Thoughtful Thursday....How sweet a gift from a friend can be...

Happy Thursday to ya!

We have been super busy around the house this morning, trying to catch up on dishes and laundry, entertain small hands that are attached to mischevious minds, and me nursing my right leg a little more than usual. It has now been almost three weeks since my tumble, and I am still wearing a wrap and limping. I keep thinking I could still be on crutches, so I am certainly thankful to be mobile, but I am not moving fast enough yet to keep up with my Littles who can go from 0-80 in .1 second.

Also, my left knee is my bad one from a ski accident years ago, and all this limping is really starting to cause a lot of pain on that side as well. The sprain I received on that side is most certainly healed, so I can tell that this is just all the compensation for the right side is really starting to be felt. I would appreciate your prayers.

But one thing that has absolutely brightened my day lately is a precious gift from a casual friend in the blogging world, Laura, over at House of Joyful Noise.

A while ago I linked a sign I just really liked over on the Welcoming House Facebook page, and was very surprised to see a comment from her asking if I was serious about really wanting one. 

Here is a picture of the sign:

I love simple things, old things, black and white photos, and then add in a lot of femininity to it, a splash of color, whatever. My home is an eclectic mix of all sorts of styles, and I am happy with it that way, as long as it is pretty and welcoming.

You can imagine how astonished I was by her messaging me and telling me that she wanted to make me one. I mean, what do you say to things like that? How can you possibly express what a beautiful, and thoughtful, amazing gift something like that could be? I love to give, and often forget that part of giving is also being gracious about being a receiver once in a while, and there is blessing abundantly in both places. This time, I was on the receiving end. And tell everyone who asks. Or doesn't ask. :)

But why that sign?

The sign grabbed my attention because it was clean, open, 

and made a statement that I want people to read when they come in my home.

 I want them to know MY HOME is my Happy Place.

It is where I have devoted my time, my energy, my life...

It is where I have rejoiced, and cried...where my little world revolved around..

and just like my poem says up in the headline of my Welcoming House Blog, 

I want others to feel that way too.

I was deeply disturbed the other day to read some statistics from a prominent and reliable organziation I follow, on a new poll given to women in a large group, from all walks of life.

The question asked was:

"Would you ever want to be a homemaker?"

Folks, less than 40% of the women surveyed said yes. Their reasons cited were desire for a career, accomplishments in that career, and debt, or the "mental inability to handle being a stay at home mom".

Now listen, if you work a job, I am not knocking you, and please don't take it that way. I just really feel like a big part of my calling is being home. And sharing that with a lot of other people who are waking up to that calling. Being a homemaker is a full time, round-the-clock job that is far more challenging than the myriad of jobs I have worked before throughout my life. It has required much painful sacrifice, emotionally, physically, financially, for our family to have me stay at home. It has required resourcefulness in finding things to do from home that help bring in a touch of income to pay for those little extras. If it wasn't for that choice, this blog would simply not exist, and I would not have anything to teach you, or show you. So, as you can see, I am passionate about this for a reason.

I was astonished at those statistics because many of the friends that I have that are unable to be a homemaker would love to be able to stay home with their children and make that their center. For a myriad of reasons they can not. But to not even want to? Those friends are few and far between.

My face is the first one they see in the morning. My hands are the ones that calm them, guide them, hug and encourage them, and tuck them in. My passion for the Word of God is the thing that they hear every day, my voice the one reading them Scripture to help battle the day.

It is a monumental job, but I am happy to do it.

This home IS my happy Place.

And I pray that more moms, or dads, wake up to see the potential in their own homes. 

To see that truly the hand that rocks the cradle, 

or plays jumprope, 

or opens a story book,

 or dishes up dinner, 

or wipes away the tears, 

or administers a geography test, 

or smoothes their hair when they are sick....

rules the world.

Because by it, children who are raised who grow to adults that love the Lord and are willing to do what is needed to invest that in their children too. Its only a few short years, and then it is gone. 

I don't want to miss it.

Many thanks to Laura. It is beautiful. And what it reminds me of is even more beautiful. My love and thankfulness goes out to you for making it possible.

Many blessings to you and yours

Heather

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