Many women in my generation were not raised – taught and trained – to effectively manage a household.

Our mothers wanted the best for us…they dreamed that we would be lawyers, doctors, professional athletes, etc.  They dreamed big for us and got excited when we got accepted to the college of our choice.  They told their friends how proud they were that their daughter got the “big” job.  They applauded their daughters decision to wait to have children for many years so she could establish her career.  They prepared her well for her life’s calling.

Or did they?

I have no doubt that our mother’s did what they thought was right and good.  The fact remains, however, that many women decided that their life calling was in the home, raising their children and being a homemaker. In the midst of career dreams, another dreamed nestled in their hearts, the dream of being a stay-at-home mother.  When they left the career track to raise a family, they were not prepared for just how hard it was going to be.

Women are waking up to the reality that if one is to stay home, raise a family, and take of a home, one must be prepared.  The women who were given everything they needed to succeed in the career world were lacking the one thing they needed to be successful in the home – intentional homemaker training. Women who have decided to stay home know how hard it is, and they don’t want their daughters to have start behind the eight ball like they did.  These women are choosing to be intentional about raising their daughters in the homemaking arts.

It sounds crazy in this day and age, right?

I mean, isn’t this homemaker stuff straight out of the 1800’s?

Nope.  It’s straight out of God’s Word:

“…train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and their children, To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted), adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited).”  Titus 2:4-5, Amplified Bible

I’m not here to debate working women versus stay-at-home moms versus women who have to work, I’m here to point out a revolution that is taking place.  Women are turning towards their daughters and saying, “I will teach and train and disciple you to be a homemaker for the glory of God.”

How do I know a revolution is taking place?  I launched RaisingHomemakers.com two days ago to be a place of encouragement and help for women who are training their daughters to be homemakers. In two days that website has generated over 11,000 visits, nearly 2,000 Facebook fans, and over 500 subscribers. It clearly struck a nerve.

Women want something better for their girls.

So do I.

I have tapped into an energy giving secret.

Are you ready for it?  It’s just so simple…

Allow yourself the freedom to do something you get jazzed about.

Seriously, that’s it, and let me tell you, it works!  Find something you thoroughly enjoy, something that makes you come alive, and then make time for it in your schedule.  When I do this, I don’t drag as much.  In fact, I become a much more effective wife, mommy, and homemaker. (Disclaimer – if your “jazzy” comes at the expense of your family, it’s not worth it).

So whatever it is that makes you come alive, gives you energy, gets you jazzed, carve out a couple hours in your week and go for it!

Maybe you will even find yourself exploring how you can combine your jazzy activity with your main priorities.  Wouldn’t that be a lovely and energizing collision?

My jazzy and my priorities have collided, and I can’t wait until I can share it with you all.

So tell me, what gets you jazzed?

Let’s get jazzed together everyday – subscribe to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee here!

Today, while I’m over At The Well with the post, “Home in 140 Characters,” I have a guest post for you from Mirinda Dawe, the gal behind October Belle Designs.  She is an interior designer with a real talent and love for art. She especially enjoys creating special pieces of art for your baby or child- even your tween or teen.  She also does design consultations through email.  I asked her to give us all some design tips because, well, I am design inept!  Enjoy!

Can I just say that when Sarah Mae asked me to guest post I giggled & squealed like a four year old? I am so honored to be here sharing my favorite design tips! My education in the design world did not come from a four year university {don’t worry; I’m not moving people’s walls around!} Rather, it comes from almost ten years of home staging and owning a decorating company that offers turnkey packages for vacation rentals. In offering personal interior consultations I quickly found that the techniques used in a client’s vacation home works in any home! Here are my four most used tips & techniques:

Relax.

And grab some paint. I’ve known countless people who have lived for years with white walls out of fear of ‘messing up’. Trust me when I say that color is the easiest thing to change if you do actually dislike the shade. I recently painted a nursery three times in one day to get that perfect green! Color will also give your space personality & warmth. So get to painting!

Design for a Lifetime.

Oftentimes people will procrastinate decorating their home because they feel overwhelmed at purchasing many items at once. Unless you are having a designer come in to fully “do a room” you shouldn’t be buying several pieces at one time. Always be on the ‘lookout’ when traveling or just shopping around town! You never know when you will come across that perfect piece that your home has been missing. This also helps take into account that your style may change & you can adapt that into the look of your rooms over time.

Let your home be a statement.

What do I mean by that? Well, what statement do you want your home to make when a guest walks in the front door? Do you want your home to feel warm & inviting? Most of us do! Would you like the furniture to beckon your children to snuggle up and read a book? Your sister to sit and chat for hours? Mine for our family is simply ‘A Safe Haven’. I want my home to feel like the safest place on this earth for our children and any guests. Decide on your style statement and decorate accordingly!

Go big or go home!

Many homes today are built with the open floor plan. This means large wall spaces that are confusing when it comes to deciding what goes there! Buy one large statement piece such as a mirror or over sized canvas. This generally looks more pleasing than several small pictures being scattered throughout the room and is also a great investment. If you have several small items, pull them together in an arrangement that is cohesive and will make a bold statement.

