Can I do it Wholeheartedly?

Many times I do things in the house grudgingly not because I am whole hearted about it. Yes there are times things just have to be done. Many times though if I can't get engage with my whole heart, it is better to do it later when I can do it with all my heart. This week, I have tried to tackle the whole house again at a time instead of sticking to my schedule. I actually get less done and feel I worked harder and more on the days that I try to tackle every room and every chore. On the days that I tackle everything, I feel my heart is divided and I am just going around picking up messes rather than keep a home of order and beauty. I also feel I miss out on time with my son/family/relationships when I am trying to get everything done in the house at once. I also wear myself out and have no energy left for my husband. The days I stick to a schedule, I actually can get more done and feel more relational. I think the days I stick to the schedule, I am actually working with all my heart unto the Lord rather than feeling I just have to get everything done.

Scriptures:
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Ephesians 6:7
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,

Observations:
1. we are to work with ALL of our heart engaged not just part of our heart on the work we do and part of our heart wishing we were doing something else
2. Again we are to work WHOLE heartedly meaning with our whole heart engaged
3. We are to do everything as if serving the Lord not to please people

Application:
In Yesterday's post, I wrote about working with our hands to create beauty in our home. In the past, I thought everyone else was creative. I labeled myself as "not creative". I enjoyed beauty and the arts (homemade gifts, museums, art books, poetry, written word) but I did not create or so I thought. I always like to write and journal. I didn't think I could paint, draw, or make a piece of art of any kind.

Becoming a Mommy has really made me think and act differently. I see how we are each wonderfully made by God. We each have hidden talents that we are to use for God's glory and to reflect His beauty. My son as soon as he could sit up wanted to hold a pencil or crayon. He was 9 months and already started drawing. I saw that God just made us for creating. My son, Nehemiah used a doodle pad at the age of 9 months too. When he turned one or before, we started using paint and shaving cream to create pictures. I started seeing how I enjoyed making a picture even if it did not look beautiful to myself or others. I sensed God was smiling at me for my first efforts.

As I continued to explore different forms of art (tape pictures, spray paint, finger paint, marble painting), I enjoyed working with my hands.  I wouldn't make any art pictures before because in school I never could make pictures as beautiful as others. I also did not do well in art class. I thought I had to do it as the teacher said or how everyone else was doing it. I did not enjoy art because I thought it had to look a certain way in order to gain the approval of others. Trying to create like everyone else also reduced my creativity in other areas of my life. I started to work hard as being an A student and succeed at what I was good at. I thought I would just buy art rather than work with my hands at art.  In doing this, my mind was not at rest.

The application for me is to find the hidden talents that I buried, dig them up and start using them for God's glory.

Application Questions:
1. What have you buried that God gave you to express beauty?
2. How did God make you "fearfully and wonderfully made"
3. How do you reflect God's glory?

Prayer:  Lord, I pray that you will lead me to my hidden talents that I buried in fear of trying to impress others rather than you. Please forgive me for working for others rather than you. Thank you that you made me fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you that you make each of us unique

Working with our Hands Brings Beauty and Rest

I started reading The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer. The book says we should not sit around dreaming of our "dream house". We should make our current home a place that reflects creativity, beauty and our tastes. My husband is the type that sees something in the garbage and sees the potential of beauty. I see it and it is just garbage. After eleven years of marriage and God showing me much about His creativity, I am seeing more beauty wherever i look. I use to just want to buy things in a store rather than make them. Now, I am wanting to make Scripture art of our favorite verses, decorate each room in our house to reflect a theme and to have our home a place of beauty, order, creativity and rest.  Working with our hands rather than just thinking about it helps us to find expression in creativity.

Scripture:
Proverbs 31:19 - In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Observations:
1.  She works with her hands
2. She didn't use a machine to spin (before the spinning wheel)

Application:
I don't spin clothes or even sew or make clothes but I do like to write, use scriptures as art forms, make art with my son.  I definitely am a thinker and a philosopher. I would read and think any day over work with my hands. I worked as a lawyer for eight years before my son came. I am use to studying and working my brain. I always did house work but I must say I grumbled about it. I felt my mind was not engaged and I became restless. This last week, I worked my body hard, and I realized that my brain was more quiet.

God has instructed us in Psalm 131 not to concern ourselves with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
Psalm 131
My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.
When we work with our hands, our minds many times are engaged on the task at hand. We are not idle. We therefore don't have time to concern ourselves with great matters or things too wonderful for me. This Proverbs 31 study has been helping me to focus on what my hands can make rather than what my mind is thinking.

When I work with my hands whether it is journaling, writing, creating a scripture art, cleaning my house, picking berries for jelly, pulling weeds, thinning vegetables or helping others, I have noticed that I sleep more deeply and my mind is more at rest. When my mind is at rest rather than restless, my home has a peace and beauty beyond any physical appearance.

Prayer: Lord, let my hands work hard rather than be idle. Thank you that you are a creative God and that we are made in your image. Thank you Lord that we are to reflect your glory. Lord, may I not think of things too great for me. I am sorry for the times I feel responsible for figuring out the problems in the world rather than reflecting your Kingdom here on earth.

³ Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.