A Personal Helper For Your Home

March 22, 2024March 17, 2024 RefreshHer15 Comments

Ina Garten wrote this in one of her cookbooks regarding home ~

A good home should gather you up in his arms like a warm cashmere blanket, soothe your hurt feelings, and prepare you to go back out into that big bad world tomorrow all ready to fight the dragons.”

Refreshing your heart, HOME, and life have been my passion and inspiration here on my blog since 2008. I have LOVED being a homemaker for 42 years, and I am passionate about making my home inviting, organized and comfortable. It’s far from perfect, and I often drop the ball when it comes to home management. It takes intentionality, discipline, work and a whole lot of inspiration sprinkled in to keep me motivated! It’s not about perfection, but the spirit of welcome. I find that when my home gets disorganized or dirty, I don’t feel at home here, so how can I feel ready to welcome others inside my doors?! It’s then that I know it’s time to get things in hand!

While I was blessed to have great training ground from my own parents regarding cleaning and organizing while growing up, I realize that not every woman had that advantage, or perhaps it was there, but she was distracted by her education or simply a lack of interest. Now that she has a home of her own, she feels unequipped or frustrated because all the homemaking tasks are hard, or maybe even seem impossible. How can she ever figure out menu planning and grocery shopping so mealtime can be easier? How can her home ever get organized? What are the best ways to keep a home clean and tidy? She doesn’t know, and she feels embarrassed to seek out help.

Maybe that “someone” is you.

Continue reading →

Practical Steps Towards Having a Heart for Home

November 11, 2022November 8, 2022 RefreshHerLeave a comment

I was blessed to have a mother who was home most all of my growing up years. I remember her presence in our home and what a warmth and security it created for me. When she wasn’t there, things just weren’t right. She created the cozy atmosphere, set the tone, kept things running smoothly and made it lovely.

A woman that has to work outside the home can do all those things; it will just take much more energy and effort. Some who ARE home struggle with loving it. It seems more like a cruel taskmaster that is breathing down their necks. Indeed, there is always something that needs our attention! But how do we deal with those responsibilities with joy, rather than dread?

Continue reading →

home · Home making · Uncategorized

A Heart For Home

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 RefreshHer10 Comments

After being away from home for over half of the month of October, my heart and feet have been very happy to be back in my residence! I am very much a home-body, loving everything about home life. I think I’ve learned to appreciate it even more after so much absence. As I have “dug my heels” into the necessary chores and responsibilities of running a home, I’ve thanked the Lord for His gift of home, and for the blessing of being a homemaker. When our girls were young, at one time, my husband worked three jobs so I could stay home and care for our family. What a sacrifice! For many years, I have said to my husband,

Continue reading →

home · Home making · Women's roles

Homemaking – A Tapestry of Beauty

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 RefreshHer10 Comments

If you’ve ever done cross stitch, or embroidery you know that to create anything that turns into something beautiful takes planning. It takes time. It takes instruction. It takes intentionality. So when we think about weaving a tapestry in our home, we know that none of these steps can be avoided. The ultimate Guide is God’s Word. He tells us what it should look like. Then it’s up to us to take the needle in hand, and begin the tedious day-to-day work that is necessary.

Let’s look into God’s Word to get more instruction. Titus 2 says

“Admonish the young women to be homemakers. (Verse 5)

If that word brings to mind the dull, boring task of mundane chores, I ask you to read carefully and let your heart be encouraged about this important role.

Continue reading →

Biblical Womanhood · Home making · refreshment at home · Wife's Role

Keep on Building

July 13, 2022July 12, 2022 RefreshHer9 Comments

A wise woman knows that building her home has many faces.

When she stopped to play baseball with the children in the backyard, she was building into the life of her child.
When she spent time scouring the pantry and freezer, then made a menu for the week using those items, she was building her family.
When she took time to organize the closets,, she was building her home.
When she left that little note on her husband’s pillow, she was building her marriage.

Continue reading →