What's so Great about "Homemaking"?

I will never forget the strange looks and awkward stares when I would try to explain to people that I was a "stay at home housewife" who didn't have any kids yet
Huh?
What do you do all day?

People were screaming "weirdo" with their eyes, and I felt it.

It was a decision the Mr. and I had spent so much time praying over for such a long time. God had blessed me with a good job, high stress, but a good job-how was I going to just walk away from it and simply trust God would help make up that lost income?  And what was I exactly going to do all day?

Even our families thought we were a little nuts for this decision, and one friend in fact had the nerve to call me every Monday afternoon like clockwork simply to ask me 1 question-

Is the laundry done yet?

Source

While others on the outside looking in probably thought I was happy as a lark to have someone else provide financially while I did whatever I wanted, the reality was much different.  I'm a people person at heart who was suddenly spending most of my day alone in an empty house.  I like plans too, suddenly I didn't know what to do in the next 5 minutes, let alone 5 days.  I like pleasing others too much, and everyone except my husband thought I had just made the worst mistake.  There were days I cried wondering if I had too.  

Let me start by saying-I don't believe this is a right decision for every Christian home.  There are many things I believe to be "black and white" in the Word, but I don't believe this is one of them.  I do believe we are to care for our homes (Titus 2:3-5), but I don't believe that requires no outside of the home employment.  I believe that decision has to come from much prayer and Godly insight into what is best for each individual home and family.

For the Mr. and I, this was a decision we had "roughly" reached before we even got married.  God had put a deep desire in my heart to stay at home with our children once we had them (remember, we were still just engaged at this point).  The line of work that God had called my husband to (ministry work) was not going to be a high-paying gig and we both knew it.  There was a part of my heart that worried I would have to give up that dream and it led me on a journey to find out if that was really "my" desire or a desire that God had put there Himself.  I knew it was His, I knew it came from Him, and the Mr. agreed and supported me.  So after much prayer and Godly counsel we reached a decision-I would stay at my job for a few months after we were married, then I would leave.  We would be forced to simply trust God with ALL of it-all of our finances-and we would be forced to learn how to live on just 1 income.  In the meantime, I would learn how to create a loving, nurturing home for our family.  That was the plan.

Months after we got married the question of "when" would pop up, and then go away.  Finally 7 months after we said "I do", we made the decision and cut the strings.  I quit.  I panicked-I cried until I made myself sick-I tried to convince everyone,including myself, it was right-and I quit.  It was a hard season of our new marriage.  We both knew it was right and were steadfast in that, but man were the circumstances rough.  We cut back on everything.  I do mean everything.  Date nights were at home most usually, unless someone had gifted us with a gift card.  We had no cable tv, no internet.  We barely had those rabbit ear antennas to get local news, and even those typically didn't work.  

All the while you wonder in the back of your mind-why would I do this?  Why not make it all easier and just keep working?  Those thoughts kept me up at night staring at the ceiling and blinking back the tears.

But things happen when you take these kinds of risks, and follow God's leading no matter how much it doesn't "make sense" that you just don't expect.  I had to exchange some worldly ease and lay down some "things", but girl-you'll never believe what I picked up instead.

A deeper relationship with my God-when it's sink or swim you suddenly cling a whole lot tighter.

A closer connection with my husband than ever-when it's the 2 of you against the world you've never loved that man more.

A passion for my "new job"-it took time to find my new role, just like it does with any public job, but once I found it I grew in it and even looked forward to it.

A set of new eyes-I suddenly didn't care at all if I couldn't watch HGTV or if my friends thought I was crazy, God showed me what was actually important.  HGTV and the opinions of others just weren't.  

Real friends-while I'm on the subject of it, I lost some friends over this decision.  While it hurts I realize they weren't real friends if they didn't support me in following God's leading.  He gave me new friends who love me and support me no matter what, and eyes to appreciate the old ones who stuck by me.

Deeper appreciation for family & friends-there were lots of things I didn't know how to do around our home.  I had a wonderful army of mothers and grandmother's who had gone before me and were gracious enough to mentor a newbie like me.  

Flexibility-while I took my new "job" as housewife seriously, as long as I got it done I could do it anytime of the day.  So if my husband needed something at work, I was free and happy to run it to him.  If a friend was having a hard day, I was given the opportunity to drop what I was doing and go visit her with a hug, coffee, and a prayer.  When my grandmother's health began to fail and my parents were knee deep in trying to help her, I was able to step in and help them.  I've been blessed to be a blessing to others with my flexibility.  

I won't lie- there are still moments when it feels like the bills are endless and I just want to browse the classifieds to "fix it".  In the stillness of those dark nights where I stare at the ceiling I hear a still small voice remind me-I didn't call you to fix it.  A peace settles in and I know I'm right where I'm meant to be, and I've never been happier.

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