There's JOY in the laundry basket!

Wrote most of this a few months back and never found the time to finish and publish it!


I just became aware that it's been over a year since I lead worship publicly on a regular basis. It's one of the first times in my life that I haven't been part of a worship team. I thought it strange that I actually haven't noticed that it's been over a year. I wondered why?
As I was thinking about it I figured I haven't really missed it for a couple of reasons.

Since having Josiah I am more in our apartment in Manila  than I ever been before.I'm in a blessed position in that I have been able to create my own schedule. I can juggle working from home and going on site as often or as little as Josiahs needs require. This is a major advantage of your husband being your "boss"!
Instead of working along side my hubby 6 days a week at the dump site, I am in the house much more.It took a while to get used to because we have always done everything together.Now,a lot of the time it's just Josiah and I (or now Josiah, bump and i) in the house while my Ron is ministering in Tondo and Navotas.Since taking a season away from regularly leading worship in a church I (without noticing) found new ways to praise.

I can now-

- worship while changing a dirty nappy! ( a sentence I have never written before)
- worship while picking crumbs off the floor
-worship while washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, wiping up sick,washing laundry......

You get the picture? Its'not public. It's not practiced.It's not perfect, but it's still praise!

But do these times really mean as much to God? I mean really? Is God really listening when I'm singing while picking up and tripping over cars, crayons and crusts flung from the highchair?! I'm reminded of words penned by composer Steven Curtis Chapman
"This is a moment made for worshipping, cause this is a moment I'm alive"

Wow! Every moment I take a breath is an opportunity to worship.It's an opportunity to show God I am thankful.It's a place I have the chance to find joy.

This may sound so mushy, but I can truly say that since becoming a Mama I have found joy in the strangest places. I have learned that mundane tasks that seem totally unimportant to anyone else can be a way to serve Jesus and my family. On days that us Mama's have cooked, cleaned, tidied, washed, mopped and feel quite exhausted from running after our children, we should lift our hearts in thanks and feel accomplished. Even if our homes still look as though a bomb has dropped!
The fact is it is amazing that by doing  these mundane things we can love and serve our husbands and children. We are building a home for them. I have come to really enjoy days being a "house  wife". It's precious to know Mamas have the ability to create a space that can feel like home.It's precious to be able to chase after, play with, bath, hug,love our babies.I feel so blessed I can be at home with him and not have to miss anything.I have friends that would just love to have more time at home with their kids.
 I believe God gave our families to us as our first ministry.Our homes are our number one mission field. I know some of you reading may think this all sounds very old fashioned,but I feel it's true.
On the days where I find myself moaning about doing something in our home, I need to check myself and remind myself to be thankful.
"Oh there are so many dishes to do,clothes to wash,stuff to clean,..."
What I should be saying is;
-Thank you God I have a lovely husband and beautiful son to do these things for!

God has confirmed to me more than ever what true worship and real joy is. They are not dependent on the place or people around us.It's a matter of the heart. Christians were made to worship and in worshipping we can have real joy. What an amazing purpose we have! What a privilege. So whether I'm leading hundreds of people to sing in a church or whether I'm leading my one year old son in a simple Sunday school song- if I sing with a heart of worship it sounds just as beautiful to God. When we choose to worship- we find real joy.