Homemaker Series - What is a Homemaker?

home·mak·er

/ˈhōmˌmākər/

noun  North American

a person, especially a housewife, who manages a home.

When we think about homemaking and the skill of being a homemaker, we often find that it's a skill that is quickly disappearing.  It's almost frowned upon in certain circles, because as homemakers we are looked as just being lazy, not wanting to work, being dependent on a man and so forth.

My hope is that through this series, we can eliminate that stigma or at the very least, teach our daughters, nieces, sisters, friends, that a homemaker's job is just as important as any other job.

So when did I become a homemaker and why did I choose to be one.

I can tell you that I've been homemaking long before I was married.  I guess I was born with the yearning to care for a family, to be a wife and a mother and to have my very own home to potter around in.

Growing up, I would watch my greatgrandmother, grandmother and stepmother, go about their day, and I felt jealous.  I couldn't wait to be grown up and just like them.  Where other girls were dreaming about careers, I was dreaming about the day I would go to the supermarket to get groceries, and then cook a meal for my family.  I dreamed about cleaning the house, I would take all my dolls and pretend they were my children and then line them up and give them baths, put them to bed and pretend I had to go clean.  It truly was where I was the happiest, in those imaginative moments.

I was blessed to have grown up in an era where Home Economics was offered in school.  I learned about nutrition, sewing, crochet and knitting, managing a home, cooking and so many other things.

Tools that I wish my daughter had been offered in her school years.

That is one of the reasons for this whole Homemaker Series.  To be able to help, or at the very least, encourage women to embrace their family, their lives, their homes.  Whether you are a single young woman, or married and struggling with homemaking, whether you are a working mom, or a en empty nester, this series is for you, for us.

First and foremost, I want you to understand that I know homemaking can at times be a daunting, never ending role.  It can feel like you are being taken for granted, or that no one thanks you for what you do.  Believe me, I understand that feeling, and for the first year or two of my marriage, I struggled with it, until I made the decision to look at homemaking through a fresh set of eyes, and to do it with purpose in my heart and love for my family.

It is after all an honor to be a homemaker, and a blessing bestowed to us by the Lord.

I'm doing it for my family, or my husband, for my children and even for myself.  My husband has always made it very clear to me and anyone who listens, that my job is extremely important and that I'm the glue that holds it all together, the one who keeps the home fires going, and the provider of a safe, happy, and calm space for them all.

But again, it IS easy to forget all of that, especially when you're doing your 3rd load of dishes, or switching clothes from the washer to the dryer for what seems like the millionth time.  In those moments, I turn to the Lord and Scripture, because as always, He is right there providing me with the encouragement I need.



Psalm 128:3

“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.“



Proverbs 31:21

“She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.“



Proverbs 19:14

“Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.“


There are so many verses in the Bible to inspire us in what we do.  Here are some you can go through in your own time......Proverbs 31: 10-31, Phillipians 4:8, Colossians 3:23.

Along with encouragement from the Bible, there are so many wonderful resources out there for homemakers.  I want you to go over to Revive Our Hearts, one of my absolute favorite sites on the net, and take a listen to these podcasts on homemaking.  The Joy of Generous Hospitality, The Home that Reflects God's Grace.


There is another wonderful series on Revive Our Hearts, called God's Beautiful Design for Women, and on Day 35, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth talks about how God Himself is a homemaker, how God the Son talked about going to prepare a place for you.

Psalm 90:1 talks about God being "our dwelling place in all generations." He is our home.
Psalm 68:5 says "a father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows is God in His holy habitation."

I tell you, I heard every single word Nancy said and nodded my head vehemently, because it all made incredible sense.  Everything that I've been feeling, and thinking, about being a homemaker, all put into words in a way that makes you go "Oh my goodness, YES, that's it."

See homemaking is not just about making a home for my family and myself, but it's about making a home that reflects the wonderful God we serve.

So my beautiful friends, whatever stage of a homemaker you are at, loving it, hating it, not understanding the need for it, feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by what being a homemaker really is. 

I want you to stop right now, stop what you're doing, stop what you're thinking, and make a conscious decision to start tomorrow with a fresh heart, with renewed purposed and knowing that when you're doing laundry, dishes, cooking, even cleaning the toilet, that you're doing something important, and something worthy and to be proud of. 

I promise, the minute you do that, you will experience contentment like never before :)

Coming up in the Homemaker Series:

Basic Homemaking Skills
Daily Cleaning Routine
Menu Planning
Weekly Home Blessing
Recipes
Making time for ourselves
Time with the Lord

I may end up adding more the list, but these are for sure posts I'll be doing. Also, all the posts will be linked to the Linkbar up above the Header, so you won't have to miss anything.


Remember that the heart of the home IS your very own heart.  You are the heart of your home, and just like the heart in our bodies, if it is not working at it's full capacity, everything else around it starts falling apart. :)