Thursday, October 29, 2015

Home: A Place & Culture of Rest

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:5-8

Since stumbling across these verses again the other day, I’ve been meditating on them often, asking myself where I’m dwelling. Am I dwelling in the rest and assurance that is found in my Jesus alone? He is my rock and my fortress. Time spent with him enables me to face the storms of life. How important it is to pour out my heart to him on a consistent basis, baring my soul before the One who made me.

I am incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to change my work status to part-time. It has been very right for me and our sometimes hectic schedule. My dear husband was very supportive in my decision (read more here) and has been my encouragement all along. He has admitted to me that he has noticed a real sense of rest when he enters our home at the end of his workday. My simply being home more often has aided in setting a culture of rest here that we did not have before. If I’m honest, the transition time was more difficult than I expected it to be. Yet the Lord brings changes into our lives and sometimes asks us to surrender our agenda through those changing seasons.

As I mentioned earlier, consistent time with my Father is so vital in setting the tone of my day and ultimately, the tone of our household. The joy of the Lord is a very real thing and joy is found in spending time with Jesus. Another challenge is this-

Find joy in the ordinary https://society6.com/product/find-joy-in-the-ordinary-5cq_print?curator=themotivatedtype:

There are days when I’m at home cleaning and doing laundry and I find myself wishing I was doing something of more importance. Those things just feel mundane after awhile. But then I remind myself that joy is a choice. When I choose joy, my spirit is lifted and I have a reason to sing.

May His unending joy be your strength and your song today!

3 comments:

  1. You are so spot on with this, Janelle! Those little every-day, mundane things are way more important and powerful than we know, and to choose to see the beauty and joy in them is a great challenge for us all.

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    1. Thank you, Alicia. It's especially a challenge in this busy Christmas season with all of the hustle and bustle of things that need accomplished.

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  2. It's taken a while for me to recognize the value of homemaking. It helps when I have the occasional friend over who doesn't want to leave, reminding me what a sanctuary my home is for me, and that others don't always have that.

    We recently started an online Mennonite blog directory (https://themennonitegame.com) which is intentionally simple --just a list to help bloggers and readers connect. Would you be interested in adding your blog to the list? If so, you can fill out this form (http://goo.gl/forms/UnTbNnVaKaUKd4VN2) which asks for an affirmation of the '63 Mennonite Confession of Faith, a square photo, and a blog description (50 words or less).

    You might also be interested in the facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/mennogame) where anyone can share their blog posts.

    Thanks for considering it! Tabitha

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