blog at ya in a couple of months!
Shauna
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Art of Letter Writing
The other day, I received a strange thing in the mail....... a LETTER! I'm talking about a REAL letter - handwritten on pretty stationary, from a friend out of state that I hadn't heard from in awhile. Now - this friend has email, and a telephone. We've corresponded by email many times, and chatted on the phone for hours in the past.......but this time, she decided to send me an old-fashioned LETTER.
"Old-Fashioned Letter". Just the term seems strange. It wasn't that long ago, when I was a girl, and I had several "pen pals" with whom I regularly exchanged letters. It was always so much fun to open the mailbox and find a letter from one of them. One pen pal, in particular, had this really neat "pencil stationary" that she always used. Another just wrote on notebook paper and always folded it to fit into one of the "smaller" envelopes rather than the "standard letter size". I remember having several stationary pads with corresponding envelopes, and browsing at Hallmark to pick see what was new in the Stationary aisle.
You know - getting an email just doesn't hold the same excitement as receiving a real letter!
Her letter was just a update, along with some new things to share. It was just so much more personal to read her handwriting rather than the sterile type of my email inbox.
Today, I sat down to write her a letter in return. It had been a long time since I'd written a letter. I had to dig a little, but yes, I did manage to find a box of stationary with a pretty flower motif, and some lined matching envelopes. I ended up writing 4 pages - and boy, after the first page, was my hand TIRED! I realized that we really don't WRITE anymore, we type. I had to slow down, and take care to use pretty penmanship. It really didn't take me that long, maybe 15 minutes or so. Both my son and daughter said to me, "Mom, whatcha doing?" "I'm writing a letter"..... "To who?"...... and then "Why would you do that?" Oh boy. I think it's time to ressurect a few "old fashioned letter writing skills" in this household. Sending a card is one thing - writing a real letter is enitirely another.
I've always been of the opinion that gadgets and technology cost us far more than they give in return. Sure, I love my BOSCH, and I appreciate the convenience of my cell phone....... but we have lost the personal touches that real relationships bring. Even in correspondance, reading the letter from my friend, in her hand that I recognized as distinctly hers, brought closeness and relationship to the context.
Besides - am I the only one who dreads the BILLS and JUNKMAIL in the mailbox? Choose someone you care about, and write them a real letter!
Shauna
"Old-Fashioned Letter". Just the term seems strange. It wasn't that long ago, when I was a girl, and I had several "pen pals" with whom I regularly exchanged letters. It was always so much fun to open the mailbox and find a letter from one of them. One pen pal, in particular, had this really neat "pencil stationary" that she always used. Another just wrote on notebook paper and always folded it to fit into one of the "smaller" envelopes rather than the "standard letter size". I remember having several stationary pads with corresponding envelopes, and browsing at Hallmark to pick see what was new in the Stationary aisle.
You know - getting an email just doesn't hold the same excitement as receiving a real letter!
Her letter was just a update, along with some new things to share. It was just so much more personal to read her handwriting rather than the sterile type of my email inbox.
Today, I sat down to write her a letter in return. It had been a long time since I'd written a letter. I had to dig a little, but yes, I did manage to find a box of stationary with a pretty flower motif, and some lined matching envelopes. I ended up writing 4 pages - and boy, after the first page, was my hand TIRED! I realized that we really don't WRITE anymore, we type. I had to slow down, and take care to use pretty penmanship. It really didn't take me that long, maybe 15 minutes or so. Both my son and daughter said to me, "Mom, whatcha doing?" "I'm writing a letter"..... "To who?"...... and then "Why would you do that?" Oh boy. I think it's time to ressurect a few "old fashioned letter writing skills" in this household. Sending a card is one thing - writing a real letter is enitirely another.
I've always been of the opinion that gadgets and technology cost us far more than they give in return. Sure, I love my BOSCH, and I appreciate the convenience of my cell phone....... but we have lost the personal touches that real relationships bring. Even in correspondance, reading the letter from my friend, in her hand that I recognized as distinctly hers, brought closeness and relationship to the context.
