Some People Think I’m a Little Strange

You might be one of them.

But I’m okay with that.

I didn’t grow up with the desire to bake or sew. I wasn’t into gardening or anything remotely close to homemaking, cleaning or organizing.

Now I find myself drawn to each of these. It’s thrilling to bake bread from scratch, make my own soap, grow our own vegetables, organize my home and even sew on occasion for special products. Granted, I’m still new at a lot of these, but I really enjoy it and I want to keep it up and get better at it.

I find myself thinking weird things like: “Wonder how you make your own crackers?” So far I’ve learned to make a lot of things to save on the cost of their store-bought equivalents – like granola bars, french fries, hamburger buns, egg nog, and hopefully soon yogurt. I’m not the best cook, but I just keep doing it anyway. 😉

I also enjoy staying here at home, being the keeper, spending days in and days out here with my family. I like organizing and de-cluttering, keeping order around the house. I’m not going to lie, I don’t particularly care for washing dishes or mopping. But I do like that I have the opportunity to stay home and be a housewife – and I don’t find it demeaning or degrading or de- anything. To me, it’s a high calling. I’m not the best at that either, but I just keep working away at that, too.

Even with all that on my plate, I also enjoy homeschooling our children. It takes a lot of discipline and work. But I love it more than I can explain. In fact, I adore our children and love having them to care for and train and raise. They don’t always make it easy, either. Yet there’s nothing like a mother’s love is there? In fact, I’d even like to have another. Some people say I’m crazy just for that. 🙂

I also love my husband, and I don’t have a problem with the word “submission” because I don’t see it as being defined as “doormat,” “servant,” “puppet,” “opinion-less,” “zombie-like” or “ignorant”… but rather I define it as “gladly serving under the leadership of.” I’m not always good at that, sometimes I screw up, but I don’t have a problem with it at all. It’s something I strive for.

I love God most of all. And sure, there are plenty of people who’d say I’m crazy for that. Some people, even other Christians, might look at me like I’m some kind of off-the-deep-end nut, because I completely believe that God is in control of everything, everything that happens is by God’s plan, everything that happens can be used by God for my spiritual good, and no matter what happens I will always trust in God for everything.

If you wrap that whole package up together, I guess I might come off as a little strange to some. Maybe you don’t get it. Maybe you do. I hope you do. But maybe you don’t. And that’s okay.

Raise an eyebrow if you must.

Just know that I don’t regret or dislike a single moment of it. I’m not brainwashed or brainless or backward.

I am, though, happy. Loved. Complete.

I guess what I’m saying is, that if this is what “strange” is… then sign me up.

{Originally published May 26, 2008; Republished December 23, 2008}