Housewife

Are you a house-wife?  Apparently, this can mean many different things to many different people.  Also, the compound word -housewife- can conger up just as many different visages.  What comes to your mind?

Housewife.

I usually do not get upset by what secular people say or write.  I expect them to have a secular view point, what else can they?  But I admit this article got me under the skin.  Perhaps because it is about a subject that crosses from our spiritual lives into the mundane and vice-versa.  And I am so passionate about this subject of HOUSEWIVES!

I was going to begin my long awaited study of Ladies Of Virtue (awaited by me, who has been procrastinating in writing it) but this article takes precedence.  If you would like, you can click to read it now (just remember to come back) or wait until after you finish this post. http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/11/14/the-evolution-of-the-housewife/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl25%7Csec1_lnk3%7C112411


Volumes could very realistically be written discoursing the various aspects of the house wife.  I will try to be succinct.  You, Christian woman -who live in your house with your husband and perhaps children- are you content in your role?  Or would you agree with the secular media that you need liberated from the demeaning title of housewife?

Whatever the other work that we may do outside of the home, ministries in which we serve, or ventures that we partake of, scripture is clear that the home is the domain for the family with the wife being the overseer of its affairs.  (See Titus 2 and Proverbs 31.)

                                                       Home allows us women to flourish-

We are managers

-accountants
-administrators

-counselors

-coaches

-judges

-law makers

-nurses

-cooks

-cleaners

-chauffeurs

-teachers

-communicants
-creators

 to name some of our tasks and opportunities.

As for "wasting" my talents while being at home -I garden, paint, love decorating, and hand crafts (that I use to beautify my home); I have teaching opportunities through bible studies, book clubs, and homeschool co-ops; I do graphic art for the situations named above, plus for my own managing tools.  I love to plan a meal, prepare it, and show hospitality to those who enjoy those efforts. I write on this blog (from my home) reaching women all over the world.  My home is my realm where I can grow and flourish, not to mention providing that same disposable to others.

What are your talents and skills that you are using from home?

Dear Christian sister let us REVEL in our vocation of being a house wife.  It is God's wisdom to confound the wise.  Let us be HAPPY in our homes, not discontent and grumbling like the daughters of the world.  Let us not be ashamed to be called "housewife" for to the discerning that word is a definition with infinite possibilities.

Visit tomorrow to read about one of the most important opportunities that we have as house wives.
 

Linking today with Time-warp-wife.www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com

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A Confession and God's Goodness

I have a confession to make, but first, I want you to read the following scripture very carefully.

"What leads to strife and how do conflicts originate among you?  Do they not rise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members?  You are jealous and covet (what others have) and your desires go unfulfilled; (so) you become murderers.  You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain (the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek),  so you fight and war.  You do not have, because you do not ask. Or you do ask God for them and fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives.  Your intention is (when you get what you desire) to spend it in sensual pleasure. You (are like) unfaithful wives (having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God!)  .....Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit (to be welcome) with a jealous love.  But He gives more grace (power to of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully.)  That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty , but gives grace (continually) to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it.) ~James 4:1-4, 4-6 Amplified

Does that living word cut into your heart and bring to light any thought and intentions that were hidden deep within its recesses?

A couple of week's ago I was lamenting with a friend that while I feel called to write and teach I do not feel like it is going anywhere.  The desire to encourage and comfort.women in their Christian faith is a fire burning in my belly.  However, I often struggle with envy.  There it is that green, ugly word- ENVY.  What else can I call it?  When I see other bloggers grow without measure, their ministry exploding- I want that for myself.  I want to have thousands of readers hanging on my words, be asked to do radio shows, and television cameos. But why?  Is it so that thousands of women are comforted and exhorted or so that I can feel more important?  I have to admit that it is both.  But therein, lies the struggle and warring within myself.  The battling between my heart and mind and my logic and desires. 

"Why do I have such a strong desire to share the abundant Life in Christ?"  I answer myself, "Because I want to see them living it too."  I have prayed for more open doors, more opportunities to write and teach.   Time passes and things remain idle.

