I love taking care of my family and home. It is my life. It comes second only to my relationship with God. It's not always easy....it's not always
fair. Over the past 10 years, God has revealed so much to me. He has taken me from a selfish wife to a wife who truly desires to serve her family! I will be forever grateful!
When Chris and I got married, we were so young...I, 19; He, 21. Although I truly loved Chris and wanted him to be happy...at that time, I was in the mind-set that I was deserving of his constant praise and adoration. I wasn't really in the *servant* frame of mind. I cleaned and tried to take care of him...but I got easily upset when he didn't seem appreciative or attentive to *my* needs.
It took me years to let God do a serious work in me. I wanted control. I wanted to be in charge of me. Oh...I cringe at the selfish attitude that I possessed. As a woman of God...it is my job and life's mission to care for my husband, children and home. I am to be a servant....with a joyful and loving spirit. It is difficult to detach from
self. But if you truly desire to be like Jesus and live your life for Him...then you
must let go of self and start
cheerfully focusing on others. This starts first with focusing on
Him...for how can you know how to live if you don't *know* the Reason for life!?
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
~ Proverbs 31:11-12
Next, if you are married, the focus is on your husband. This may not be an easy thing...but it is absolutely a *must*. Your husband may leave dirty clothes on the floor,
beside the hamper. He may leave his shoes on the floor in the living room. Maybe he doesn't read the Bible like you want him to...or isn't exactly who
you want him to be. But it
isn't our job to change our husbands. It *is* our job to pray for, encourage, love and take care of our husbands....even if they don't pray for, encourage, love or take care of
us! When you married him...you did it for better or worse and for *life*. Make the absolute best of it. Be the *best* wife you can be! :) Let God work on your husband...you just keep on loving and caring for him!
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
~ Proverbs 31:28
Your children come next. Caring for, loving, and training them up in the Lord is our responsibility. It's not the grandparent's job, not the babysitter's job, not the school's job, not the church's job....it is *ours*. God entrusts us with these beautiful creatures to raise up in love. Everything we do for them should be done in love...including discipline. We should be teaching them to have a servant's heart as well. It can be very difficult at times...children have different temperments, characters and personalities. I have shed many tears over the years...feeling that my mothering was sub-par and struggling when I didn't know the right way to handle a situation. Turning to our Father and how
He parents
us is the best way to learn how to be the best parents for our children.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
~ Proverbs 31:27
Creating a home that is a cozy and comfortable place for your family is also very important. Keeping things tidy and cared for can let your husband and children know that you work hard to keep a lovely and peaceful place for them to enjoy. But keep yourself in check...this
doesn't mean scrubbing every inch of your house daily....or making a *perfectly* kept house more important than the people who live
in it! Also keep your *attitude* in check. A pleasant, cheerful, and loving woman is someone that others will *want* to be around. :)
I am so very far from perfect...but I hope, in sharing my typical day with you, that I will be of encouragement to you! :)
She gets up while it is still dark;
~ Proverbs 31:15a
My day starts out anytime between 5-6am. My body naturally awakens at that time. I know this doesn't come naturally to some...but you *can* retrain your body...and that time in the morning is very valuable! Some days, I check email and such on the computer...then go downstairs to have breakfast, read my Bible and review my To-Do list for the day and any appointments in my planner.
I then will start Chris's coffee and make his lunch. I will then take a shower. Usually, by this time it is around 7 and my children are up. They feed the dogs while I wake Chris. Then I will get them breakfast. After sending Chris off to work with love...I will then sit and start decorating and recording a bit in my memory journal. Usually at least one (sometimes all) of the children will sit down at the table with me and color, practice writing their letters or words etc. My mom calls most mornings around 8...so I enjoy a few minutes of conversation with her each morning before starting my daily chores.
Then, while I begin cleaning...dishes, laundry, general pick-up, sweeping and vacuuming etc...the littles will go out and feed the sheep and chickens and then stay out to play while the weather is still cool.
Loads of laundry are washed and hung out to dry through the day...then brought back in, folded and put away!
I try to get my kitchen clean and neat each morning. A clean and nice smelling kitchen is such a joy to walk into. It is such a central place of the home.
Making sure all the beds are made each morning is something important to me, as well. A neat, made bed can make an even
messy room appear tidier. :)
Once we begin our new year of homeschooling in August...I will get the house generally picked up each morning, early...and then after breakfast, we will spend the morning on our schoolwork. Then I will do a bit of deeper cleaning in the afternoon.
Most afternoons, we have a time of rest....not always a time of *sleep* but a time of rest and calm. Sometimes my littles will drift off to sleep and other times, not. Just as long as they have some time of rest after busy hours of play, cleaning, and (during the school year) schoolwork. Then it's time for preparing supper and making sure the house is neat and tidy for when Chris comes home....not because he
requires it, but because I feel that preparing a comfortable place for him to relax after a long day at work shows him I love him! :)
At times, during the day, I will sit and knit. I have been working on many different things, but since they are gifts, I can't post about them right yet! :)
After supper, after making sure everyone is full and content, I will do dishes...then some evenings we'll spend time as a family, or each of us will work on projects we are doing, the kids will play etc. :) Around 8 or 9 at night...we'll tuck the children in and usually I will turn in, as well. Usually Chris rests downstairs in his chair, watching TV for a bit. I will lay in bed and read and pray. Usually, as I start to fall asleep, Chris will come up after showering and sit in a chair in our room and read a while before coming to bed. :)
That's a general idea of our days...although no two days are *exactly* alike. :) I pray, if you haven't before, that you will seek to serve your family with a cheerful spirit. :) I hope you find encouragement in this post and in your daily time with God. I want to stress the fact that I am definitely *not* perfect...but just wanted to share how I am striving to live to serve! :)
I feel as though I have so much more I would love to share with you...but alas, between the time it takes to type this as well as some difficulties with my computer ~ I have spent more time than I wanted to, already, here. So I will leave you with this, as is. :)
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts...whether by comment or email. Thank you for taking the time to stop and read and, if you do, share your thoughts with me! :)
You each are always a source of encouragement and blessing to me!
Warmly,
Katy :)
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
~Numbers 6:24-26
