Heart of the Home

I grew up hearing the “kitchen is the heart of the home” and in my family it really was. Whether I was at home, my grandma’s or any of my aunt’s houses everyone seemed to gather in the kitchen. Life happened around the table. We would play games, cards, talk, laugh and yes, there were also times of tears. It all felt so natural. In the midst of life happening around the table it seemed as if meals came out of nowhere, you were playing, or whatever, and there it was, your next meal. Life was simple around the table. Many good times were had in the kitchen, even in the worst of situations. Life in the “heart” of the home just seemed right.

My family still spends their fair share of time “around the table” less now that the kids are older and have jobs and lives of their own. Life however doesn’t seem to be as simple as it was growing up around the table. Being in the kitchen is comforting in a way. I guess it brings back great memories. I grew up baking. I love to bake. Cooking is okay, it’s a necessity but baking it’s just fun. One of the quirks I have when it comes to cooking or baking is I have to start with a clean kitchen. Yes, I know I am only going to mess it up and then of course have to turn around and clean it once again. Seems like more work? Maybe, but it has to be clean when I start or things just aren’t right.

It’s really the same way when I go to work. I clean, that's my job, I enjoy it, it's good money, few hours and I make my schedule, I enjoy all these aspects of my job. I have noticed that when I start cleaning (even in my home) I start with the kitchen. I could start anywhere but I start there. When I start in the kitchen things seem to fall into place. There are times when I need to begin elsewhere but when I do, things just don’t feel right. I know it sounds odd but it’s just the way I am.

Life has held a lot of changes for me the past year or so and in the midst of all the change God shared with me a little insight. He is so amazing in the way He helps us to understand. One day in the midst of cleaning (which by the way you have a lot of alone time with God) I was praying about what’s next and He made it clear to me it’s a lot like my kitchen. My heart, with what is next, is a lot like my quirk with the kitchen. Like my quirk, I have to start with a clean kitchen before I can make something. He made me realize where I needed to start is by “cleaning up my heart” so to speak. Just as I won’t bake in a dirty kitchen, I don’t think He likes do much with a mucky heart. Can I just say this was a WOW moment for me. I have been working on the whole heart thing and well, it’s a lot less cluttered than it used to be. It’s a work in progress, as am I.



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