Home Therapy

What do you do to get you through life's rough spots?  I was self-analyzing this morning and I realized that I have a pattern when I get discouraged.

During times I feel down it's usually because something feels out of my control, so I seek things I can control.  Do you do the same?  I read and clean and do laundry and cook.  I know, not earth shattering.  But I go into overdrive at certain times and I see that and am starting to understand myself better.

I find if I read it just makes me happy.  I often turn to the church magazines like the Ensign and it uplifts me while getting my mind off of difficulties.

I clean.  Not crazy-lady clean, I'm far too lazy for that.  But cleaning gives me a feeling of control.  I seem to need to immediate gratification of seeing a job go from start to finish.  And if it lasts for more than 10 minutes before my kids undo it, BONUS.

I do laundry.  I actually like doing laundry normally, but sometimes I do like ALL the laundry, which is unusual.

I cook.  I mean, I always cook.  But I plan better meals and even bake more when I really need to feel grounded again. 

I don't plan in advance to do these things but I recognize that they always happen when I'm in this mode.  All are tenets of homekeeping and important parts of family-raising.  If these basic things are what I turn to when I am seeking peace and a sense of wellbeing, is it possible that they are more essential than I realize?  It's likely that my discouragement could be thwarted just by applying more balance in my homemaking to begin with.

As my children get more involved with activities I find myself out of the home more and more.  I need to catch myself when the calendar gets to full.  I must be watchful and careful so that my priorities stay firm and that I not jeopardize the family's stability by neglecting my resposibilities here.  It is a bigger issue than chores; my influence must be here and felt by my family in order to be effective.  In turn, when all is well at home, I can serve outside the home at church and in the community in a positive way.

In any event, I am thankful that simple tasks at home can bring me happiness.  I leave you with good quotes from church leaders.  They are from a couple decades ago but they still apply.

President Benson said:

Radiate a spirit of contentment and joy with homemaking. You teach by example your attitude toward homemaking. Your attitude will say to your children, “I am only a housewife” or it will convey, “Homemaking is the highest, most noble profession to which a woman might aspire.” 

 

President Kimball said:

We wish you to pursue and to achieve that education, therefore, which will fit you for eternity as well as for full service in mortality. In addition to those basic and vital skills which go with homemaking, there are other skills which can be appropriately cultivated and which will increase your effectiveness in the home, in the Church, and in the community.

Again, you must be wise in the choices that you make, but we do not desire the women of the Church to be uninformed or ineffective. You will be better mothers and wives, both in this life and in eternity, if you sharpen the skills you have been given and use the talents with which God has blessed you.