building a home

God's been working on my heart lately about really taking my roles as mother and wife seriously. not that i thought he was kidding before, but i've realized the peace and satisfaction that i get from fulfilling these two roles and i want to make sure i'm being the best i can be at both of them. at this point in my life, i know that my main priorities should be at home, making it a place of refuge and encouragement for T and of learning, love, and safety for I.

i never realized how accountable i would be to God for the way i handle these two roles. just like teaching at school, i feel like i am solely responsible for the atmosphere i create & the attitudes and characters that are built as a result. i'm trying not to be too 'old-fashioned' or sound as if i'm against any working mom (i was one for a short time) or wife who wants to earn her place as a financial contributor. sometimes, i don't like depending on T to be the breadwinner. i have earned two college degrees, a full time job position in the public schools, and a paycheck that is quite comparable to my husband's. i'm learning to let him provide in financial ways so that i can provide in other ways that i couldn't quite as well as if i were still working full time.

i want to briefly share the journey that God is putting me on as new mother and a wife of a minister. i'll go up against anyone who says those roles aren't challenging and sometimes frustrating. i'd also argue that they can be the most rewarding. they are roles blessed by God and to be taken very seriously.

i've found another blog (surprise, surprise) that i love dearly. it's called passionate homemaking and she writes about Titus 2:4-5 where he instructs women to be the main keepers of the home, and what a Biblical thing that is. check out her blog...it's pretty incredible. stocked with all sorts of great recipes, diy natural cleaning products, articles that make you think, and best of all...how God is tied into all of it.

ok, back to my point. in one of her posts entitled, "homemaking is about people" she used this statement. i feel like i need to post it somewhere and remind myself every day of why i'm choosing to stay home, a choice that is sometimes looked down upon or questioned in an economy such as the one we face today. This statement explains exactly what my goals should be:

The point of being a keeper at home is to provide a haven for a godly family to thrive, to offer hospitality to fellow Christians and non-Christians alike, and to provide a place for the church to meet.

-taken from Caroyln McCulley’s Radical Womanhood

wow. so much packed into one statement! more on that later... thoughts?