My friend Karen, has a beautiful new blog, called "Moments with Mother Culture." This is a phrase she has coined.
To me Mother Culture is the care I take to create a learning environment in my home. It is the many projects that are on going to make our home a place of beauty, peace and rest for my family - not to gain accolades from the world. It is the time I take to read a book to my young son, or to take my teenage girls on a surprise night out. It is texting with my son, a new father, about how amazing his baby girl is.
As the mother of my home, I set the tone and the temperature of my home. If I am self focused then everything becomes about "me." If I am thinking of others our home becomes a place of encouragement, fun and ministry. It is time spent with my children, but also time spent out on a date with my husband.
Now lest you think that all I do is read to my children and create beauty all day long (grin) let me tell you that around our home we work. We garden, we mow, we paint, we clean up, we dust, vacuum, clean toilets and sinks, we compost, we feed animals and do lots of cooking. This is everyday life.
But the attitude with which we do it - let me rephrase that - the attitude with which I do it, makes all the difference. "Hey, little people, let's go out and check the garden." While we are there we pull the few weeds in the veggie garden and check to see if there are any new ripe tomatoes, how are the squash and beans doing, etc. This makes it fun, and adventure and not overwhelming. This leads to the kids going down to check it on their own. I will say "I wonder if we have any tomatoes today?" and one of the kids will say "I checked. There are no ripe tomatoes yet." This thrills me. They are learning to do these 'chores' in a natural way.
Mother Culture is a skill that is lost to this generation, I think. We are so busy, rushing here and there. I find myself having to rethink and remind myself that I do not want to rush around, and so I purpose to stay at home, and to home keep. Yesterday it was the huge job of mowing the pasture...but then I repainted my mailbox and beautified it from it's fadedness to fresh 'hammered copper'!
I am still learning and growing. I hope to never stop. I hope that my children catch the vision that I daily try to instill in them of Karen's beautiful phrase 'Mother Culture.' Be sure to pay Karen's blog a visit, and tell her that Deanna sent you. You will be so glad that you did!
I, too am still learning!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
andrea
A most lovely way to start the day, a beautiful post indeed. "It is the Mother who sets the tone for her home", words my sweet Mother often remind us girls as young Mothers and wives.
ReplyDeleteI did take a peek at Karen's blog and it is a lovely place. Thanks so much for sharing "Mother Culture" with me and thanks for this lovely post.
Continue to enjoy a lovely summer.
Smiles....
Beverly
I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteNow, though, I must go plant the flowers we just purchased. ((smile))
Are you just loving this cooler weather????? I AM!
I will have to stop by to visit Karen's blog.
ReplyDeleteI, too, make a conscious effort to stay home more and not be too busy. I like living a slower, more "homey" life. I used to be too busy way too often and I do not miss those days. Sometimes, life still throws things at me that might make us busy for a short time, but we don't make it a habit. It's much easier to enjoy my family and my home when we're not too busy.
I'd love to see the Mommy Culture come back! My niece is well on her way. I'm so proud of her decisions as she raises 3 precious little girlies! I wish I had been better at it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post and so so true. I try to trim my schedule down so we can be home more. I try tobe home 3 to 4 days a weekwith no running. It doesn't always work out but it's what I aim for.
ReplyDeleteI too am overjoyed when I see women doing this, in their way...not just plopping them in front of the t.v....etc....I will visit Karen's blog...
ReplyDeleteDeby