A shadow in the background of my heart whispers to me, "Then why can you not rejoice when others are doing well and being used mightily by God?"   Ugh!  I know the creed of the Upside-down-blogger: I write for One and leave the fruit of my labors for Him to grow.  I know not to compare myself with others.  I known that we are each unique individuals with a unique work.  Then I visit blogs, read the books, hear of their news and I turn green.

The battle!  That is what it feels like, a tug-of-war within my soul. 

I confess this to a friend.  I pray and ask God to help me be glad about other's success.  I remain aware of my sinful heart, but trust that He will help.  Still. I expect a Divine scolding, a reprimand, and a pruning.  

The next day at our church service I am asked to lead the Women's Retreat.  I am floored;  humility cloaks me.  "You want ME?"  I feel so honored.  And in that moment I had a fresh sweet taste of God's goodness.  He was saying to my heart that He purifies my motives, He hears, He gives me my desires, and He has me right where He wants me. 

Can you feel the comfort in that?  The release of selfishness?  I am in awe that my Father granted my desire and opened this door.  That Goodness humbles me.  In this moment I am content.  I am gratified.

I am happy for YOU.   May YOU who are writing be blessed mightily.

 

Linking today with Women living Well, A Holy Expereince and Raising Homemakers.

Hide God's Word in Your Heart

Hide God's Word in your heart- store it up for the future.

"Let the word spoken by Christ the Messiah have its home in your hearts and minds and dwell in you in all its richness as you teach and admonish and train one another..."

-Colossians 3:16a, Amplified

As I grow older and my walk with the Lord deepens, I am more and more convinced that He wants His word to become a part of us.  His word is all that shall stand.  His word is our anchor in this ocean wave-tossing life.  His word is an expression of Himself in His Son Jesus (John 1:1,14)  Scripture is His annointed word to us.

In a recent post I encouraged you to eat daily of His word till it becomes part of your muscles and marrow.  And it does; His word becomes entwined in your heart and soul.  His Word abides in us (1John 2:14)  His Word becomes a part of us that is ready to instruct, exhort, and encourage when the opportunity requests it. (2Timothy 4:2)

I have also been thinking that one of the best ways to incorporate His word (notice the word "incorporate" literally means "to put into the body") is to go beyond reading it.  But to read it, pray over it, meditate on its meaning and the One who speaks it, and to MEMORIZE IT.  Jesus tells us, "Remember the word that I said unto you." (John 15:20a)

So I am bringing accountability to myself as I write, that I will begin the discipline of memorizing a verse a week. (I know some fabulous ladies who are memorizing entire books; a verse or two a week is enough to feed me for now.)

If you want to endeavor in this challenge with me, keep the prize before you- His Holy Spirit brings to your remembrance His word in you.  You will be a healing salve to the hurting soul and a balm to her who needs a word of encouragement in due season.  The effective words will be on the tip of your tongue when disciplining your children and the Spirit will bear witness in them that what you are saying is true.  When battles with the enemy cannot be avoided you will fight him with our weapon of defense and offense- His word. (Ephesians 6:17)

Are you ready? 

Linking today with WomenLivingWell and RaisingHomemakers.

Homemaking Tips- Organizing- "Sort through your Recipes"

Do you do as I do and print out recipes from your favorite cooking sites?  Or scrawl the recipes on whatever scratch paper that you have at hand?  Do you collect cooking magazines or rip out recipes from Ladies magazines with the intention of trying them out someday?

Where do all of these recipes end up?  and how do you find them when you want to?

After a year of adding these mismatched papers and torn magazine pages to twenty-plus years of other favorite recipes, the assortment was overflowing and tumbling out of my Hoosier cabinet like Niagra Falls that could not be damned up.  I needed to get them organized so that I could find the recipe that I am in search of when I need it.

This week's tip is to sort through your recipes.

For twenty years I have had my recipes organized in two boxes: one for deserts and the other for entres. However, it was long ago that the recipe cards began to overflow these two little boxes.  I have so many now that when I open the door of my Hoosier cabinet where they are housed, the cards tumble out!

