Tag: peace

5 ways to feel refreshed as a mother

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

I love a good refresh and reset, and some days call for it when things don’t go according to plan. In today’s post I’ll be sharing 5 quick and simple things that you can implement as a mum to press the refresh button and freshen up your day!

Tip 1: Tidy up a space in your home

I am a big believer that as human beings that need connection and feed off of our surroundings, the environment that we live in can and does have a big impact on how we can feel.

As a mum of three, it’s quite difficult to always keep the main living areas clean and clutter free. This definitely can leave me feeling overwhelmed. Once day I realised that doing my best to keep my kitchen countertops clean, and the dishes washed made me feel so good every time I walked into that area. It instantly lifted my mood and made me feel somewhat put together to have a small area clean throughout the day.

For you it could be a corner of your living room, the bathroom or even the hallway. Give this tip a go and see if it helps to make you feel a little refreshed.

Tip 2: Take a quick or long walk outside

Since having my boys, I have grown to love being outdoors. Even more so to release all of the boisterous energy out into the open! They get time to run, shout and play while I use the time to literally breath. To be out in the open and specifically in nature is deeply calming to the soul and gives a sense of smallness in comparison to the magnitude of everything.

If I can’t make it out to a park or forest, and the weather is good, simply walking in my garden provides the same effect. When we didn’t have a garden, I utilised our balcony, and it became a place of solace for me to reflect, pray and express gratitude. If you don’t have either, then you can open a window and let more of the outdoors in. It really does help to recharge your day.

Tip 3: Take a shower

This may sound funny, but it really works! As busy mums, it can be so difficult to have time to enjoy a proper shower with all the spa like trimmings (facials, body scrubs etc). When I am able to during the day – I ask my husband for a few minutes and I jump into the shower. The feeling of the warm water and a nice smelling shower gel is instantly calming for me. Some days I sneak in 2 showers, one in the morning and another in the later afternoon just to give myself a boost for the day.

Tip 4: Prepare a lunch that you enjoy

We all know that eating well provides important sustenance to the body and yet it can be really difficult to find the time or motivation to prepare simple nutritious meals that will leave us feeling boosted and not deflated or bloated. Having a few quick meals that you enjoy eating can really be a mood changer when you are having a long or difficult day.

I take time to prepare the meal, expressing gratitude to the Lord for his provision. This instantly makes me feel blessed. Some foods that I enjoy making are scrambled eggs with avocado toast, a greek salad with grilled chicken, tortilla wraps, (root) vegetable soup, smoothies and grilled or roasted vegetables. These tend to be my quick go-to’s which leave me feeling happy because I have nourished my body.

Tip 5: Write down 3 things that you are thankful for

I love this one because

It can encourage you to pause.

To think through things.

To breathe.

Journaling and writing down encourages us to always come to God with a heart of true, sincere gratitude- which is so life transforming. It helps us to be very intentional about our thanksgiving to God. With very busy days, it can be easy to forget about the things that you are grateful for but choosing to carve out 5-10 minutes in your day to express gratitude helps you to stay focused on the things that truly matter in your life.

Have you tried any of these tips? I would love to hear in the comments below! There are so many other things that we can do to refresh and recharge ourselves as mothers. Feel free to comment on more to encourage another mum.

Why Graced for Home?

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

I, like many women had only one goal in mind as I grew up. Work hard to be competitive in the market place. The best in my field. Get that competitive edge so that I could stand out and land the high paying job with an incredible benefits package. I knew that I wanted to become a mother one day because it was the other natural path that I desired but my entire focus was on career and making money. I was and still am an ambitious, and highly capable and productive woman with several dreams and abilities.

However things started to change for me when I left my first very good corporate job to work part time for my church at that time. I was newly married and I realised that a huge part of me also had a heart for home. I am incredibly passionate about building with my own tribe, having time to intentionally create a life of joy, adventure and success according to what it means to our unique family. I wanted to learn how to be this way.

That’s also when I felt the tension between the two. Seasonally, I came to realise that I couldn’t have the two at the same time. Yet the pull for home became intensely strong when I had my first son. Seeing that new life that my husband and I co created shifted my perspective on life and motherhood entirely.

“Choosing to walk confidently in Gods design requires a step of faith- a step away from the marketplace of activities and into the mummy place of the home, which is filled with beauty, love, creativity, purpose and peace”. Sally Clarkson

Yet I also realised that I naturally was entering into motherhood with so much insecurity, fear and confusion regarding my personal role and ability. I wasn’t confident in so many areas, and yet I still had a strong heart to be based from home with my child and now children.

The desire for this blog really is to;

  • Document my personal journey as a Christian woman and mother
  • To document and encourage others on the journey of raising boys
  • I have truly felt afraid to lean into this new version of myself because in alot of ways it confirms the new journey that I am on and I have never considered myself living this- and putting it out there for the world to see. I still coming to terms with a lot of things everyday! Yet I have accepted that this is the most authentic way that I-Alethea can express myself. This is what God has given to me and I am compelled towards it. Especially as I desire to teach my children to keep their hearts open to who God has called them to be and lean into their natural gifts. I have to model this and can’t run away from it.
  • It is making me a better mother.
  • To encourage Christian mothers, and specifically stay at home mothers that we can absolutely do this and grow in confidence managing the home, loving and nurturing our children, and discovering new things within ourselves- our skills etc and still thrive beautifully as individuals. Staying at home does not have to be filled with insecurities.
  • Share my journey of home education and encouraging mothers in this area too, sharing some resources that I make for my children to learn with.

I hope you’ll journey along with me x

A vision for home

Published on by Alethea Awuku1 Comment

A place for belonging and becoming is important to this mama. Where hearts find a home to discover, test their limits, dream and hope. Home is base. The place intentionally and carefully built to serve us all. A place of refuge when we need shelter and protection from the harsh winds of the outside world, a safe launching pad that encourages us to try, to take the steps needed to develop skills and ideas, and the heartbeat of all things discipleship, training and refining.

When I think about my home, I envision warmth. Sacred and natural deeply rooted rhythms and traditions that have been intentionally repeated so much that they lead our days into an ever deeper connection with each other, the world around us and God. To build deep, strong foundations takes time and considerable effort. To establish, set in, and anchor hearts to all that is good and wonderful takes a mighty work of the Holy Spirit to come alongside my daily efforts.

How I long for my boys to know the powerful, soul grounding witness of the Lord in their hearts! It is my prayer for them daily. My hope and desire is that our home will be a place where miracles upon miracles are witnessed in all of our lives. May it stand as a monument testifying to the goodness and faithfulness of God to our lives.

My vision for my home is that it would be filled with love, laughter and joy. A space where learning is not only expected, but inwardly pursued, cherished, and evolving as we all change and grow. A place of cultivation rings strong in my heart. The tiling, preparing, and nurture of the souls that live under my roof is a humbling magnificent job that I know I am called to. May God give me the grace and capacity to carry this for my boys.

A place to be. To know without a doubt that they belong, and that daddy and I are committed to their becoming. What holy work!

My boys are currently 5, 3 and 1 and most days, in the chaos and busyness of caring for very young children, this ideal can feel very far away- like an unrealistic and impossible dream. However it echoes so loudly in my heart and I just cannot ignore it. Living with my children and being with them each day is quite an intimate reality to live.

We eat together, rest together, learn together, play, adventure and pray together each and everyday. We frustrate one another, quarrel, love and forgive. It’s all encompassing. A whole life. One that I am incredibly grateful for. I hope to revisit this post in a few years time to reflect on how my thoughts and desires have evolved.

Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built, And by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation], And by knowledge its rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4 (AMP)