Homemaking has turned into a HUGE passion of mine. A passion to truly see women live out their biblical calling and responsibility at home. Loving God, their husband and children for the Glory of the Most High King.
In Proverbs 31 nine verses directly refer to the wife’s work in the home. The Proverbs 31 woman’s life revolved around her home and she had pure satisfaction in doing so. She saw her job as a home-based ministry. Ministry. Titus 2 & 1 Timothy5 talk about the women’s role to be at home maintaining a household that is pleasing to God. I know talking about women staying at home vs. working is a touchy subject in our culture these days and I pass no judgement if you do have to work because of uncontrollable circumstances. But I believe God intended for us women to be home and do a good job taking care of it.
“A wife who is gone with too many activities or work, does not have the time nor energy to keep her home as it should be kept, Staying at home and running a household is a major biblical emphasis in the God given ministry of a wife.” Martha Peace “The Excellent Wife” pg 73
You set the tone in your house everyday. You know that saying “If Mama ain’t happy,then nobody happy” Well it’s PRETTY true! I am not sitting her thinking I have it all together because when it comes to setting the tone I can do a way better job!! Chaos & disorder create tension & contention in your home,your job should be finding ways to make your home a safe, peaceful haven for your husband and children. Turn off the TV, play music with some candles lit and go about your day. I realize it makes all the difference. The woman who views her life as a “cross to bear” projects those feelings onto her family and robs everyone of joy.
If your family were to describe you what would they say??
Colossians 3:23 “She does her work HEARTILY as unto the Lord” As a wife & mother we should be trying our best to be good and efficient at our job,keeping up on the housework as much as possible,providing good healthy meals for our family. We should not waste time (I am SO guilty of that when it comes to the computer!!) Being at home does not give us a pass to sit on the couch all day eating potato chips and watching soap operas. Although some days it is nice and fine to just relax! Self discipline is a hard thing to do. On the other hand some women are perfectionists, they unnecessarily overwork themselves and make everyone miserable in the process. While it is great to teach self-discipline. It’s also wrong to be intolerant when the house is a mess.
One of the best ways we can start the day off well is taking time to dive into God’s word and wash our soul in his presence. If I take the time to get up a bit early and spend my day with Christ I feel energized and invigorated the rest of the day and I notice a huge difference! “This is the day the Lord has made, Let us REJOICE and be glad in it” Psalm 118: 24
In the book the “Excellent Wife” Martha Peace gives a few ways we can set the tone in our home
- Express interest in your family, take advantage of special moments with your babes and husband. Give your husband a extra long embrace or smooch. As you are mopping the floor take time to whisper into your child’s ear “I love you, you are such a joy to me”
- Be dressed. I am horrible at this. But try to get yourself together as much as possible even if it just means doing your hair!
I am still very much a work in progress, as we all are. I am not saying we need to be perfect but we do need to be doing our best. we wouldn’t show up to work in our tweety bird pajama bottoms and stinky breath. So we shouldn’t be doing our most important job as a wife and mom looking like that either!
Your Challenge: Set the tone in your home. Make your home a relaxing enviroment, a safe haven for your family to walk into at the end of the day and know when they walk in the door they are loved and cherished for who they are. How do you make your home a haven?
Meghan blogs over at Divinely Domesticated
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful! Thank you.
We’ve had a lot of chaos in our lives the last, well–I guess it’s been 2 years of chaos. I’ve really struggled to maintain peace and order through these hard times. But, those days that I get up early, delve into His word AND get dressed, are the smoothest days. Thanks for that reminder–it’s one I often forget!
I blogged a post with the exact same title here… http://chickncharge.blogspot.com/2009/05/striving-for-excellence.html
My job as homemaking is VERY important to me and I try to encourage young homemakers to take their jobs seriously! Thank you for this post today!
Thank you for this incredible post! You have captured my heart perfectly here. My passion is for the home and family. I am tired if seeing families torn apart and want to teach the next generation of women to embrace and love their roles as women.
Let me put down my potato chips and cream soda to write my comment…okay. You have given me a lot to think about. I have read Martha Peace’s book this last year. I am not sure if I finished it, but probably did. I have a problem with remembering all I read. I guess you can say it didn’t “stick”. That being said, I do know a lot of times the discord and discomfort in the family is due to my attitude and the tone I set. So thanks for reminding me that my work is a ministry. This is the best ministry there is.
Great post! We can never hear enough encouragement about the most important job in the world…
Oh, oh, oh!
Setting the tone…. I am so bad with this
I get overwhelmed and frustrated with the littlest things and get cranky. I need to let small things go and put that focus and energy into my husband and children. I’m learning better and better the mechanics of taking care of a home and a family though.
