H.O.M.E.S.

One of my major focuses in life is to have a happy home. In order to do that I have found there needs to be a balance. It's easy to hyperfocus on one thing or another while the other important things start to slip for lack of attention. There will always be times when we need to focus a bit more in some areas, but we need to be careful not to neglect the other vital parts of our homes in the process. I have chosen five areas to talk a bit about; health, organization, mothering, education, and spirituality. These topics have taken up much of my time as I read, study, and pray about what I need to do to create a happy home.

You may think that the picture I've shared isn't very welcoming. It looks cold and uninviting. This picture reminds me of a very special time in my life and fills me with comfort and warmth. Without that association I would have to agree that the ice and snow, though beautiful, inspires nothing more than wanting to grab an extra blanket and a warm drink by a fire. I took this picture during a visit with my grandmother soon after I was married. My new husband and I were at a period in life where there were a lot of unknowns ahead of us and only a few surities. We knew that our choice to marry was the right choice, beyond a doubt. Even though we were nearly strangers ourselves, we knew. That somehow made all uncertainties insignificant. We had one certainty, and that was enough.

Knowing that you are with a spouse that God has chosen for you makes all the difference in the world. If you don't have a spouse, or wish you didn't, or don't believe in God, you may have a hard time with my approach to certain topics. Either way, I feel that what I have to share applies to most who are willing to open their heart, mind, and spirit. As with anything in life, listen and discern for yourself what's valuable, and what just doesn't "fit" with you.

To clarify one point, I do not believe a woman is destined to be miserable if she does not have a spouse. I strongly believe that unless she is happy with herself in whatever situation she finds herself in (single or married) there is no mortal man who will change that. Peace comes from within. It can be influenced by those around you, but only you can create an environment within where you can find the kind of happiness that is sustained by God.

Since I am married and have a house full of children, I obviously can't speak from a single mother's point of view, or that of a married woman without children, or a single woman living alone, or a mother of grown children. I won't even pretend to know what your life is like. We all come from different backgrounds. I do believe that we can choose how we allow the experiences of the past to affect our present, and future. These pages are from my point of view, mostly. But as said before, I believe that what I have shared can be applied to most anyone (or at least give you something to think about).