I would love to say, my house is always spotless. Squeaky clean. But in reality, I don't think it has ever been either of those things. We have a large family, we are always home, and we live on a farm. Spotless and clean are not common in these situations. I have teens, children, and toddlers in my home. Each of them make their own kind of messes, different, but messes all the same. So, it's not always easy to "keep" house.
I've learned a lot over the years about "keeping" my home. Although cleaning my home is a part of keeping it, that's not all it entails. It's not just about cleaning my house, or decorating by theme (although I do love the country, rustic, farmhouse decor, right now), but it's mostly the atmosphere. As the woman of the house, my attitude, is what makes my home a blessing or a curse. The way I act and speak in and about my home, determines the atmosphere that my family lives in. If I make or ignore a mess of something, if I don't have regular chores for me and my children, or if I am constantly complaining about the way the house looks and all that needs to be done, the atmosphere I am establishing is miserable. It is an atmosphere filled with whining, complaining, clutter, and a mess. These things only breed discontentment, negative reactions, and misery. "A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands." ~ Proverbs 14:1 We currently have 8 people in our home. Eight different personalities, eight different opinions, eight different preferences. It's not possible to please everyone, and it's not always easy to keep the peace. Believe me, we have our fair share of whining, complaining, and arguing over here! But here is what I have noticed. My reaction -mine, the woman of the house -my reaction determines what direction our home attitude takes. Recently, my eighteen year old son and I were discussing an upcoming event. He said, "Mom, that sounds like a lot of extra stress. Are you sure you want to do this? Because if you're stressed and not happy, no one else is." He quickly reassured me he was not insulting me, but he said, "if it's stressful for you, it's stressful for us." He's right. If I want my home to be joy-filled, peaceful, and positive, then I need to be joy-filled, peaceful and positive. It's that simple. My mother-in-law had a piece of paper pinned on her office wall for years (maybe she still does? I'm not sure). It was a simple reminder, but so profound: Life is 10% of what happens to you, but 90% of how you react to it. Truth. Indeed. I am the keeper of my home. And I want to be a good steward of it. I want my husband and children to feel that our home is always a peaceful haven where they can rest, relax, and find joy. A place that is tidy and clean, yes, but most importantly, a place that is filled with joy, love, laughter, understanding, and Jesus. Because really....that's all that matters. "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." ~ Proverbs 31:27 (KJV) Keep reading God's Word, Friend, it is a true treasure! Joyfully His, Andrea
1 Comment
Kaylynne
7/22/2021 06:23:32 pm
Beautifully said.
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For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. " AuthorHi! I'm Andrea, wife to my handsome hubby, homeschooling mama to my 7 amazing blessings, and daughter of the King of kings. I am so glad you have stopped by my little piece of the web. My prayer is that the Lord will use this blog to encourage you in your personal, daily walk with Christ. Archives
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