My Job Title

First of all, I have to say how sorry I am. For some strange reason, blogger is not letting me use paragraphs or spaced lines in my posts. It is driving me crazy and I know that it is so annoying to read like this. Anyone know how to fix this? Anyways, since I can't space I guess I'll just use dashes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Whenever I am filling out a form and am asked my occupation I always hesitate. Yes, I have my degree and training as a teacher, but that's where it ends. I definitely would not consider that my career since I never even had my very own classroom. But, I have spent the last 8 (almost 9) years as a Mother. So then that leaves me with the question of which phrase to use...."Stay at Home Mom", "Housewife", or "Homemaker". I used to write the first phrase but the other week when I was writing my "profession" on a questionaire, instead I chose to write Homemaker. I have really been thinking a lot about this. Yes, I am a Stay at Home Mom but, I believe that my role as a mother and wife goes far beyond that of a woman that stays home all day to tend babies, do laundry, and make dinner. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over the last week as I have unpacked box after box and arranged things the way that I want them to be, it has really made me consider and ponder on my role as a homemaker because that is exactly what I am doing....I am turning an empty house into a home....into OUR home. Into a place where my children and husband will come and feel loved and happy. I want our home to feel like the sanctuary it should be. A sacred place filled with kind words, laughter, lots of love, faith, prayer, and learning. As a woman, I feel certain that one of my greatest responsibilites, besides nurturing my children, is to create this type of home for my family. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know for certain that it is within the walls of a home, that faith is born, character is molded, and potential is realized. I know this because I was raised in such a home. I don't remember exactly how my mom organized the medicine cabinet (although everything had an order and place). I don't remember my mom's cleaning schedule (although it was always clean), nor do I know how she managed to keep everything always running so smoothly and effortlessly (although she always did). But, I do remember kneeling together as a family in our living room. I remember my Dad leading our family in scripture study at our kitchen table. I remember walking in on my mother as she privately knelt by her bed in prayer. I remember coming home at the end of a long day of school and feeling the comfort, peace, and security that rushed into my heart as I walked through the front door of our home. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the process of unpacking and finding a "home" for all of our stuff, I am also trying to get myself better organized and create better systems. Meanwhile, I'm also trying to remember that finding the perfect space and look for closets and drawers is not nearly as important as the quiet moments of conversation with my 8 year old, the perfect opportunity to share a scripture story with my six year old, the horseback ride given to my two year old, or the sweet priceless moments of laughter with my 10 month old. Life is too short and precious to waste a second of time. Afterall, I'm not just in the business of making a home. I'm in the business of creating an eternity with the most important people in my life. So yes, I am a Homemaker, Housewife, and a Stay at Home Mom, but I'm not sure that any of those titles adequately fit the true description of a Mother...not just of a mother, of a woman. But recently, I came across the following quote and in it I found the perfect job title... "The hearth, and the fire within, was once the center of domestic and social life because it provided warmth, illuminated homes, and cooked food. Placement in the center of the house maximized the number of people able to get around the warmth of the fire. If Jesus Christ is the center of our homes - the light that illuminates, warms and nurtures - women are the guardians and caretakers of that light." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ So I guess next time I am asked what my occupation is I will say, "A Guardian of the Hearth". :) I love it.