I had had the intention of doing this project since last winter and in my quest I have found that there are many ways recipe cards can be creatively stored.  With the renewed rage in cooking these days you should be able to find these kind of recipe holders in a wide variety.  I have found several recipe holders that are similar to photo albums, the kind that you could slip a photo (or recipe) in its own individual sleeve.  The other day I purchased one that can stand on its own with the recipe card sealed in plastic so that it will not get my messy-cook fly-aways on it.  I like the stand because my messy fingers always leave marks on the cards.  (Messy cooks are good cooks right?)  I am saving this one for cookie recipes.  

When I have a recipe card I use a metal reicipe card holder that I have acquired, this helps from me having to pick up the card so often. By the way I have bought an assortment of attractive blank recipe cards and will rewrite all of the ones covered in grease spots or the ones that I had printed out from the computer onto paper.  They will be much easier to find in this form that just papers sitting on a shelf.  Also, if you are going to take the time to rewrite the recipe, make sure it is one that you want to keep.  I have been sorting through and finally tossed into the garbage many reicipes that my family does not like, or I accumulated with the intention of trying (like Greek moussaka that I never did make).  I will categorize the recipes such as Breakfast, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Entres: Beef, Poultry, Seafood, Deserts, Cookies, Drinks, and Holiday Specials. In all honesty this has been an ongoing, albeit quite relaxed summer project for me- but the progress is apparent and I appreciate my efforts when it is time to meal plan.   



I love to receive recipe cards in the giver's handwriting. When I pull the cards from their recipe box and begin to cook I immediately feel close and connected with the person that graciously shared their cooking secrets.  Some day (not this week!) I would like to create a recipe journal or recipe scrapbook of family recipes. I would like to give one to each of my daughters (and future daughters-in-law). But until I have time to undertake that project I would just like to organize my cards so that they are not overflowing in the boxes.



Look forward to the soon-coming Fall days when the chill in the air will bring a desire to fill your kitchen with the waft of sweet smelling baked goods and comfort foods and your recipes will be ready and waiting for use.

Linking today with

Homemaking Tips, Part 5- "Organizing- Freezing for the Future"

"She laughs at the time to come..."

The Homemaking Tip for this week is to "freeze for the future".

I love this tip because it has given me the gift of time
 by cutting the time needed for regular dinner preparation.

                                            

Do you freeze or can?  If not here is a good tip to get you started without being too overwhelming.  When you are at your local produce market notice what they have on sale.  This time of year there is an abundance of garden vegetables and fruits.  Yesterday I purchased an assortment of brightly colored green and red peppers.  I will wash and dry them, then both dice and cut into strips.  They will go into a ziploc bag that is labeled (remember to do that as their appearance can be disguised after freezing).   Voile!  You have frozen-fresh tasting peppers for a future meal.   I have the conveneience when I cook chili, a Mexican dinner,  hot sausage sandwiches, meatloaf, or anything I want to siply take them out of the freezer. Vegetables with the nutrients sealed in and a fraction of the cost.  If you are feel bold (and you have enough freezer space) try freezing a year's worth.  The grocer may give you another discount if you purchase a box or more.

Another super tip that my Mother raves about is freezing tomatoes whole.  So much sipler than even canning them!  Wash and dry your tomatoes, cut out its "belly button" (you know, that spot where it is connected to the stem.  Does that have a name?  It's not a core?....) and place the WHOLE tomatoe into a freezer bag.  When you want to use them just rinse the tomatoes in warm running water and the skin will easily peel away!  It will be ready for any soup or stewed tomatoes recipe.

Today I am heading to my local store to purchase enough apples to make several dishes of Apple Crisp. Yum!  I prefer Macintosh; I like the added tartness and their soft consistency when baked.  I will wash, peel, core, and slice the apples then place enough in a gallon size freezer bag to save for another day.  Of course making a dish for tonight's dinner as well. *Another note- the "Crisp" part of the recipe can be made in large quantities and saved as  well.  Just omit the butter.   

It is not hard to have home-made, delicious food stuffs handy; it just takes a little planning.  Enjoy!

          "She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar." ~Proverbs 31:14

Linking today with other Homemakers at

            

Homemaking Tips, Part 4- "Organizing- clean out your cupboards..."