Besides - am I the only one who dreads the BILLS and JUNKMAIL in the mailbox? Choose someone you care about, and write them a real letter!
Shauna
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Reflections As I Countdown To My 1st 10K!
As of today, I have completed 15 weeks of training, with 1 week to go. My first 10K is one week from TODAY!
As I was climbing my big hill today at the start of my 5 mile run, I reflected on my training, and how far I've come. I actually started running about this time last year! On my first run, I made it less than half a mile, before I started walking. I was sucking air and felt like I wanted to puke. My heart was pounding out of my chest. It took weeks of walk/run combinations before I could run a mile without dying. Then, it took longer to make it two miles. Last summer, I remember reaching a plateau where I didn't think I would ever break through to 3 miles! Even when I did, I could only run 3 miles occasionally. Most days were my "typical 2 mile runs". By the end of summer, I was running 3 miles regularly, with an *occasional* 4 mile run in there. Then - winter hit, and I determined to keep up my running. With new running gear to keep me warm and dry, and the help of yak-tracks that literally made it possible to run in snow and ice, I battled the cold season! I forced myself to get 1-2 two-mile runs in per week. I ran in the snow, the bitter cold wind, and on days where I just plain thought I was CRAZY to be out running! I drew the line at single-digit wind chills though. So long as it was teens or above - I could hack it out. My goal was merely to maintain my fitness. I also added a weight lifting regimine to my weekly running, which helped me to build strength.
January hit, and I decided to set my sights on the 5th/3rd Riverbank Run in May. Nervously, I decided to train for the 10K. I knew I could do the 5K, and I wanted something to stretch myself and challenge myself - something lofty, but not too out of reach, to strive for. I started the training schedule at the first of February. My 2 days week of running immediately changed to 5 days! The schedule increased mileage every 2 weeks, so slowly, I built up more endurance and more speed.
The greatest enjoyment came from menally conquering running. Running is far more mental to me than physical. Yes, physically, running is hard work. I would never down play that fact, nor would I gloss over the hard work I've put into getting ready for this 10K...... but the harder challenge for me, is the mental discipline. When I'm doing my speedwork, or when I'm increasing my distance, or when I have to go out for an "easy run" and the wind is horrific - my *MIND* wants to call it quits..... but my body is really okay. Learning how to focus, how to play the mind game, how to mentally force my body to relax and to just keep going, to break the run and the tasks into small pieces and mentally tackle them one at a time - that's where I've gained the greatest accomplishment!
I liken it to November of 2007, when I realized that I was 30# overweight, and gaining slowly but surely every month. It wasn't until I overcame the mental obstacles, that I was able to tackle the physical task of losing weight permanently. I had to face the things that were causing me to become and to remain overweight. There was no more "denial". Pictures showed me that I didn't look like I thought I did. There was no more "hiding behind clothes". Losing weight is not a difficult physical thing to do - once you have conquered it MENTALLY. For me, once I determined mentally that I was DONE with being overweight, and I was no longer going to give into the eating habits that kept me trapped in this body, the changes were not hard at all. The weight fell off, and hasn't been back since!
I became a runner AFTER I lost all my weight. I think finally being thin again, gave me the drive to be healthy and strong. I used to be very phyically active. I was alway strong as a little girl, and as a teenager. I wasn't a "soft child", but one with strong bones and muscles. I was very active - out climbing the boys when it came to the highest trees, choosing to run and play kickball on recess even if it meant being all sweaty in school rather than standing around with the girls. I ran track in high school, and taught an aerobics class my Freshman year in college. Years of gym memberships followed, where I took step classes 4 days a week and kept up with my weights. Tom and I went to the gym regularly as newly marrieds - but when I became preganant with my first child, all that stopped. Other than 1 summer recently when I did alot of walking, I had a decade of little to no physical activity. 3 pregnancies in which I gained close to 50# a piece, did me in!
So - last year, after I had conquered my weight, I started running again. I feel like I have discovered the "old me" in many ways. I haven't been this strong and lean in decades!
