Homemaking as Sanctuary: Embracing Gratitude in Everyday Moments

Seeing Beauty in Ordinary Household Tasks

I almost missed it today. Sanctuary. Hidden in the plain sight of ordinary moments.

The kitchen is full of groceries, with the goal of learning to incorporate more whole foods into our diet.

My neglected “new” copy of 100 Days Of Real Food, dusted off and ready to be used.

Something felt different this morning. The sun was finally shining with enough warmth to actually open the windows a bit.

It felt glorious.

As I prepped the chicken for the crockpot, I decided to embrace all aspects of this quiet space.

No music today, a child sick in bed, the other at work. My husband has gone too.

Just me, and the silence.

The work sat before me. And you know what? It delighted me.

There was a sense of sanctuary in the ordinary moments today. An acute awareness of the refuge and holiness that was available right then.

In the ordinary, the plain.

Chores that are barely noticed, humbled me. Like emptying the dishwasher, with a gift of time-saving luxury.

How regal, truly.

This feeling of gratitude and awe spread into every single aspect of this passing experience.

The intoxicating scent of Rosemary.

The small pieces of paper that have gathered recipes for decades, safe in my box.

The beauty of my ingredients, almost unnoticed with their commonness, took center stage with their design and detail.

And the shape of a rare ingredient in my kitchen, fresh ginger, piqued my curiosity.

How clever our Creator is to make all things so different.

How delighted he must be to have us notice.

Filling the sink to wash apples, their fragrance tickled my nose. The sunlight danced on top of the water.

And I was grateful.

For apples and water and the smells of cooking chicken and bread.

Cutting the stems of last week’s unexpected gift of flowers, gave me a deep appreciation for another few days to enjoy them.

As I began to clean up, my mixer caught my eye. This sturdy piece of machinery has been my domestic partner for 13 years.

My fingers lingered on it, as I put it away. Thankful for its service.

Remembering the difficulty of having fibromyalgia without the help of its motor. Yes, thankful indeed.

How can homemaking be a form of sanctuary?

Once you start being grateful? It is almost impossible to stop.

We tend to spend time rushing and running yet never really arriving where we want to be.

Refuge is more than a physical place, it can be a soul experience.

A settling of our spirit that gets trampled in the daily grind.

There is plenty of beauty to be found in the ordinary.

Homemaking can be a sanctuary when we notice the ordinary moments and embrace them with gratitude.

How can homemaking be a form of sanctuary?

These tasks could have been on a never-ending to-do list today. Truthfully, there was much that won’t get done today because of the time I spent enjoying this time.

Running to get my camera to document and share this concept with you.

And why did I do that? Because I believe in the power of sharing our experiences. The privilege of reminding each other that the most mundane things can become Holy.

If we invite God into it…

There are no ordinary moments in homemaking.

It makes me think that this sanctuary, experiencing an everyday moment, is the best place to be.

Consider this invitation to slow down. Look around with renewed interest at the things our body and soul come into contact with every day. Choose to savor an experience that would normally be lost among 100 others in a day.

Invite God in and let him amaze you.

If this resonated with you, you might love my free devotional, Grace for the Stuck: A 7-Day Invitation to Slow Down and Breathe.

It’s a simple, grace-filled guide to help you slow down, rest, and remember that even in the blur of ordinary days, your life holds deep meaning.

You can grab it free here.