Mother Hubbard had cupboards.... and I bet you do too.  Ones that are full.

The homemaking suggestion for this week is to clean out your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards. 

 The tip for this week is really a great one to get an inventory of your food stuffs!  After you throw away outdated, stale, and spoiled food (I just through away a vegetable that was unrecognizable.) you will have an assessment of what you have left.  Then the next plan is to make menus using what you already have in your kitchen and pantry.

  Do you only purchase what you actually cook that week or month?  Or are you like me and tend to leave a turkey breast forgotten in the back of my freezer?  About once every season I like to go through my pantry and freezer and take stock....I then plan our meals to use everything up. 

 It is such a great feeling that the perishables are being consumed.  

I have a girlfriend that especially loves empty cupboards that she fills weekly.  Her frugality prompts her to only buy what she will use that week.  I am of the sort that if I see something on sale I grab a couple for future use.  Having two refrigerators/freezers plus a full size freezer lots of goods can get stored away.  However, I do try every season to go through my stuffs as I am suggesting to make sure everything gets rotated and consumed.  This week I found that I had five bottles of Chili sauce!  There is one particular chicken recipe that my family enjoys in which the chili sauce is crucial.  When I see that item in the grocery store I pick one bottle up so that I have it on hand if needed.  But I don't need five at once!  

(I also found 6 cans of mandarin oranges, three bottles of A1 sauce.  It is fine to stock up on items but it would take a while for our family to go through these.)   

So grab a notebook and pen and head to your kitchen.  Make a list of  what frozen meats that you have.  Then go to your cupboards and make a list of canned and dry goods that you use to make meals and desserts.  Use this list to plan your future meals. 
You will be so happy that your food stuffs are getting eaten! 

Linking today with

Homemaking Tips- Organizing, Part 3, "Sort through your food storage items"

I am posting a series on "Home Making Tips- Orgainizing".  Today is Part 3. 

Now a homemaker's work is exactly practical and also deeply spiritual.  You as a homemaker are living out God's will for your life.  Read Titus Chapter 2 if you have not done so before.  Though some of the mundane tasks that must occupy some of your time are just that (by definition) m-u-n-d-a-n-e, belonging to the world, (and included for our definition here) routine and boring, these same tasks bring order, sanity, and higher functioning to your dwelling place.  So, dear sister, gird yourself.

No, if you thought that we would be discussing cleaning your toilets, hang on, something not quite as fun and fanastic.  This week make time to sort out your food storage cupboard.  This task is so dry to me that I had to give it (and my mind) a little flair with that introduction.  Because setting all of those plastic containers "just right" in their place is so "blaahhh" to me I only do it about twice a year.  I know the tie has arrived when I tire of opening the cupboard, which happens to be placed above y height, and have plastic lids and containers fall on top of my head.  I

It was just such a day.  I opened the door to put a little plastic cube in its happy spot and "Tham!" (Is that a word?  "Whack!" was not right.) down on my head topple it  bringing three others along.  I let out a noise of frustration and anger (not angry at the plastic, it cannot help being placed precariously on top of others, but at myself for not taking more time to do it "properly".) Shove!  I now shove the four containers into place, not "their" place but any open space in which they may stay. 

Just as I let go, "Tham!"  Down upon my head now comes more lids and containers.  "Grrrr!"  The noise coming from my belly is now sounding animal like and ready for warfare.  I repeat this process two more times before I cave in.  "OKAY!!!!"

I take out every piece of plastic inhabiting that cupboard.  I have my guns ready and plan to execute. Not one of those containers gets returned to a comfy new home unless it has a lid to go with it!!  I pair them up and am left with quite a few extra, not married, containers.  Now, I know the frugal in you is coming up with plans for those singles...containers to hold water when your kids paint, a lap bowl for you dog at a picnic, whatever.  I say that they do not have a lid, which disqualifies them to be in my now completely neat-because-every-container-has-a-lid-and-I-will-not-have-them-toppling-on-my-head-cubboard.   