Today, as I was running my 5 miles, at my comfortable pace - realizing that I'm hardly having to work at breathing, my heart isn't pounding out of my chest, my legs are strong and carrying me...... and I was RELAXED and enjoying the run, I recalled my first day - when I wondered if I'd EVER make it past the "I want to puke" stage! Here I am, 1 year later, a week away from running my first 10K! Now, I'm not competitive runner, and I'm sure I'll finish toward the back of the pack...... but that's okay! Running this 10K is a huge accomplishment that means the most to ME. It is symbolic of just how far I have come, and how good I feel, and how healthy I know that I am compared to where I was just a short time ago.
I want to encourage anyone out there, that you CAN set goals for better health. Maybe running isn't your thing, perhaps something else inspires you to set goals and work toward them. The important thing is to just START with something. Eliminate your snacks and second helpings..... get out and walk around the block. Just START. Work on your mental mindset. Conquer those things that emotionally keep you enslaved to turning to food and sedentary lifestyles that ruin our health and set us up for disease and a lifetime of prescription medications. Start small - and just be consistant. You'll be amazed too, where you'll be in a year's time!!
Shauna
As I was climbing my big hill today at the start of my 5 mile run, I reflected on my training, and how far I've come. I actually started running about this time last year! On my first run, I made it less than half a mile, before I started walking. I was sucking air and felt like I wanted to puke. My heart was pounding out of my chest. It took weeks of walk/run combinations before I could run a mile without dying. Then, it took longer to make it two miles. Last summer, I remember reaching a plateau where I didn't think I would ever break through to 3 miles! Even when I did, I could only run 3 miles occasionally. Most days were my "typical 2 mile runs". By the end of summer, I was running 3 miles regularly, with an *occasional* 4 mile run in there. Then - winter hit, and I determined to keep up my running. With new running gear to keep me warm and dry, and the help of yak-tracks that literally made it possible to run in snow and ice, I battled the cold season! I forced myself to get 1-2 two-mile runs in per week. I ran in the snow, the bitter cold wind, and on days where I just plain thought I was CRAZY to be out running! I drew the line at single-digit wind chills though. So long as it was teens or above - I could hack it out. My goal was merely to maintain my fitness. I also added a weight lifting regimine to my weekly running, which helped me to build strength.
January hit, and I decided to set my sights on the 5th/3rd Riverbank Run in May. Nervously, I decided to train for the 10K. I knew I could do the 5K, and I wanted something to stretch myself and challenge myself - something lofty, but not too out of reach, to strive for. I started the training schedule at the first of February. My 2 days week of running immediately changed to 5 days! The schedule increased mileage every 2 weeks, so slowly, I built up more endurance and more speed.
The greatest enjoyment came from menally conquering running. Running is far more mental to me than physical. Yes, physically, running is hard work. I would never down play that fact, nor would I gloss over the hard work I've put into getting ready for this 10K...... but the harder challenge for me, is the mental discipline. When I'm doing my speedwork, or when I'm increasing my distance, or when I have to go out for an "easy run" and the wind is horrific - my *MIND* wants to call it quits..... but my body is really okay. Learning how to focus, how to play the mind game, how to mentally force my body to relax and to just keep going, to break the run and the tasks into small pieces and mentally tackle them one at a time - that's where I've gained the greatest accomplishment!
I liken it to November of 2007, when I realized that I was 30# overweight, and gaining slowly but surely every month. It wasn't until I overcame the mental obstacles, that I was able to tackle the physical task of losing weight permanently. I had to face the things that were causing me to become and to remain overweight. There was no more "denial". Pictures showed me that I didn't look like I thought I did. There was no more "hiding behind clothes". Losing weight is not a difficult physical thing to do - once you have conquered it MENTALLY. For me, once I determined mentally that I was DONE with being overweight, and I was no longer going to give into the eating habits that kept me trapped in this body, the changes were not hard at all. The weight fell off, and hasn't been back since!