*sigh*
Maybe I’m still bitter over not being taught these things when I was young, but having to learn it all as an adult. I’m so grateful to be able to find ladies online who are going through the same issues, and are willing to teach and share.
home-based ministry: I love it! But get out of the pj’s *gasp! That equals more laundry
THANK YOU! Just what I needed to hear today!
Oh, how I thank you for this post! Recently, my youngest has been sick, my three-year-old has been having more tantrums than usual and I am working on getting through my first trimester of pregnancy. Needless to say, keeping the proper tone in our home has been a struggle for me. Reading this definitely makes me put my head on straight for a moment and recognize that I do set the tone in the house and I need to do my best to keep that tone peaceful and relaxing. Thank you!
It’s evident where your heart is, to do the Lord’s work in your home. What an encouragment to the rest of us, to not just do our job as wives and moms, but to enjoy our work! The thing that I notice that makes the biggest change around my house is the way I speak. When I am gentle (even if I have to be firm), when my tone of voice is peaceful instead of angry, when I speak in a quiet and loving way, that’s what makes my home a haven. I wrote once about the legacy I want to leave my kids, and this has a big thing to do with it.
Thanks for the post!
I have noticed so often how much better and more settled my children are, when we take the time to dress, do their hair, make their beds, and do a quick tidy, before we start our homeschooling. Even my boys! And their mood is often more tranquil, if I put classical music on in the background – instead of tv. Not to be posh! But just cos it works
then if I need a break (to shower and dress), letting them have a short video will hold them cos it hasn’t been on all day. But even if no-one is dressed, in the middle of chaos, we all feel much better with nice music, a cuddle on the sofa, and a whispered “i love you”! (i noticed this years ago with our first few were little, and am noticing it again now we have more littlies and the others are biggies!) Now, our older ones will put on a favourite classical cd, and help dress the babes, and get them settled for the day, if I’m struggling with illness (pregnancy n miscarriage, recently) . We all feel much better in a pleasant atmosphere, even if the housework isn’t done yet!
PS. We especially love the composers who were Christians – Bach, Händel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, etc. When I read their life stories and struggles, and see how God worked in their lives, I am so encouraged to hang in there, with His grace, and pass on our faith to our kids. Rest in Him -Godly mothering rocks the world!
Ironic I read this on a day I plan to be lazy : ) This expresses my heart so fully. I hope this is what my family sees in me. But I still take my Saturday’s off : )
So, so good! Loved this. Thank you!
Thanks for posting this!!! So needed to read it.
http://theballardsblog.blogspot.com/
Love, love, love this post. Thank you so much for sharing your feelings on this subject it is a touchy one. I love being a homemaker and TRYING to do all the above, some-days are easier than others. Hugs, Bobbi Jo
That was wonderfully and eloquently stated! Stay-at-home moms should never be looked down upon. When asked what I do, I say that I am CEO. And when they say of what, I tell them CEO of Our Household
I make our home a haven by lighting candles, and keeping the house as neat as possible!
I will have to purchase the book “The Excellent Wife.”
Something my mother taught when I was young ~ to get cleaned up and dressed whether you are going anywhere or not. I always feel like I’m ready to work when I clean up in the morning.
I try to keep a regular routine for our family, particularly in the evenings when my husband comes home. This routine helps us feel more relaxed and allows us to have quality time together.
I do believe the wife has a huge influence on the environment of her home. Chaos certainly makes for a more tense and rushed mood. Order and organization make the home run more smoothly. I have not yet perfected organization in my home. There is always work that needs to be done and improvements to be made.
FlyLady has been a big help to me. Getting “dressed to shoes” everyday really makes a difference. Unfortunately, this took a few too many wake up calls to finally get it to stick – baby falling end-over-end down a flight of stairs, husband showing up at lunchtime unannounced with co-workers, severe storms – all while in my jammies and disarray. I have finally managed that step of my morning routine without fail and am working on it with our girls telling them to get up and dressed so they’re ready for anything that God throws our way this day.
Everything else is still a massive work in progress!
God has blessed me with skills and talent that I use at a job that I am called to. He has also blessed me with the means to pay a cleaning lady. God does not intend every women to stay at home mopping the floor. That is not every woman’s role, calling or ministry. That is not God’s intention.
what about bonbons and soap operas? surely that’s better than chips?
Thank you for this post. I was immediately convicted when you asked how my family would describe me. I need to work on this a bit more. I know I need to keep up with housework and make my home pleasant, but it’s most important to keep a happy spirit in the midst of madness. I tend to let what ISN’T getting done get to me.