|
HisCovenant -> RE: SAHM support/encouragement (3/6/2008 2:25:18 PM)
|
OK, but I don't like to share my real name on a forum. Those who have posted though may PM me for some personal info as long as they promise not to share it. Y'all I trust... lurkers, not so much. [;)] Sorry, lurkers.
When dh and I married, we chose to live off his income in preparation for having children and raising them ouselves. We have very strong beliefs about parenting and chose to sacrifice financially so I could stay at home with them from the beginning. We've continued that ever since, no matter where I worked; My income was for luxuries, one-time purchases, and saving... not for meeting ongoing needs.
After college, I was a free-lance writer. I enjoyed it, but always felt it was a "in the mean time" job. After a year or so, I decided that I wanted to help others decorate their homes. I worked doing that for 3.5 years full-time. I couldn't handle maintaining my home, growing with dh, ministering to others, eating well and exercising, and spending time with God while working full-time. I chose to put dh and God as my priorities, and everything else was done sloppily.
So, dh and I decided it would be best if I could work part time. My company allowed me to switch after about 2 months and I worked 3.5 years in that job. During that time, I got more intentional about health, and ministered to others & maintained my home better, but still pretty sloppily. To add to the stress, my boss was nuts after his wife divorced him and was no longer at work to protect us from him (that's the short story [&:].)
Two years ago, I just reached the end of all I could handle with working outside of the home. I wasn't able to be a wife, a Christian, and an employee at the same time. I can't comprehend how a woman could do all those things and add children into the mix... and do it well. Something had to be given up and work was the thing that added the least value to our lives... in fact it was taking more than it was giving, both financially and emotionally. As it has turned out, we don't have children, but I still feel called to be at home. I think it's one of the reasons I wanted to help others decorate their homes... I wanted to help them have cozy homes. I also see indications that I was called to do this as early as high school when I put aside my dream of being an Opera Singer because I felt it wouldn't allow a stable, stationary home life like I craved.
Dh love it. He loves that my attitude is different. He loves that I can help him be healthier. He is so proud that I am involved in ministry at church. I think he's scared that I may get bored and want to work again. IMO, if I am truely taking care of our home, our relationship, my Christian walk, and our health I will have more than a full-time job.
Currently, I keep on a schedule. Mondays are exercise, laundry, and grocery days. Tuesdays are cleaning & cooking days. Wednesdays are Bible Study and Relationship days. Thursdays are Volunteer in the Church Revitalization Office days. Fridays are exercise, laundry, and misc days. Saturdays belong to dh (he may chose fun, rest, or work- I follow his lead unless I have something pressing.) Sundays are church and rest days.
Sometimes, I get "cabin fever" and would rather be outside or doing something different... but once I have my break outside in the sun or at the mall, I'm good to go again. It's the same as the "spring fever" I got sometimes when working.
I guess that pretty much summerizes my life.
|
|
|
|