Yes, I DID get rid of a lot of normally perfect plastic but look at the happy pairs that I left.  Each one is content and ready for service.  I know that with their lids on they take up much more room, but I did not need that many anyway.  That grew the problem; I had too many I did not even use. 

And now I am a happier Homemaker! 

Are you still getting your head toppled?

           

Homemaking Tips- "Organizing- Tame the Paper Beast"

Our God is the God of order.

So, we, in creating our homes, should employ order in all we do. That may seem like a monumental task.  Perhaps one that you may have given up on!  Well, let us break it down in small steps...

 I am posting a series "Homemaking Tips-Organization".  This week's tip is Tame the Paper Beast.

This means that we will be going through ALL paper piles that have accumulated in your home!  Does this seem like a monumental task?  Select one area (such as your bill file or magazine rack) and do that one area.  Every day pick another one until the Paper Beast has been reduced to a docile, manageable pet.

I have found that the best way to keep the Paper Beast at bay is to open my mail beside the garbage can! That way I immediately pitch any unwanted catalogues and solicitations.  I DO enjoy buying from catalogues. But the marketing companies try to take advantage and put me on their mailing lists.  In one day I have received 12 catalogues!  Do you realize the space that takes up (including garbage space)?  So when I am standing by my garbage I pitch the ones that I do not want or do not want to be tempted by.  The others are saved for later perusal.

File your bills immediately instead of laying them on the kitchen counter.  I keep a decorative wooden box on the side table in my kitchen (near the garbage) where I also work to pay the bills.  This wooden box (with a lid so that I cannot see the papers; I like to "hide" stuff like that.) contains folders in which sorted mail can immediately be filed.  Each folder is titled something such as "Bills for Home", "Caleb's school info", "Hannah's dance info", "Important Papers", also files for our other businesses.  After the bills are paid the receipts are put into another filing system in a filing cabinet.  This has been a great way to keep these papers organized; as long as I do it! 

Magazines are another wonderful commodity of information, encouragement and entertainment but can metamorphose into a lively Paper Beast overflowing baskets, racks, or wherever you place your magazines. Monthly or seasonally I sort through my magazines keeping only the ones that especially of value to me.  A note here: I have kept magazines in the past because there was ONE recipe or web-site that I wanted to use as a resource later.  The mishap is that I would forget that that resource was in that particular magazine and it would never get accessed.  So now when I read through a magazine I clip recipes and write any web-sites or companies that I want to research in a notebook.

I imagine that you may have some Paper Beasts of your own made up of bills, junk mail, catalogues, and magazines.  Besides these you may also find that your sentimental articles such as your children's drawings, cards, notes, your daughter's dance recital program, the Funeral Service Memorial of  a loved one can also be WANTED paper articles in which you are at a loss of where to place them.  An idea is to purchase those pretty decorative paper/cardboard boxes at your local craft store and use them solely for these sentimental treasures.  Another idea is to have a "Scrapbook" folder in your wooden box in which everything gets placed until your are able to place them in an album or scrapbook journal.

Be brave!  Taming the Paper Beast takes consistent effort.  But the pay back is amazing.  You will be able to think more clearly and FEEL more at ease knowing that piles of unsorted papers are not beckoning your attention!

What areas of your home do you work to tame the Paper Beast?

Homemaking Tips- Organizing, Pt. 1

For these few weeks in August- Yes! I know that the month has just began but there will be no "lazy, hazy days of August" for us! We have a minivacation, birthdays, school lesson prep, and return to lessons!-  I thought I would post some Homemaking Tips in the area of "Organizing".  If you home educate your children (and have not already started lessons like some of my friends) and behave as I do then you are rushing around doing house projects that you are unable to complete all winter.

I actually started this "organizing" the beginning of the year working each Saturday, then had a long lull till these past few weeks.  "Going back to school" or as in the case of some of my children "going back to the dining table or couch with books" is a signal to "nest".  (Adding to this I will be going to school this year-college- if any of you are the slightest bit curious how I will still be pursuing homemaking as I enter the classroom with adults who could be my children, please let me know!!!  I am in a quandary about whether or not I will write about it.)  I try everything in my feminine skills to get the house in tip top shape: painting where chips have added to the artistic look of walls and doors, cleaning cob webs on ceiling fans, cleaning out the shed, garage, basement, attic, and everything between.  I have found that focusing on small steps- projects that I can accomplish in a few hours will bring great satisfaction instead of being overwhelmed as oft the case.

