A Cheerful and Willing Housekeeper

Library of Congress: Billy Graham's kitchen at his boyhood home, North Carolina.

 

While doing my daily housework today, I realized something. …. Whenever I am doing laundry, washing dishes, putting things away, etc, I often ask one of the children to help me. I might say, “Will you run downstairs and put these clothes away?” or “Sweep the floor for me, will you?” Then I head off to do some other bit of cleaning. You are probably thinking…. That’s okay….. Children should help around the house, right? Yes, but I have an important point here:

1. Housework should not be something we rush to have it over with.

2. Do you realize how little we really have to do in our homes, relatively speaking, compared to farm housewives of the 1800’s?

3. In order to be healthy and fit, we should do as much housework as we possibly can. Yes, give the children chores, but why ask them to help you with yours? What I mean by this is, it is getting to the point where whenever a child walks into a room, instead of saying “Hi sweetie!” I say, “Take out the trash” or “would you clear off the table?”

Here is what I did after my revelation:

I turned on a CD of classical music and started tidying up my kitchen. I washed down the counters, swept the floor, put away the clutter on the counters and just hummed along with the music. All the windows were open. I could feel a cool breeze while I worked. I carefully folded the clothes in the living room, neatly stacked them in piles and then walked all the way up and down stairs to put these away myself. Our remote phone was not on the hook. I started to call downstairs to Amy (14). I wanted her to bring it to me. Then I remembered the opportunity I had to stay fit, so I walked down there myself and got the phone.

It only took me about an hour to make the house look pleasant and inviting. I looked around and was content. I had worked hard. I had earned my rest. Sitting at the table with a cup of hot tea was a pleasant reward. In Scripture, we are told to work 6 days and then rest on the 7th day. Do you realize how much more we will enjoy that rest if we have actually worked hard to deserve it? Yet, some feel that housework is boring, or drudgery. How can that be? If you adjust your thinking, finding solitude and joy in making your house look lovely; wouldn’t you feel better about doing these daily tasks again and again? Each morning I wake up to my kitchen work. I am there to serve my wonderful family. I am going to do it cheerfully. I am going to find ways to make it pleasant for me. I light a scented candle (even in the middle of the day), I turn on some gospel or classical music and the mood is set. Keeping house is an art. We have to learn to enjoy it and stop trying to get out of it. The less we do around our precious homes, the more lazy and out of shape we will become. How is that a nice legacy to leave to our children?

If they see you enjoying your work, instead of delegating, they will ponder in their hearts how content and at peace you are at home. They will want that same peace when they are older. Where did I learn this from? The example of my own dear Mother.

Blessings,
Mrs. White

From the Archives - 

What Many of Us Crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.

Help for when you feel like - Neglecting the Housework.

Something We All Need  - Peace Be Upon This House.

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Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."

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