I became a runner AFTER I lost all my weight. I think finally being thin again, gave me the drive to be healthy and strong. I used to be very phyically active. I was alway strong as a little girl, and as a teenager. I wasn't a "soft child", but one with strong bones and muscles. I was very active - out climbing the boys when it came to the highest trees, choosing to run and play kickball on recess even if it meant being all sweaty in school rather than standing around with the girls. I ran track in high school, and taught an aerobics class my Freshman year in college. Years of gym memberships followed, where I took step classes 4 days a week and kept up with my weights. Tom and I went to the gym regularly as newly marrieds - but when I became preganant with my first child, all that stopped. Other than 1 summer recently when I did alot of walking, I had a decade of little to no physical activity. 3 pregnancies in which I gained close to 50# a piece, did me in!
So - last year, after I had conquered my weight, I started running again. I feel like I have discovered the "old me" in many ways. I haven't been this strong and lean in decades!
Today, as I was running my 5 miles, at my comfortable pace - realizing that I'm hardly having to work at breathing, my heart isn't pounding out of my chest, my legs are strong and carrying me...... and I was RELAXED and enjoying the run, I recalled my first day - when I wondered if I'd EVER make it past the "I want to puke" stage! Here I am, 1 year later, a week away from running my first 10K! Now, I'm not competitive runner, and I'm sure I'll finish toward the back of the pack...... but that's okay! Running this 10K is a huge accomplishment that means the most to ME. It is symbolic of just how far I have come, and how good I feel, and how healthy I know that I am compared to where I was just a short time ago.
I want to encourage anyone out there, that you CAN set goals for better health. Maybe running isn't your thing, perhaps something else inspires you to set goals and work toward them. The important thing is to just START with something. Eliminate your snacks and second helpings..... get out and walk around the block. Just START. Work on your mental mindset. Conquer those things that emotionally keep you enslaved to turning to food and sedentary lifestyles that ruin our health and set us up for disease and a lifetime of prescription medications. Start small - and just be consistant. You'll be amazed too, where you'll be in a year's time!!
Shauna
Saturday, April 18, 2009
My worst day of running EVER!
Okay - so I discovered today that not only am I NOT a morning runner, but I had better get my training in gear so that I can become one! My 10K is in 3 weeks - and it's in the morning!
I decided to do a 6 mile run first thing this morning, since I'll be racing 6 miles in just a few weeks...... It's a good thing I did! I would have been MISERABLE if I did as poorly on race day as I did today! This was my worst run EVER.
Normally, I run mid-afternoon or early evening, whichever my schedule will allow. I've been putting in some awesome weeks, and had peaked with an 18 mile week, 2 weeks ago. I've felt very strong, and my running has been becoming more "effortless". In addition, the last 6 mile run I did, I ran consistant 8 minute mile splits, and felt good when I was done.
Imagine my surprise, when this morning, my body completly shut down! My first mile, I had a 7.5 minute split. Then, all of the sudden - my muscles were HEAVY, I felt incredibly THIRSTY, and I just simply could not run! On my route there is about a 3/4 mile hill that I run up, before it plateaus out for another 2 miles or so...... well - today, I could NOT make it up the hill. I've run that hill many, many times - and felt good doing it.... but today - I had to WALK. The dreaded WALKING when you're supposed to be running! I'm telling you, I didn't even run/walk my routes when I was first starting my training! Today, after I've had weeks and weeks of solid training, and peaking at my longest distances..... I had to WALK.
As I was walking, and feeling completely defeated...... I started to analyze what was going wrong. A few things occured to me:
1) I'm not used to running first thing in the morning
2) I was probably dehydrated because normally, after my morning coffee, I am extremely good about getting in atleast 32 oz of water or more during the day to prepare for my afternoon run
3) I had not eaten! Oh, sure, I grabbed 1 banana when I got up - because I knew I needed something, but I didn't want to run with food in my stomach NOR had I eaten many carbs the night before. My evening meal was chicken and vegetables. I was beginning to understand the importance of "carbo-loading"
I did manage to complete the 6 miles - but I bet I walked nearly 2 of them total. When I reached the 3 mile mark, and had to turn around to come home, I didn't think I was going to make it. My mile splits were horrible, after that first "good one". They were between 9 and 10 minutes!
