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Women Living Well Blog: Embrace Homemaking - Be Busy At Home

Women Living Well Blog

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Embrace Homemaking - Be Busy At Home

Do you feel frustrated with your homemaking skills sometimes? I do! I especially feel frustrated on days when I decide to have a down day. If I spend one day just letting things go - the place suddenly appears as though a bomb went off - the dishes quickly pile in the sink, the shoes pile by the door, the coats pile on the chair, the clothes pile in the bathroom, the markers, crayons, paper and toys just pile pile pile!!!!


Homemaking takes diligence and we must embrace it if we will find joy in it! As we clean we long for perfection - to create a heavenly home that truly does not exist - there will be no perfect home until we reach the shores of heaven. The frustration we feel as homemakers is a direct result of the effects of a fallen world.

Have you ever noticed how every time you go to the grocery store there is a new expensive cleaning gadget that has been created to make cleaning quicker? We have gone from rags and soap to throw away wipes that already have the solution in them. We have gone from buckets of soapy water and mops to thingymajigs that spray liquid and mop. It's really amazing how they market these "quick" cleaning items! We want the easy way out!

But truly to be a good homemaker it takes just one thing - DILIGENCE! It's not the tool in your hand - it's your heart! You can read all the websites and magazines and books on cleaning and own every gadget and gizmo - but if you lack diligence and have not given homemaking your time - you just won't get it all done.

The Proverbs 31 lady gave time to her home. We can feel so busy running here and there - going to play dates, sports for the kids, birthday parties and serving at church. Those are not bad things - BUT Titus 2:5 says that the younger women in the church need to learn to be "busy at home". So that means - first we need time in our homes and second, if we feel really busy homemaking - then you are doing it right!!

Homemaking takes time and will keep you quite busy! But it is one way that we serve our families. The home is where the molding of children's hearts takes place. The home is where your husband finds comfort and solace, where your children can share their passions and grow intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. Because we live in a fallen world - your home will never be perfect. Please do not strive for perfection - you will frustrate yourself and all who live in your home. But on the opposing side, please do not neglect your home believing that there is something greater and with more meaning outside the doors of your home.


God clearly puts a priority on homemaking in both Titus 2 and in the example of the Proverbs 31 woman. So embrace homemaking today - and get busy. Sit down and make your to-do list and follow the mandate that God has given younger women - "be busy at home". And don't forget to bring your children along side of you as you are busy at home. Yes - it will take you double the time to accomplish the task - and make you feel busier - BUT it will double the reward of your task -I will write more on this thought later...


Walk with the King!

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13 Comments:

Blogger kimmy said...

ok this is just what I need today! I am going swimming today and I feel guilty b/c there is stuff to do here so I am going to attempt to accomplish both somehow! I really need to mop the kitchen floor instead of just using the swiffer(love that thing) but it looks as though I am going to actually have to pull out the mop and bucket and put some elbow grease into it!Thanks for the encouragement to get on it today!lol

July 14, 2009 at 10:24 AM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Girl - I hear ya - if I waited to have my house in perfect order before I left it I could never leave hehe! But we must try our best to get a lot done in the time that we are there - so we can go do fun things with the kids free of guilt! And by the way, you have a very squeaky clean house - I can't imagine that your floor looks very dirty!!!!

July 14, 2009 at 10:45 AM  
Anonymous Kristi_runwatch said...

I was thinking about doing a post similar to this this week! We're "of the same mind" recently!

I've been thinking about how little we leave the house... it makes more housework, actually, but I know that I'm doing the right thing investing quality time in my family, cooking nutritious high-quality meals, caring for our home, and making our home a haven for my husband, children, and friends.

It's amazing how weird I feel when I talk to friends - most of them are at the pool every day or taking their small kids to a different activity every day of the week, constantly having playdates, etc. I think we're really robbing our families of stability and peace.

July 14, 2009 at 12:35 PM  
Blogger becky said...

