Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
Encouragement and Inspiration for women choosing to rise above the “just survive” mentality and instead set their mind on thriving in all that they say and do. The ultimate goal is to equip you to pursue whatever is excellent in the midst of your ordinary life and in all that you say and do.
Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
17: The Art of Meaningful Household Rhythms
Discover the secret to transforming your home into a sanctuary of love and purpose. Journey with me as I explore the profound impact of meaningful household rhythms, drawing inspiration from biblical stories like the fig tree in Mark 11. I'll provide you with insight into how focusing on the life within, rather than mere appearances, can lead to true fulfillment. This discussion invites you to embrace the simplicity of daily life with intentionality, setting the stage for extraordinary outcomes that resonate with peace and vitality.
Through personal stories and practical advice, I reveal the art of crafting harmonious household routines that foster excellence and contentment, particularly for women striving to create nurturing environments. By emphasizing the power of consistency and planning, I demonstrate how ordinary habits can bear extraordinary fruit. Drawing from John 15, you can underscore the transformative power of abiding in Christ to cultivate a home filled with genuine joy and abundant life. Whether it's managing family mealtimes or nurturing relationships, discover how aligning with Christ's teachings can fill your home—and life—with purpose.
Recommended Reading on this Topic:
Habits For a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito
Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
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It stands out amongst the rest, not because it is the most beautiful or even the most interesting, but because it is ordinary, and in its ordinariness there is evidence of life and excellence. What if there was a way that you could turn your ordinary life into something meaningful and full of abundant life? Currently, I live along the central coast of California, on the Monterey Peninsula, and every week I enjoy walking along this recreation trail that lines the shore. Along this recreation trail that lines the shore, there are dozens of gorgeous homes nestled along this section of the bay, and let me tell you, these homes are breathtaking and mostly all empty, likely designed as beach homes or guest properties. I'm assuming. These lovely homes are pretty to look at, but there is nothing happening inside, except for this one house, my favorite house. Honestly, the outside of this home is plain and perhaps even a little bit ugly, perhaps even a little bit ugly, especially when situated next to all of these other mansions. This home is smaller and brown and even though it boasts picture windows and prime real estate, it is otherwise unremarkable. But then again, it isn't the outside that captivates me. But then again, it isn't the outside that captivates me, at the risk of sounding creepy. It's the life I see happening inside that captures my attention.
Leanne:Every morning the same sweet couple sits at their table enjoying breakfast together. As I quickly walk by, only allowing myself a glimpse, I can't help but imagine their conversations around that table. Maybe they're discussing when their grandchildren will visit next, or perhaps they're going over what they intend to plant in their garden that spring. Through the windows you can see blankets and a laundry basket on the couch. I can't see the sink, but I imagine that there are some unwashed dishes in there too. In the midst of the rows of grand houses, this ordinary home is extraordinary because it is full of ordinary life.
Leanne:I'm telling you this story about a plain old house for two reasons. First, this house reminds me of the story in Mark 11, when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. When he encounters a fig tree, expecting there to be fruit on the tree, Jesus sees that the tree does not have any fruit and, as a result, he curses the tree. The next day, as the disciples are walking back past that tree, they notice that it has shriveled up and died. This passage of scripture also includes Jesus cleansing the temple. He was displeased with the outward display of religiosity and the inward evidence of fruitlessness. Seeing all of these big, beautiful, empty homes reminds me that it doesn't really matter what the outside looks like. It's what is happening inside that matters. What evidence of fruit is your life producing? Which brings me to the second lesson and the part that I really want to focus on for this episode.
Leanne:How can we, as women of excellence, ensure our homes are full of life and bearing much fruit in the midst of the ordinariness of our day-to-day life ordinariness of our day-to-day life? Let's say that you've set an intention this year to be a calm and peace-filled wife and mother. You want to be thoughtful about how you conduct the rhythms of your household. You are invested in maintaining an orderly and content home, and yet you are unsure what habits you need to develop in order to make this happen. Does that sound familiar?
Leanne:I remember when my daughter was about a year old and was really starting to enjoy eating solid foods. It was fun to think about what to fix for dinner and see what new foods she would try next. It was fun until it wasn't until she started throwing her food on the ground, until she started complaining about having to eat vegetables. I don't know exactly when it occurred to me that I would be responsible for figuring out dinner every night for this child and any other children I may have for the next 18 years. But I do remember thinking it was a little bit excessive. That's a lot of meals to prepare, three meals a day, every day, over and over again. Talk about ordinary life, right. And yet it was important to me to gather around the table every evening. As a family, I knew that, statistically speaking, children are typically more grounded and sure of who they are when they grow up in homes that prioritize mealtimes together. So the fruit I hoped to see in our home was well-adjusted, confident children who grew up to be wise, critical thinkers and compassionate human beings. How could I cultivate all of this? How about one meal at a time? 1 Corinthians 10.31 says this. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Suddenly, the idea of making this a household rhythm was born.
Leanne:The word rhythm means a regularly reoccurring sequence of events or actions. The household rhythm I wanted to be intentional with was sharing an evening meal together. From this intention, I knew I would need a routine to follow in order to ensure that this mealtime rhythm actually happened every day, lord knows. Trying to wing it every day wasn't going to make it happen for very long.
