‘Wives should feel that home is their place and their kingdom, the happiness of which depends mostly upon them.*”
Ouch. You mean the happiness of my family depends mostly upon me???
As much as I would love this responsibility to fall on someone else’s shoulders, the fact is I am the one with the responsibility of constructing a joyful home.
So how do we intentionally design our “place and kingdom”? Fashion a home which glorifies God and as a natural result love, joy and rest fill each room?
This will not come naturally. By nature we are lazy…look for the easy route…put the responsibility on someone else… Unless we put effort in, our home may quickly spiral downward into strife where joy isn’t found.
But, how do we start this daunting task? How do we build a joyful home our children will remember with fondness?
We Can:
- Set the Thermostat. Our relationship with our spouse sets the internal temperature of our home. Our children as well as our husband sense the temperature as soon as they step through the front door. Take a moment to reflect on your own marriage. Are you struggling with bitterness and refusing to deal with it? Does the quote, “She is a wicked wife who drives her husband away by her long tongue.*” describe you? ” A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.” Prov 12:4 Pray for eyes to see any bitterness in your marriage, and do whatever it takes to get rid of it.
- Build Strong Boundary Lines. Ever visited a home where the kids were literally climbing the walls??!! No. Thank. You. “Home is no home where the children are not in obedience, it is rather a pain than a pleasure to be in it.*” Our goal is to discipline our kiddos with a wise mixture of love and firmness. Children thrive with realistic boundaries. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 29:17 to, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. (NLT) Pray for wisdom to discipline your children.
- Fertilize the Plants for Ultimate Growth. Whether homeschool or public, our job is to teach our children they are created to glorify God. Will they grow up with an understanding of their ultimate purpose in life, or spend their life searching for meaning? “My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.” Proverbs 6:20. Alongside regular reading of the Bible there are wonderful devotional books to help you teach your children deep spiritual truths, so they can grow strong in the Lord. Here are two our family uses: Big Truths for Little Kids by Susan and Richie Hunt & Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware.
- Insulate Your Home Against Cutting Elements. We hand our kids the internet then expect them to be free from danger— What.Are.We.Thinking? The Digital Generation is here to stay, and so is another huge parenting responsibility. Blah. But the good news is, my tech-savvy nephew Bryce gave me this wonderful post to help us all out. Woo-hoo thank you, Bryce! It leads computer illiterate parents like me through protecting all our computers. I plan on spending the afternoon on this super-fun task:), knowing I am accountable for what seeps into my home.
Is there a mom in your life who inspires you in this area? What can you add to this list?
Praising Him with my pen,
*Quotes by Spurgeon from Spurgeon’s Practical Wisdom
Photo courtesy of “Paper Home Model”by suphakit73 freedigitalphoto.net
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