I hope these tips will encourage you to try something new. We can be inspired by anything out there, so take what you love and transfer that into something wonderful for your home! Let your space be livable and work for your family and most importantly, be blessed!

Thanks Mirinda!  Okay, it’s Sarah Mae here and I just want to encourage you to scoot on over to October Belle Designs blog because she is having a giveaway for a 12 x 12 customized gallery canvas, valued at $52! All you have to do is comment!

Don’t forget to stop by and visit me today!  :)

Photo Credit: October Belle Designs

Sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to cooperate.  It is on these brain funk days that I post something completely random.  Today is one of those days.

Therefore

if any of you have an inkling of curiosity about what my sunup to sundown looks like, today is your *lucky* day.

My (ideal and striving towards) day:

5am – Wake, Get dressed, make my man’s lunch, prepare for day mentally, spend time in the Word, drink large mug of glorious coffee

7am – Kiddos up, they listen to bible on CD and color/write while I make yummy breakfast, we eat and then I read bible story, sing a hymn/Christian song, pray

7:30am – Clean up kitchen, put load of laundry in, train kiddos in chores (make bed, pick-up toys/books in bedroom, wipe down table, unload/load dishwasher) while listening to classical music or praise

8am - Reading time, free play, video, craft, homeschooling (very simple), cleaning, errands, play dates, teachable moments, giggles, hugs, boo boo kisses, and “mom, look what I did/can do!” exaltations

11:15am – Pick-up toys/books, make lunch

11:30am – Lunch, clean-up after, reading

12pm - Naps (Thank you Jesus that you made little’s need naps!)

12-2pm – Me – Clean, blog, banking (bleck)

2-4pm – Snack, free play, craft, prepare for dinner,teachable moments, giggles, hugs, boo boo kisses, and “mom, look what I did/can do!” exaltations

4:30pm – Dinner (yes, we’re weird and eat early)

5pm - Family time/play, baths, family worship (my man reads out of a devotion for little, we read the scripture, talk about it briefly, and pray)

6:30 – Bedtime for son and baby, three year old spends time with daddy

7:30pm – three year old to bed, blog, hang with the hubs

10pm – Beautiful sleep

What does your schedule/routine look like?

Related Articles:

Priorites

Time Management

Awesome Resource:

List Plan It – “lists to put your world in order”

(Having a schedule works for me!)

Today I have a very special treat for you, a guest post by the super creative Kristen from PajamaMama! Kristen is a running stay at home mom of three under five, on a quest to make the best NY style pizza to be found in Texas. She cannot take a drive without noticing a few license plates, although she doesn’t know what this says about her. And when she thinks about what her hidden heaven name will be, she hope its meaning will include creative, like her maker.

Make sure you check out her blog – she is having a Summer School Art “party” all next week with a different tutorial each day to stretch your creativity! Oh, and there are PRIZES!

How does the Bible start? “In the beginning God created…”

God is the ultimate Creator-wildly, flashy, overtly creative.

Just look at nature.

We cannot even begin to count all the colors and shades and hues that He uses to paint the sky each day. And He created us…

…in His own image.

I believe that means we were created with an ability to create. While only God has the ability to create from absolute nothing, He has put within us the ability and desire to be creative with the resources around us. And when we learn to grow in the abilities and interests He’s personally given each of us, or stretch our creativity, we can more deeply understand His nature. Do you want that? I do!

Six Ideas For Engaging In Your Own Creativity

Know That You Are Creative By Nature

I believe every person is creative. Not necessarily with an artistic temperament, or Bohemian attitude. Creativity is as different as each individual, and it is inherent. Have you ever had to “get creative” to occupy a toddler at a restaurant or airport? Look for your creativity in your everyday life.

Get Inspired

For me, this is the easy part. Inspiration is everywhere. When you see something beautiful or meaningful to you, try to break it down. Ask yourself how was it done and how you could re-create it for your circumstances. An old idea applied to a new moment is still creative

Don’t Be Afraid To Try New Things

My high school art teacher was famous for saying,

“No guts, no glory.”

It does not have to be perfect, and it likely won’t be. In a day, imperfections will be less noticeable. In a month, they will add character and charm.

Enjoy The Process

When we step out of our creative comfort zones we can easily become anxious. But creating should not be a chore, but rather a joy, and a thrill. I wonder if during the first 6 days, how much fun God had in creating the world from nothing. Maybe that is why He took 6 days, rather than a blink. Maybe He was savoring each layer or our world’s birth.

Take A Step Back

Admire the fruit of your creative endeavor, with little criticism. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect!

Dare To Go Deeper

Ask yourself some more questions. How can your creative passions glorify or bless God? Has God given you a specific creative gift that He wants to delight in or use? Please don’t rush over these questions. The answers may not be obvious to you right now, but that does not mean that God has not given you a purposeful creative gift. In fact, I am certain that He has. Just pray that He will reveal it in His time. I will be praying for you, too!

You can follow Kristen on Twitter @KristenPajama