Sunday, August 30, 2009

Resolutions

May Allah grant all these:

1. To think of Allah's redha in everything I do
2. To give 100% sincerity in fulfilling my responsibilities as a wife, mom, daughter and most importantly as someone whose life is owed to Allah's generosity
3. To read at least one page of Qur'an everyday
4. To be more generous with my smile when I meet others outside, even if they do not wish to smile at me
5. To have only one place to share my feelings, be it happiness or anguish. The place shall be in my own heart directly with Allah, because only He knows best
6. To not talk about other's weaknesses
7. To invest my time for akhirat, not for the search of pahala, but for the ability to meet Allah and His Messenger, Nabi Muhammad

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The True Job, God is My Boss

Often people frown on my decision to be a SAHM. "A university graduate gave up her job to look after her baby" seems not to be an ideal scenario for everyone. Because "you need to earn money to help your husband and prepare for the future". Well, what if my husband has brought home enough for the three of us? We can even still afford to shop and eat out sometimes. I believe God has given me far more than enough. This is based on logical thinking that my father used to feed five with the same amount that my husband now has to feed only three. Also I do not fret for the future, because God has prepared what I need.

"A total waste of skills?" Very wrong perception that is. As an author named Dorothy Patterson said..

"Homemaking — being a full-time wife and mother — is not a destructive drought of uselessness but an overflowing oasis of opportunity; it is not a dreary cell to contain your talents and skills but a brilliant catalyst to channel creativity and energies into meaningful work ... it is neither limitation of gifts available nor stinginess in distributing the benefits of those gifts, but rather the multiplication of a mother's legacy to the generations to come and the generous bestowal of all God meant a mother to give to those He entrusted to her care."

What is there to look forward to at the end of earning much and spending it all on expensive items when you can spend much less and enjoy the time with your baby which is exactly what a baby needs most? Why earn and then buy more things for everyone when these things may not necessarily make them happy? The truth is everyone is trapped in the dual income mindset as Heather Koerner puts it best. We spend as if there is we have two persons earning in the house, when we should only consider just a sole breadwinner (the husband) and the wife's income should be all saved as surplus. THIS makes us complacent and starts to spend more.

For me, I firmly stand by my decision to Stay and Work at Home. I do not want to miss out on my child's development, her joy and discoveries. To have a career can be any time much later when my girl has gone to school. But now, especially the first two years of her life, it is important that I share my life with her as much as I can. To teach her new things, understand her emotions, and make her laugh.

I cannot imagine myself working in an office and leaving her to be understood by others who do not know her more than her mom does. Especially when she is still new to the world, and needs my presence to motivate her in her learning journey.

For the people who still frown or laugh at a SAHM, God may be laughing at your ignorance...Because He knows way more than you think you do.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Happiness in the form of a child

The days and years passed, and the peak of it all is when the long awaited moment arrived on 16 October 2008. It was in a cold room, where a new life decided to show its true beauty and strength, after 39 weeks of silence, darkness and uncertainty. The soft but shrill cries and ever moving limbs were a great sign of good health. Laid on the bed for the first time, a hand quickly grasped the side of the bed, perhaps eager to explore its surroundings or perhaps it wanted my hug. Then it felt me and settled down in the warmth of the blanket. Ever so beautiful as the doctors and midwives have described.