This was a great post, It's a good reminder and gave me the challenge that I need to keep working on my to-do list today. Homemaking is what God has called us to do. Thanks for the encouragement :)

July 14, 2009 at 1:06 PM  
Blogger Melinda said...

I made the mistake of being way too concerned with things outside the home when my kids were littler. It was a huge mistake! I read a book called "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George and it changed my priorities drastically. I've never regretted it!

You'll have to check my blog in a few days ... I'm going to be starting something fun to help ladies (myself included) tackle neglected areas of our homes! ;0)

Great post, as usual, Courtney!

July 14, 2009 at 7:20 PM  
Anonymous Julie@comehaveapeace said...

In honor of your post, I'm going to do a "deep clean" in my bathroom tomorrow. :) Wonderful how a "loved" home is always appreciated by the members of the family. My husband is away, and I want him to come home to a haven I've prepared for him ... I've got plans. :)

July 15, 2009 at 12:54 AM  
Blogger Heather said...

"And don't forget to bring your children along side of you as you are busy at home. Yes - it will take you double the time to accomplish the task - and make you feel busier - BUT it will double the reward of your task -I will write more on this thought later... "
I need to work on this. My husband is much better than me at responding to our 4 year old daughter's requests to help.

And, having arranged 5 playdates for the next three days (perhaps a BIT excessive), I'm not sure whether to be challenged, bemused or offended by the comment (in Comments, not in your post) that says by doing this "we're robbing our families of stability and peace.".

July 15, 2009 at 7:55 AM  
Blogger Heather said...

Thanks for the ""A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George recommendation, Melinda. I've now ordered it from Amazon.

Heather in Scotland (Mum to a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old)

July 15, 2009 at 8:08 AM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Yes - I too LOVE Elizabeth George's books. Her books come with handbooks where you can have a group discussion. I have led "A Women After God's Own Heart" 3 times now - one of the times I used her in-depth handbook (like a Beth Moore workbook) and her DVD's - she is excellent!


She has another excellent book and handbook titled "Life Management for Busy Women!" that I highly recommend. Oh and she has a book specifically on Proverbs 31 titled "Beautiful in God's Eyes". Maybe I should mention these in a blog someday! Thanks for reminding me of these wonderful books!
Courtney

July 15, 2009 at 8:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed the post, but have a question... If I stay busy at home (which seems to be busy cleaning and organizing) what do my kids do? That is a huge area of guilt for me. I am ready to unplug the tv for good. I know I can rise earlier and be more efficient, but I feel as though I "ignore" my kids a lot of the time to clean the house constantly. I'm sure I could figure it out on my own, but I thought y'all might have some good advice too!

July 15, 2009 at 12:11 PM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Dear Anonymous - I touched on the answer to your question in the comments section today on the topic of "Drowning in Clutter" because another reader mentioned this very thought in the comment section. After writing a very lengthy answer I have decided that on Monday I will answer your question as the blog topic of the day (I'm posting a homemade laundry soap recipe tomorrow and a fit tip on Friday that correlates with homemaking!) so on Monday I'll write specifically what to do with little chidlren while you are homemaking. But for now - check out my answer on today's post.

Thank you so much for asking this question - I need to address it and failed to! Thanks!
Much Love,
Courtney

July 15, 2009 at 2:43 PM  
Anonymous Kristi_runwatch said...

Heather - I do hope that I haven't offended you. That really is just part of my own journey in learning to be the wife and mom God has called me to be. I echo Melinda's comment about keeping our priorities right - I can so quickly get my schedule full of "fun" non-essentials and suddenly I'm letting the core parts of my ministry to my family slide. I can't judge anyone else's schedule, I'm just wondering aloud if we have allowed ourselves to become distracted from what matters most.

I apologize if I stated that too strongly.

July 16, 2009 at 7:49 PM  
Anonymous Kristi_runwatch said...

I should also say that this is coming from someone who still has very small children - I know things will change as they get older.

July 16, 2009 at 7:50 PM  

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