Leanne:A routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed or a fixed program. It comes from the French word meaning route or road, so I needed a route, or, let's say, a roadmap, to follow every day in order to provide a mealtime rhythm that would be fruitful and beneficial for my family. This meant setting up a specific time or maybe a window of time for dinner that worked for my husband, my kids, myself and the current season of life that we were in, and it meant prepping for that meal ahead of time, things like creating a meal plan or getting the groceries, chopping the vegetables, setting the table. This daily rhythm would require some forethought and some planning. From there, I was able to determine the habits that I would need to set up in order to follow the route or the roadmap that I was making. This meant things like meal planning for the week on Sunday, maybe buying the groceries on Mondays, taking meat out of the freezer by 9am every morning, starting dinner prep by 5pm. You get the idea. These ordinary habits became part of the routine that leads to the household rhythm of sharing a meal together every day, and the best part is that setting up this routine and the daily habits that go along with it have led to more meals shared around our table together as a family. Of course, life happens and the routine that I set up around this mealtime has been adjusted over the years, but the ritual of eating together has remained.
Leanne:This is the same process that you can follow as you consider the rhythms in your home. Begin with an intention or something that is important to you. Observe what rhythms are already happening in this area. Think about how you can revise or edit the rhythm to bring more calm and peace into your home. Then plan the routine or the roadmap that will help you to get the rhythm you'd like for your household. Once you have your plan, the routine, decide what habits or smaller action steps you need to take every day in order to follow that plan, that roadmap and, of course, give yourself grace and adjust as needed.
Leanne:I have found that establishing rhythms in your home often takes a couple of weeks to really start to flow. My daughter takes piano lessons and every week when she is learning a new piece, it sounds really clunky in the beginning. I mean, she's still learning the notes and working through the uncomfortable and unfamiliar parts, but by the end of the week you can hear the melody as she gains confidence and is more sure of the notes that she is playing. The same is true for you when you are working through a new rhythm for your household. You may need a couple of weeks to work through the kinks and to get to the part where things are flowing together. Then, after the couple of weeks the two weeks you will be better able to make slight adjustments. Perhaps you need to start prepping dinner a little earlier so that you don't feel rushed. Maybe you need to find a special toy or a game to occupy your kids so that you can focus on the cooking. Or maybe your husband needs a little bit more time to wrap up work and dinner needs to be pushed back just a little bit more.
Leanne:Taking time to establish these rhythms in your household is the way you can transform ordinary life into something more meaningful and fruitful. Now I can see your mind spinning with all the ideas right now. There are likely many rhythms that you want to get going for your family. I want to encourage you to start with only one. Take time to really get that rhythm going and then, when it feels like it's flowing and you can hear the melody, then start working on the next rhythm, one by one. The most common rhythms for ordinary life are typically centered around mornings, transitions, mealtimes and evenings. I've given you an example of a mealtime rhythm, and I recommend that you start with one of those and work through establishing a rhythm that really works for your family, something that brings that calm and peace and helps you move through that portion of the day with this flow.
Leanne:If you are looking for some steps, practical steps for how to establish a life giving rhythm for your family, I'm going to give you some right now. So grab a piece of paper or remember the timestamp right here so you can come back and list these out later. So the first thing you're going to do to establish a life-giving rhythm for your family is to begin with your intention. What is it that you want? What is important to you? What best supports your family values?
Leanne:Number two the next thing you're going to do is observe what the current rhythm, or lack of rhythm, is at the moment, like what is happening around mealtimes right now in your home. Consider what is working and what isn't working. How could this rhythm be improved so that your home is more peace-filled and calm? Then, number three you're planning the routine. What does your roadmap need to include so that you can establish this rhythm in your home? Number four is determining the daily habits you need to follow so that you can stick to the routine you've created. Number five continue following the routine and completing the habits every day for at least two weeks. Then, number six is revising and adjusting the routine to accommodate any unforeseen challenges that may have come up in the two weeks. Do you need to make any adjustments? Now's the time to do that. Then, number seven is to keep doing the ordinary habits. They might even seem mundane at this point, until you start to feel the flow of that rhythm.
Leanne:And then the last thing is to celebrate the new rhythm that you have just established and to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your thoughtfulness and planning have led to ordinary rhythms that promote peace and calm and contentment in your home. Your home is orderly and full of abundant life. The beauty of your home isn't about how big or grand or perfect it may look on the outside. Your home is admirable and lovely and excellent because you have taken the ordinariness of daily life and you have ordered it into something that serves others well. Your household rhythms are evidence of taking the next right step, with excellence and for the glory of God. I want to end this episode with a powerful passage of scripture, both as a reminder and as a benediction for you as you begin establishing rhythms for your home this year.
Leanne:Jesus says in John 15, verses 5 through 11, I am the vine and you are the branches.
Leanne:Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and it withers and the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. Your ordinary home is full of life and bearing much fruit when you firstly abide in Christ. Apart from Him you can do nothing, but in Him there is an abundance of joy.