If you asked me what one things was the worst about my house I would say it is how it just never stays picked up. I could remove clutter all day. I could bark at my kids all day to pick up what they just sat down. It wouldn't matter. Stuff just collects here. It likes us. That gets to me more than anything.
But I chose to start in the kitchen with our homemaking series because it can bring such peace when it gets under control. (or so I hear!) Food...meals, snacks...and the planning, preparing, purchasing and cleaning up of...takes up huge amounts of time. Now I'm not complaining. I understand that I have a gas stove and oven and microwave and coffee pot and waffle iron and crock pot and....I know I am blessed. Some women are still cooking over an open fire. So if I have so many modern conveniences then why isn't my kitchen in better order?
Now wives, I think we can all agree that there is some merit to the saying about the way to a man's heart. Did you have a mom who prepared special treats for you when you got home from school? Did someone fix your favorite meal for your birthday growing up? Food can be such a special thing we do for someone. Remember that if your husband is gone all day at work what a joy it could be to come home to specially prepared meals. How wonderful it can be for your children to wake up to the smell of a special breakfast on Saturday morning. We really should look at our kitchens as a place of blessing--to others.
Currently, I tend to look at my kitchen as a place of work. I see it and think "chore." This week, let's try to change our attitudes about our kitchens. Imagine all the ways you can bless your family and others through that one little room in your house. Remember all the ways someone else's kitchen has blessed you. A meal brought over after the birth of a baby. A cake for a special occasion. A dish brought when a loved one passed away. A plate of left-overs sent home when you had very little in your refrigerator.
How can you bless others with your kitchen? Add this one to your prayers this week: that God would change our attitudes about our kitchens. Rather than viewing the many jobs in there as tedious, boring tasks that we have to do, let's begin to think of the wonderful ways we can use our kitchens to honor God.
I think that's a pretty good place to start, don't you?
Well, I'm actually in the process of planning a pretty big Easter dinner, inviting family members and non alike so needless to say, I'll be working in the kitchen a lot this week. You're right about how things just can't stay picked up sometimes...I woner why that is?
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen is a great place to start! Good post, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I would venture to guess that our kitchen is such a difficult area to conquer because of all the stuff we do have. It's like anything, the more stuff, the more time and energy it takes to take care of it. Of course, all that stuff in the kitchen is helpful (and necessary, like food), but it just adds more to what we have to take care of.
Don't get me wrong, though. I wouldn't trade my fridge and microwave for anything. But, why, oh why do they get so dirty?! :)
Thanks for the post. I agree that food is something you can use to bless people.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have local college kids come over for holidays when they couldn't go home. Then we'd share the Gospel, and every year someone accepted Jesus as their Savior.
The kitchen is a room in my house I love. The cleaning of it, however, eludes me some.
And so does the bathroom...
Brenda, you have GOT to go over to Lisa at My Surviving Thoughts! She has a hilarious Keepin' It Real post! (lisajames96.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeleteWowzer, Brenda - this is a good one. I, too, think "chore". I need to look at my kitchen as a way of blessing others....what a great way to look at it. Thank you very much for this insightful post. I'll keep this in mind this week. Have a blessed Easter weekend!!!!
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