simply homemaker

Dear friends,

I’m sitting on the bathroom floor of a double queen room at the Hilton Orlando, typing these words with the door closed.

A couple of hours ago, I put two little boys to bed. The baby fell asleep on my chest after much rocking and patting. The three-year-old wouldn’t settle until I laid down beside him and patted him to sleep too.

Before that, we read the Storybook Bible, sang Jesus Loves Me, and changed everyone into their little pajamas.

I also smell very much like babies.

Yet here I am, utterly grateful for the life God has asked me to take on.

So much has happened since I last wrote you. I remember moving here with so little idea of what this next season would hold, but thankful for the safe landing and God’s provision. In the months since, I’ve poured myself into building community and learning new skills at work, while still having somewhat of a life – working out five days a week and getting nine hours of sleep every night (well, probably not tonight).

I’ve also reintroduced creative hobbies into my life. This summer, I took piano lessons and learned to play a couple of songs. And right now, I’m writing again for fun. I have something special in the works, which is why I haven’t been very active on Simply Homemaker.

But there’s been so much homemaking that simply goes unrecorded, and part of me feels at peace with that.

Example: I went to TJ Maxx and spent $80 on spice jars, oil dispensers, and new salt shakers.
Example: I hosted ten girls at my house for candle painting.

Example: I’ve cooked from scratch almost every day and hardly eaten out at all in October.

When God brought me to Orlando, I thought this season would be short, maybe a year, two at most.

Until He asked me, gently but seriously, to take on seminary again.

“I have brought you a long way, dear,” He said. “Enough time has passed. It’s time you step into what I have promised.”

The plan slowly, but almost inevitably, shifted from one year, to two, and now, until the Lord leads.

Today, in my car driving from home to the ministry, I listened to a seminary chapel sermon and almost cried because I knew it was speaking to me.

The sermon is about full surrender.

This season, this life.
Sun and palm trees.

Full-time ministry during the week.
Quick weekend trips to Virginia for two-day classes.
Work-from-home weeks in Vietnam.
Babysitting little ones to buy Christmas gifts.

The world moves. Quick. But today, I spent an hour giving international students a tour of my ministry. Another hour to move my body and become strong. Another hour to make a nutritious lunch from everything I had left from my fridge. Another hour throwing balls and reading books with little babies so that their parents can follow God’s calling on their life.

My life now has nothing glamorous about it. No weekend trip to Hawaii or a European country. I barely tell anyone I just got an MBA in May, or if that actually mattered now at all. No five-star hotels and steak dinners because I was throwing big events for 150 corporate America people.

Yet, sitting here on this bathroom floor, I have never felt more certain of the place I should be in life.

Right here, right now, all grace.

“The Lord is my Shepherd

I lack nothing

He lays me down in green pastures

He leads me besides still waters

He restores my soul

He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake”

Going back now to writing my paper about postmodernism and culture and theology with the hope that the little baby would sleep undisturbed for another hour. It’s quite a thrill. See you some time, soon?

Love,

Tram

P/s: No more steak dinners at fancy restaurants, but I have officially become a steak person at home. Next, I’m praying for a dutch oven. I think the bread and butter season is going to be here soon, and you know I won’t miss my chance to be a sourdough fairy.

P/ss: Thank you, my 32 subscribers. My corner of the Internet feels so big and important to me, you have no idea!