Home Life – Prayers Over The Kitchen Sink

“Mama, can you wash my foot?”

A Little Lent Reflection

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise.-Matthew 21:16

It was a typical busy morning with my kids. I had just finished slinging pancakes, slipping a whole one through my pre teen’s door before cutting the rest up into little bite-sized pieces and leaving a dollop of maple syrup in the smallest wedge of the divided plastic plates.

With the calvary distracted by breakfast, I finally had my chance. I grabbed my coffee and my copy of that month’s Magnificat and headed to the dining room. I settled at the table, out of the splash-zone of the eat-in kitchen table where my toddlers dipped their morsels and slurped down milk.

The readings contained the story of Mary Magdalene who showed her love for Jesus by using her hair to bathe his feet in her tears. Magdalene has always held a special place in my heart. Not only is she often misunderstood, but she believed in Jesus’ power to forgive and to heal.

Christ at the Center: Our Domestic Church

Making a home for my family until we make it home to Heaven.

For several years the walls of my home had been the same tan color. Its neutrality and tone served us well, hiding the little fingerprints and scuff marks that come with family life. But, soon the little ones grew out of the toddler stage and it became painfully obvious that the house was long overdue for a refresh.

I knew where I wanted to start, the front living room, or parlor. It’s where we receive our guests and welcome each other home. Where the dog barks and kids run as soon as Daddy walks in. Where I draw back the curtains each morning to let the light in and set flickering candles to relax at night.

I flipped through paint samples for days, finally choosing the lightest blue for the walls and the brightest white for the trim. We splurged on the highest quality, cleanable, smudge resistant paint that promised to cover the old color in just one coat. I stirred up the beautiful hue and hoped for the best.

Sealed With a Cross

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Cait Winters tells the story of how her kids cheer her on through the Sign of the Cross.

It was lunchtime in the middle of a typically busy homeschooling day. We had spent the morning on a hike at nature co-op and still had math, cursive and reading to cover that afternoon. Homeschooling can be hard on a home (and a homemaker!) because most days, aside from my hardworking husband, everyone is here all day long. I wouldn’t trade this time serving my family for the world, but it often means cooking three meals a day and constant cycles of washing and drying to keep up our well-loved, humble home.

That morning I had overslept, being early-pregnant and tired and didn’t have a chance to unload the perpetual dishes. It was easy to leave and forget about the chores while on our hike but coming back to them was another story. The sink was half-full already, but I had hungry kids to feed, so I fired up the stove and sudsed up what I could. The smell of cooking was turning my stomach and everywhere I looked, my to-do list grew.

I did a swat-like Sign of the Cross, blessing myself as I caught my breath and forged ahead. The Sign of the Cross is a quick way for me to ask for heaven’s help without even saying a word. I broke a sweat but got through the chores, finally setting plates and drinks out for the kids and calling them to the kitchen table.

Our Multi-Generational Home

The family car was packed to the brim. 3 kids, 2 adults, and all the belongings we could stuff in what little space remained. I sat between my sister and my brother in his car seat and twisted myself around enough to look out of the back window. My heart felt heavy as I watched our childhood home shrink from view.

Not only were we leaving the only home I could remember, the comfort of our neighborhood, the backyard with the grapevines, and my best friends who lived down the street; but the home still held half of our household. It would be the first time I could remember that we would live with only our nuclear family.

Continue reading “Our Multi-Generational Home”

The Kitchen Sink

We live in quite a fortunate time in history in terms of modern convenience. Of the many modern conveniences I enjoy each day a dishwasher is not one of them. With a growing family that means visiting the sink often to stay on top of the ever present pile of mugs and plates. Sure, there are times I’d prefer to toss them in the waste basket but soon I found the menial task had become a welcome reprieve.

The windowsill above the sink once held all of the hallmark nick-knacks of a well loved mama; assorted bottles of sand art, heart-shaped rocks, small potted herbs, perfect pine cones and gifts from little hearts and hands. One gift was a small cross that reads “Peace, be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10” One day I was on a re-arranging kick and I decided to (finally!) clear and clean the sill. I was moving all my chotchkies into an old shoebox but when I reached for the cross I hesitated, deciding to leave it where it was.

When I went back later on to do the dishes (again!) I read the message over and over. I found myself thinking deeply, staring through the humble kitchen window at the trees in the yard where my pets and children play. Warm water ran over, soothing my busy hands as I thanked God for the opportunity to be still and rest in his peace. By the time the last spoon hit the drying rack I felt my anxieties drain with the suds and dingy water. The little cross which I barely noticed before served as a gentle reminder and the chore became transformed.

Over time I have added other meaningful things to the sill and it has become a sort of altar in my home; a special place I go to pray over my family, water my herbs, offer up the work of my hands, and set my intentions for the day. It just goes to show anything can become meditative, prayerful and intentional even simple tasks. We don’t need only to be in church or on the mountain top to grow in our spirituality. God’s extraordinary presence can enrich even these ordinary parts of our lives and reveal a deeper meaning in the mundane. Now don’t get me wrong, I may not completely enjoy doing the dishes every day (every mom knows the “angry clean” LOL!) but I do know that if I approach this and all things in love, myself and those around me are simply better for it! Let’s let go of our expectations and allow God to reach us exactly where we are.

What do you do to fit in time for quiet contemplation? Comment below!

❤ Cait