"Firmly and lovingly, parents needs to take back the care of our little plants. Mother needs to be home so her children can be home. Then, when they are ready to leave the greenhouse, they will be mature. They will be really independent. They will have strong characters formed by saturation in God's Word and the sight of it in your life. You will have given them roots and wings!"
~Mary Pride, The Way Home
If you haven't read
The Way Home *beyond feminism back to reality* by Mary Pride, you definitely need to. It is a *great* read. It is convicting, encouraging and biblical. If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I believe, biblically, women are to be home raising their children. I am also a huge advocate for homeschooling.
I *do* understand there are situations where mothers must work...not because they
want to but because they
have to (single parent situations, husband unable to work etc.). I also know there are a lot of pressures (and desires) with women to want more
stuff and even go to work to give their children more "stuff". Then there are women who want their career and put their children with babysitters or daycare without thinking twice about it.
Situations vary....but the truth of the matter is this: if you have children, God has given the job to *you* to raise them. When children spend most of their waking hours under the care of another then *you* are not raising them...someone else is ~ and that is a shame. Raising souls is one of the greatest responsibilities you will ever have.
Nothing is more important. Mothers have the *best* job and so many (unfortunately) hand the reins to someone else. I'm not here to judge but rather encourage...that if this is *you*...sit down and crunch the numbers... you may have to take off the *extras* but you may be able to make it work. It is truly worth it to find out!
Tending the home is not drudgery. It's not always blissful fun of course, it's
work...but it is the woman's ministry. Think of how a society will improve or decline according to the family home! Mothers at home, tending to her husband, the house and the children ~ nowadays it sounds old fashioned and too-good-to-be-true. Now women are almost expected to go to college, join the workforce and earn money, money, money. But this need not be so!
"Homeworking is more than a dirty chore. It is a ministry. Humble, yes. But she who humbles herself will be exalted."
"God intended women to spend their whole lives serving other people. Young women serve their children, their mothers, their husbands, and the community at large. Older women train and assist the younger women, and in some cases become church helpers. Women are not called to pursue motherhood for five years, get a career, and thereafter live for themselves. We are responsible for keeping society healthy and human. And for this, we get respect. Charity at home? What an opportunity! What a ministry!"
~Mary Pride
,
Lately, here at home...
Above and below are pictures of my latest knitting finish.
Candle-lover here...(always bought on sale though!) ;)
Making caramels for the guys (my husband, FIL, BIL, and others) at the meat market who have been working tirelessly processing deer meat after this past deer season (I made them one year and now it has become a bit of a tradition. It's a bit of a pick-me-up for them after a busy couple weeks)...
I am such an apron-lover! Isn't this one so pretty?
Cutting caramels is *not* an easy job!
Here is a portion of the ones I made, cut and wrapped for the guys. I made a double batch (completely unintentionally...but found I used double the brown sugar in my first batch so had to double everything and just make a double batch)...and gave some to my Pastor and his wife for Christmas...
Please know ~ I desire good for others...and I
*know* that you will thrive when serving your family in love and glorifying God in the process! This is why I post things such as this....because I desire women to follow our biblical roles and watch society improve and the gospel spread as we are obedient to the Word! We, as sinful people, always try to do things our own way. If we would stick to God's Word...how much better life would be! I can understand unbelievers not abiding His Word...but if we claim Christ as our Savior then there really is *no* excuse for us as believers. We simply *must* be obedient (not out of legalism...but out of a pure love for God and because we know His ways are
always best!).
I leave you with this admonition and encouragement:
"Be a homeworker. Work to build up your husband, and help him attain an elder's qualities. Exercise hospitality. Serve people in your home. Be creative. Worship and praise the Lord, first with your family, then with others the Lord will bring. Seek further knowledge and the example of older women who have successfully raised godly children. Become the kind of woman who is now more rare than diamonds, and who has always been more precious than rubies (Prov. 31:10)."
~Mary Pride
Please, if you can, get the book that I linked to at the beginning of this post (or see if your library or a good friend has it for you to borrow). It's wonderful! Also, I just finished reading
"The Holiness of God" by R.C. Sproul. I think I have read it before but it was great the second time reading it too! So much truth and not difficult to understand! I highly recommend it!
Find your way home...it'll be the best decision you ever make. Not always the easiest choice, but so worth it, truly. Your husband, children and home *need* you!
Warmly,
Katy
Linked to:
The Art of Homemaking Mondays
