Being the Example

Here is something I have been pondering. I actually posted part of this on the message board that led me to this discussion.
I believe we are biblically mandated to be "keepers at home". I want to do a study on when exactly women quit being keepers at home and how long did it take society to reap the consequences of it. I dont know when I will do this or how.. just something on my to do list. :) Anyways we have come to accept as a way of life wives and mothers in the workforce. Its accepted not only in society but also in our churches. One thing we cant do is beat women over the head and tell them they should be at home. The church wont back that up and will come up with some "cultural" reason that does not apply to us anymore. Now I have said before and will say again... some women do have to work. My mom had to work. My dad was disabled and there was no way he could support us. I have a friend who has to work while her husband finishes school. He is home with their son during the day and she is home with him at night he is doing well and thriving. Her heart is at home and thats where she will one day be. Im talking about women who have able bodied husbands who work to afford luxuries. Oh they wont call them that. They will call them necessities. They have to have the brand new house, the brand new car, the thousands of dollars vacations, the designer clothes...and so on. I know. I used to be this woman. Oh I always wanted to be a stay home wife but I sure did not want my spending to have to decrease! Anyway, I digress. I want to speak of a way we can show women the way home. Beauty, attention to detail, and happiness. If we work to make our homes beautiful and open them up to others they will see the benefit of being a homemaker. When they say to you, "Oh I wish my home could be this inviting!" Share with them that it can and how. If we pay attention to detail when we dress our children and take time to prepare our husbands clothes other people will see them. "Oh how I wish I had time to make my little boy look that well groomed." Smile and tell them they do and share with them how. At work other men will look at your husband and see how nicely pressed his clothes are and maybe catch a whiff of his lunch and wonder why their wives cant do that. He can share with them your little secret. But above all we can make this women come home by the happiness they see on our faces and that of our families. If we pour ourselves into a beautiful home and a nice looking family and still have a smile on our face believe me other women will notice. I think that deep down in every women is a desire to be at home! I was definitely convinced of this when I turned in my two week notice almost two years ago. I was coming home in hopes that soon our license would be approved and we would have foster children. It took another five months but it happened. When people found out I was leaving to come home full time the reactions ranged from envious to hostile. But the overwhelming thing I heard from all the women was, "I wish I could do that!" It has been rough. I wish that somehow I had known when I first got married what I know now. I am just now discovering that I am missing the beauty of homemaking. That means I have almost five years of lost years of being a wife to make up for. I have accumulated lots of JUNK and even more bad habits. But I am praying everyday that God will help me change one thing that day. Be it not leaving a job half done or picking up after myself. I can only go one day at a time. My bad habits and clutter did not accumulate over night and they will not be gone over night but slowly and surely I see results and improvements and for that I am grateful. So here is my challenge. Pick one woman in your life who you think would benefit from being home. Begin to pray for her and then begin to set an example for her. Show her how exciting it is to be a homemaker. How you dont have to be rich to have beauty in your home. To have nicely dressed children and a well groomed husband. Just desire. And challenge yourself to begin to develop habits of beauty, order, attention to detail, and happiness. I will be praying for you all and please keep me in your prayers. Tomorrow I think I want to walk you through my house and tell you the truth. Im going to let you in on the messiness, the clutter, the stress.. and then tell you the changes taking place. Make sure to check back it will be me being transparent for you.

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.