"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." Proverbs 14:1In the dictionary it says - pick, pull off, pull up....as in "tearing up a flower", just pulling it out by the roots.
House - referring more to family but also can be an "inside" place or home.
How many ways might we be destroying our families and homes on a daily basis? Do we build our husbands and children up or do we tear them down? Do we cause them to be discouraged by complaining? Are we so unorganized we are constantly busy trying to catch up and have no time for them? Are we willing to love them as Jesus Christ would have us love them?
Think about it.............most of us as mothers have a natural instinct to love our children, that comes naturally as far as caring for them and protecting them. But what about what is right for a child from God's perspective? That does not always come naturally. That love has to think first, then act in line with what we know is Biblical truth. The outcome being a more long range result. It is choosing what we know God says is right, not just going by what we think is right from our natural instinct. This is the love talked about in Titus 2, "teach them to love their children". In not doing so, are we by chance "tearing our house down"?
This kind of love must be learned!
There are many ways to make things work better for us at home, which often makes everyone happier and helps us in "building our house". Do your children help you around the house. They all can and should learn the responsibility of having to make a home run smoothly. I had a friend, who had 10 children, all homeschooled......as soon as the youngest could reach the bottom rack of the dishwasher it was their job to empty the dishwasher and just put them on the table. They were learning to help and they enjoyed it. I really think whether or not our children enjoy work is how they see us handle it. :)
There are many things I hope to share with you on this blog. Simple recipes, make ahead recipes for the freezer, making money by saving money, canning, many things that over the years have helped me be able to stay home. We have done without some luxuries, and cut back in areas that some people are just not willing to do...........but I have been home and able to care for my family. And, my children did not feel deprived or without....we had fun and they enjoyed life to the fullest!! I guess, I looked at it as "my childrens lives depended on it"....I did work out of the home when we first got married and I cannot imagine how I could have done that, raised children and kept my home. Some do, and do it well, it just was not what God has for all of us, so this is to encourage those who are home.
Now, in this new season of life, I have a bit more free time. I still choose to be home. I try to be more creative about how to help make money to make ends meet. Selling things in my Etsy shop, Prairie Day Camp in the front yard for homeschoolers, Keeper at Home classes in my home, where girls come and learn cooking and sewing or other hand skills. That way, it is income and I am putting into peoples lives.
Just to touch on one possible cause of "tearing our house down".......a few ideas I ran across recently in a very old magazine.....
Time Management Helps
1. Seek God and pray over your goals.
2. Do the worst things first.
3. Learn to say no!!!
4. Get rid of clutter.
5. Don't pile it, file it!!
6. Eliminate unproductive activities.
7. Make a list and stick to your list.
8. Rise early!
9. Get an answering machine or take your phone off the hook.
10. Include your family.
11. For housecleaning, each night have a 10 minute pick up before bed.
12. When you are feeling very discouraged, depressed, tired, and like lashing out in the evenings, you are probably tired............a good time to be quiet so we do not "tear down" all we have done in our day.
Of course, there is much to say about each of these points, perhaps another time.
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