So today's tip is really fun and I hope that you try it for yourself!

This week sort through your make-up,

pitch out any old stuff.  There are various opinions as what constitutes "old".  These are the rules that I go by.  If it smells odd; pitch it.  If it is dry or flaky; pitch it.  If it is a color that you never wore, thinking that you might  (like the bright red lipstick saved for a special Valentine date with your dh) but never happened: give it away.

Now, some time this week go to a major department store that has cosmetic lines or a beauty store such as Ulta and have the sales consultant do your make-up for you.  These make-overs are free and you are not obligated to make a purchase.  You may just be pleasantly surprised by something they tried that made you look radiant.  Recently I purchased an eye product called "lemon-aid" from the Benefits line at Ulta.  I love it!  The creamy stuff is placed over your eye lid, brightening the eyes and makes them "pop"!

After your "make-over" you will be sure to leave feeling like a new, refreshed woman taking many new ideas and techniques with you.  It is really amazing how good you will feel with one small change, like a change of lip stick color.  

 

If you are "nesting" like me then you may not be able to take the time for a make-over.  At the very least try a new eye shadow or nail polish from where you shop.

Taking time for yourself in this way, you will feel the Happier Homemaker and your family will reap the benefits!

Linking today with

and  http://www.happylittlehomemaker.org/

Blessed to Be a BLESSING

I love to receive gifts don't you?  When Brooke McGothlin offered a copy of her new ebook as a thank-you for a reviewing it, I jumped, "sure!".  I was blessed.

And I am happy today to give away a copy to.....well, you will have to keep reading till the end of this post!
This give-away idea is really fun.  I should like to offer it more often.  I love to receive but I also love to give.

This attitude of course reminds me of our heavenly Father who lavishes on His children.  No good thing will He withhold from us! (Psalm 84:11)

I do not think it wrong to ask to be blessed so that I might be a blessing. 

Now I do not want to get into a theological discourse about how we should have pure motives when asking and that stated above is not one of them.  And how we should give out of what we already have not waiting to receive more.  And how we already are blessed with every spiritual blessing.  Though there is merit in those thoughts, they diverge from the simple truth that I want to convey to you today which makes it difficult sometimes to blog.   Trying to share something theological and from the heart can have too many nuances of meaning to disclose in a short blog post.

I am saying that I pray that I may be blessed so that I can bless in return.

"Oh Lord bless me indeed!"

 

Jabez felt the same way.  See 1Chronicles 4:9-10.  This man caused his mother so much grief as she bore him into this world that she signified her sorrow with his very name- Jabez.  From the outset of his life he was one who caused pain instead of blessing carrying in his name a notification that he was a pain.

 

Scripture says that Jabez was more homorable than his brethren.  I think that the Lord gave him a new brand because of the contriteness of his heart.  He cried out to the Lord, "Oh that You would bless me indeed...that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!"

 

Jabez knew that his own sinful ways cause him pain.  Are not we the same?  I cannot count how many times my own mouth has caused me grief.  My actions that reaped sorrow.

 

Jabez also knew that when the Lord's hand was upon him he would be blessed and he would be a BLESSING. 
 

I started this post talking of giving away a material possession.  Yes, that is good.  But there are other blessings that are too numerous to count.  How are YOU blessed today? 

 

Do you have peace in your heart?  Assuage someone who is troubled.

 

Do you have joy?  Go rub that off onto someone and make their day lighter.

 

Do you have love overflowing?  Love the unlovable.

 

BE a blessing.

 

Pray to be blessed.  Your prayer will probably be answered in part by giving you a revelation of the wealth already yours because of His goodness.  When we know that we are blessed our focus is not towards ourselves in self pity but on others.  We search out how we might BE a Blessing.

Now my turn....and the winner is of "Aspiring Writers" is-------
 

  Angela Dively from 

Congratualtions Angela!

 

Linking to time-warp-wife at