Homemaking On Purpose

I've just begun reading a fabulous book entitled, "What a Smart Woman Like You Doing in a Place Like This?" subtitled Homemaking on Purpose. It's written by a Christian woman from a biblical perspective. I know several stay-at-home moms who read my blog, so I want to post regularly what I'm learning to encourage all you moms out there! :)

*The author emphasizes that we are "professionals" in our field. We can apply that to even the most mundane of tasks!

*Motherhood is not something to get "over and done with" so that we can move on to our more professional goals in life, as the world would have us believe.

*We are to be "busy at home" (Titus 2:4). Which means we are first, at home. But also, it means we are BUSY! We are hardworking women: industrious, productive, skillful. I was surprised to learn that in Romans 16 Paul lists many women by name "who work hard in the Lord." We all can attest to the fact that, if we are doing it right, a full time mom does not sit on her fanny watching TV and eating bon-bons! FAR from it...

*We each have a God-given specialization to serve our family and others. What are we good at? What do we do well? She lists a very helpful activity to help us discover what our specialization might be:

Consider and list under different headings your:
*Spiritual Gifts (see Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12...)
*Skills
*Background and Training
*Interests and Hobbies
*Areas of weakness and pain in your life (God uses that!)
*Activities that you enjoy and that you dislike
*Temperament
*What needs you are most often asked to meet
*What needs you more often see in others
*What needs you most capably meet in your own family

Good stuff to reflect on! I am currently working through this exercise myself. Hope that is helpful!