I came back - and reminded myself of what I read in my running book...... "Good runners look at their failures as learning experiences". I'm really glad that I learned this of myself, and my running NOW. I've got 3 weeks to do something about it!
I'm going to do some more research of how to plan for my eating and hydration for morning runs (I'm guessing it means that I have to get up EARLIER so that I have time for a light breakfast and to let it digest before going to run!), as well as considering some "carbo-loading" in my evening meals. Come to think of it - I do remember eating the giant plates of spaghetti before track meets! I'm also going to be shifting my running to the mornings. I need one more week of "peak training" before I taper off before the big day.
I sure hope I can get myself adjusted in time! And - I never want to have a day of running like I did this morning...... that was miserable!
Shauna
I decided to do a 6 mile run first thing this morning, since I'll be racing 6 miles in just a few weeks...... It's a good thing I did! I would have been MISERABLE if I did as poorly on race day as I did today! This was my worst run EVER.
Normally, I run mid-afternoon or early evening, whichever my schedule will allow. I've been putting in some awesome weeks, and had peaked with an 18 mile week, 2 weeks ago. I've felt very strong, and my running has been becoming more "effortless". In addition, the last 6 mile run I did, I ran consistant 8 minute mile splits, and felt good when I was done.
Imagine my surprise, when this morning, my body completly shut down! My first mile, I had a 7.5 minute split. Then, all of the sudden - my muscles were HEAVY, I felt incredibly THIRSTY, and I just simply could not run! On my route there is about a 3/4 mile hill that I run up, before it plateaus out for another 2 miles or so...... well - today, I could NOT make it up the hill. I've run that hill many, many times - and felt good doing it.... but today - I had to WALK. The dreaded WALKING when you're supposed to be running! I'm telling you, I didn't even run/walk my routes when I was first starting my training! Today, after I've had weeks and weeks of solid training, and peaking at my longest distances..... I had to WALK.
As I was walking, and feeling completely defeated...... I started to analyze what was going wrong. A few things occured to me:
1) I'm not used to running first thing in the morning
2) I was probably dehydrated because normally, after my morning coffee, I am extremely good about getting in atleast 32 oz of water or more during the day to prepare for my afternoon run
3) I had not eaten! Oh, sure, I grabbed 1 banana when I got up - because I knew I needed something, but I didn't want to run with food in my stomach NOR had I eaten many carbs the night before. My evening meal was chicken and vegetables. I was beginning to understand the importance of "carbo-loading"
I did manage to complete the 6 miles - but I bet I walked nearly 2 of them total. When I reached the 3 mile mark, and had to turn around to come home, I didn't think I was going to make it. My mile splits were horrible, after that first "good one". They were between 9 and 10 minutes!
I came back - and reminded myself of what I read in my running book...... "Good runners look at their failures as learning experiences". I'm really glad that I learned this of myself, and my running NOW. I've got 3 weeks to do something about it!
I'm going to do some more research of how to plan for my eating and hydration for morning runs (I'm guessing it means that I have to get up EARLIER so that I have time for a light breakfast and to let it digest before going to run!), as well as considering some "carbo-loading" in my evening meals. Come to think of it - I do remember eating the giant plates of spaghetti before track meets! I'm also going to be shifting my running to the mornings. I need one more week of "peak training" before I taper off before the big day.
I sure hope I can get myself adjusted in time! And - I never want to have a day of running like I did this morning...... that was miserable!
Shauna
Friday, April 10, 2009
The "Pitfalls" of the "Comfort Zone"
Why is it that we go to great lengths for friends, acquaintances and complete strangers....... while we tend to do the bare minimum for the ones that matter most to us: our family!?!
We have a foreign exchange student arriving tomorrow..... a boy from Paris, my oldest son's age. So, what have I been doing the past week or so? Hmmmm let me count the things: major decluttering, major deep cleaning, rearranging furniture, decorating to make things more cozy, some basic home repairs that have been put off, yard work, re-painting of rooms that have needed it for so long....... and the list goes on.
It occured to me, as I was making my home this newly decorated, cozy little haven - that it took a "complete stranger" (not really "complete", as we've been corresponding for months now), coming to our house to motivate me to attend to the little things that I kept putting off! Why don't I do this for my own family?
