Sunday, April 08, 2012

My gift




Raise your hand if you're one of those happy homemakers who like to do it up on the holidays? Me too. Although I will admit (please don't tell anyone) that I used a box cake mix for one of my desserts.

Sometimes people will say things that I feel are almost chastising about my excitement with holiday planning and preparing. Christians I mean. They will say "It's about our Lord & Savior! Not about ham & chocolate bunnies!" Yes, I am quite aware.

My goodness, yet another sneer in the direction of homemaking and this from Christians. So let me clarify my behavior.

This is what I do. This is where my joy and serenity are. And guess what? I think God is nice enough to accept the gifts born of our joy as much as those born of our sacrifice. Do I consider my stuffed cabbage and chocolate cream pie a gift to God? Yes, I surely do.

You'll have to take my word for it when I say that all of those details and hours I talk about are not discussed with a spirit of pride. It is with a heart of thankfulness and excitement that I go about my cooking and cleaning. Remember Mary and Martha? Well, Jesus didn't hate Martha. He cautioned her lovingly not to be so distracted by her work that she failed to enjoy his presence. It was a lesson in balance, not one in judgement of homemaking. I am a Martha at heart. Not a Martha who cannot enjoy the Lord, but the Martha who is inspired by making wonderful things for her family. I used to be a Martha who was driven and arrived at the holiday meal exhausted and resentful and waiting for it to be over. No longer. I've added just enough Mary to my Martha.

Now I go about my chores with music in the background and the windows open wide, unrushed and savoring the moments. This is my worship, my gift my expression of love.

Perhaps you went to church this Easter and were blessed by the talent of an amazing singer whose voice seemed to reach Heaven with its beauty. Did you, after church, approach her and tell her that Easter is about the Lord and not about her vocal chords? No, of course not. You sat in the atmosphere of holiness and worshipped.

Unfortunately, I'm not a singer. I'm Martha the Homemaker.

I make dinner, and I make it with the attitude that Jesus is a guest . I give him the best I have to give.

And that, is why I make holiday meals.

3 comments:

Debra said...

Once again, right on! Loved it. (And personally, I've always thought that God is big enough not to be threatened by chocolate bunnies. If only everyone else was, too!) Blessings, Debra

Margie said...

I completely agree!!!!

It has taken some time to embrace my gifts! I used to wish I was a singer or a speaker, but instead, I am a baker and meal-maker.

One day I was praying (in my kitchen) and just chatting it up with God and He said to me, "you have one of the greatest gifts, don't you get it, everyone has to eat".

How that changed my heart! And how thankful I am about it! I was going to write a post about it LOL!

Jada's Gigi said...

I have to be inspired to find joy in homemaking...but sometimes I do...and it is grand!