31 Days of Creative Homemaking :: Day 6--Focusing on the Heart's of the Home

More often than not, we as women set the tone of our home.  This is both a gift and a curse depending on how you look at it.  It is a big responsibility, but with priorities straight and a heart focused on the family, the home can be a restful, joyful, and uplifting place for those who live in it.

Between how our society functions, my own life, and the lives of women I know, the two things I find that get in the way of our home tasks is busyness and distractions.

I am the first to admit I cannot do it all.  Trying to do it all would only end in disappointment, discouragement, and tiredness.  And many of us deal with this without even getting close to trying to do it all.

Instead of trying to do it all I try to do as much as I can during the window I am at home (which is different for everyone).  But once that clock hits 4:00, it is time for me to shut down the computer, stop working on whatever I am doing, and start thinking about dinner and picking up the house.  Making my home a place that is somewhat tidy, getting dinner ready, and not having an otherwise distracted mind, makes my husband's homecoming so much more meaningful to him and myself.

My home life is also more peaceful when I have made time to pray and consider the needs of my husband instead of just my own.  When I know he has had a stressful day at work, something as simple as an encouraging note or a Reese's peanut butter cup laid out with his after work clothes can make a big impact with little effort.

It is hard to stay focused but with little reminders, whether they be a quote around the house, a book to read, or putting together some sort of schedule that includes some mindful home tasks, you can create the home you desire for yourself and your family. 

And as I write this I wonder if some of you might read this and feel like it is so far from what home life is for you.  We all have seasons of difficulty and sometimes even darkness.  I encourage you to make a list of what you want for your home...realistic ones that begin with the hearts of you and your family.  Then find tangible ways to slowly make that happen.  It might not all come together in one day but in time it can be.

We read blogs about beautiful homes and delicious recipes, but if deep within our hearts we are not taking care of our hearts and spirit, those things really do not matter.  May we continue to encourage and uplift one another in building up our homes on the outside but also on the inside, deep within our souls.

Prints from Jones Design Company.

Check out all 31 Days of Creative Homemaking series here.

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31 Days of Creative Homemaking for the Modern Day Woman is now available as an ebook!  Click here to find out more about this entire series in an easy to read PDF download!