Yes, I keep a fairly well managed, tidy home - and yes, there is yummy-smelling homemade food routinely being prepared in my kitchen...... but I certainly don't go to the lengths I have gone to recently. I am really convicted! I want to put this much effort, love, and care into the home I make for the ones I love the most!
So - I'm off to finish up sewing those pretty new kitchen curtains, with a renewed zeal not to take for granted my dear family that lives here.
Shauna
We have a foreign exchange student arriving tomorrow..... a boy from Paris, my oldest son's age. So, what have I been doing the past week or so? Hmmmm let me count the things: major decluttering, major deep cleaning, rearranging furniture, decorating to make things more cozy, some basic home repairs that have been put off, yard work, re-painting of rooms that have needed it for so long....... and the list goes on.
It occured to me, as I was making my home this newly decorated, cozy little haven - that it took a "complete stranger" (not really "complete", as we've been corresponding for months now), coming to our house to motivate me to attend to the little things that I kept putting off! Why don't I do this for my own family?
Yes, I keep a fairly well managed, tidy home - and yes, there is yummy-smelling homemade food routinely being prepared in my kitchen...... but I certainly don't go to the lengths I have gone to recently. I am really convicted! I want to put this much effort, love, and care into the home I make for the ones I love the most!
So - I'm off to finish up sewing those pretty new kitchen curtains, with a renewed zeal not to take for granted my dear family that lives here.
Shauna
Monday, April 6, 2009
Subscribing to my blog.....
For those of you interested, I finally have my subscription widgets up! You can receive new posts either in a reader, or by email. See the nav bar at the left to get set up!
Shauna
Shauna
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Finding my Place at Home
I recently re-read a quote by Karey Swan, which loosly paraphrased, said, "In order to get beyond the maintenance part of homemaking, I need to spend most of my time at home."
I read that quote years ago, when I checked out her book "Hearth and Home" (the title of which inspired my blog title!). Her book was out of print once, was recently reprinted, and I am not sure as to the current status. It's one of those hard to find gems, full of thought provoking wisdom.
At the time that I read her book, I was pretty busy as a mom. We were doing a lot of running here and there, and I was in the mindset that I needed to have lots of "me activities" and my kids needed lots of "social/sports/education activities". Even though I was an "at home mom", we were running all the time. I realized that the reason I didn't LOVE homemaking was because all I was doing was the "maintenance". There's very little creativity in cleaning toilets, throwing dishes in the dishwasher and shuffling laundry. It seemed that my primary job fit the description of butler, chauffer, maid, and cook.
Reading Karey Swan's book, challenged me to rethink the concept of HOME, and to find my PURPOSE here. I didn't want my home to simply be a way-station for my family. I wanted home to be a place of respite, a place of belonging for each family member, a place where each of us could grow into God's purpose for our lives. As Eric Sloane put it, I wanted "home to be more than an address". Enter: the concept of a "homeMAKER". My purpose became that of using my gifts, talents, abilities, intelligence, and passions to create such a place for the ones who matter most to me. When I was working full time, years ago teaching school - I have to confess, that my students, and my "boss" got my "best" every day. When I came home - my family got my "leftovers" - but as a homemaker - my family gets my best.
I have also often had people comment to me, "I'd go crazy if I stayed home all day" or "I'd go crazy if I homeschooled my children". Those remarks perplex me to some extent. I'm not sure if they understand exactly what they are saying. I think that some view homemakers as "maids, chauffers, and cooks". They don't see that, yes, while I work very hard at many mundane tasks..... I also have the freedom to use my abilities in profoundly creative and satisfying ways. I am far more satisfied in making a home, and pouring my energies into the most important people in my life than I ever was working full time. As far as going crazy homeschooling my children, while I realize that not everyone is a good fit for homeschooling - the time alone that I have had to build relationships with my children is more precious than anything I can think to compare it with. Now that my oldest is in school, and I am daily, acutely aware of the time I no longer have with him, it makes me realize just how thankful I am to have had the years that I will never replace, building lasting and meaningful relationship with him. I cherish the time I have with my other two children, who are still learning at home.
However - I believe I am digressing.....
By choosing to stay home - for lengths of time, rather than run all over the place, shuttling my children here and there, or simply overcommiting myself to outside activities, I am no longer controlled by the "tyranny of the urgent". My home is kept in a relatively smooth working order, and there is TIME for the creativity. I view using my creativity in the kitchen, making a simple but nourishing and satisfying meal for my family every evening as my ministry to them. Crafting homemade curtains to brighten a window, taking the time to put fresh flowers in mason jars, snuggling my daughter in with a blanket that I made, washing dishes with pretty dischothes that I knitted, having time to read and think deeply rather than constantly being in a state of stress and exhaustion, being available for those "life shaping" discussions that always seem to unexpectedly come up with my kids, creating a place of peace and well-being in my home...... these are all just tiny parts to the place I have found here, in my place as a Home-Creator and a Home-Maker.
I read that quote years ago, when I checked out her book "Hearth and Home" (the title of which inspired my blog title!). Her book was out of print once, was recently reprinted, and I am not sure as to the current status. It's one of those hard to find gems, full of thought provoking wisdom.
At the time that I read her book, I was pretty busy as a mom. We were doing a lot of running here and there, and I was in the mindset that I needed to have lots of "me activities" and my kids needed lots of "social/sports/education activities". Even though I was an "at home mom", we were running all the time. I realized that the reason I didn't LOVE homemaking was because all I was doing was the "maintenance". There's very little creativity in cleaning toilets, throwing dishes in the dishwasher and shuffling laundry. It seemed that my primary job fit the description of butler, chauffer, maid, and cook.
Reading Karey Swan's book, challenged me to rethink the concept of HOME, and to find my PURPOSE here. I didn't want my home to simply be a way-station for my family. I wanted home to be a place of respite, a place of belonging for each family member, a place where each of us could grow into God's purpose for our lives. As Eric Sloane put it, I wanted "home to be more than an address". Enter: the concept of a "homeMAKER". My purpose became that of using my gifts, talents, abilities, intelligence, and passions to create such a place for the ones who matter most to me. When I was working full time, years ago teaching school - I have to confess, that my students, and my "boss" got my "best" every day. When I came home - my family got my "leftovers" - but as a homemaker - my family gets my best.
I have also often had people comment to me, "I'd go crazy if I stayed home all day" or "I'd go crazy if I homeschooled my children". Those remarks perplex me to some extent. I'm not sure if they understand exactly what they are saying. I think that some view homemakers as "maids, chauffers, and cooks". They don't see that, yes, while I work very hard at many mundane tasks..... I also have the freedom to use my abilities in profoundly creative and satisfying ways. I am far more satisfied in making a home, and pouring my energies into the most important people in my life than I ever was working full time. As far as going crazy homeschooling my children, while I realize that not everyone is a good fit for homeschooling - the time alone that I have had to build relationships with my children is more precious than anything I can think to compare it with. Now that my oldest is in school, and I am daily, acutely aware of the time I no longer have with him, it makes me realize just how thankful I am to have had the years that I will never replace, building lasting and meaningful relationship with him. I cherish the time I have with my other two children, who are still learning at home.
However - I believe I am digressing.....
By choosing to stay home - for lengths of time, rather than run all over the place, shuttling my children here and there, or simply overcommiting myself to outside activities, I am no longer controlled by the "tyranny of the urgent". My home is kept in a relatively smooth working order, and there is TIME for the creativity. I view using my creativity in the kitchen, making a simple but nourishing and satisfying meal for my family every evening as my ministry to them. Crafting homemade curtains to brighten a window, taking the time to put fresh flowers in mason jars, snuggling my daughter in with a blanket that I made, washing dishes with pretty dischothes that I knitted, having time to read and think deeply rather than constantly being in a state of stress and exhaustion, being available for those "life shaping" discussions that always seem to unexpectedly come up with my kids, creating a place of peace and well-being in my home...... these are all just tiny parts to the place I have found here, in my place as a Home-Creator and a Home-Maker.
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