Everyday Happenings Of A Wife And Mother

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

This Past Month

 Halloween Party At Gammy and Papa's! The kiddos had fun decorating pumpkin cookies, doing a treasure hunt, and dancing.

 My creative mother let the kiddos paint her face....the kids loved it!




 We found a small park in Erlanger that had a train playground. There was only one slide and swing, but they had a real Engine that you can walk through. 









James' Preschool Picture - melts my heart!!




 The boys all dressed up for Veterans Day!




My men hard at work finishing the basement.







Homemade barn wood frame decor.



James and his Preschool Harvest Party!  They had quite a spread!

My go to verse a lot lately-

Philippians 4:6-7

New Living Translation (NLT)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 The question 'how are you making your home a haven?' has been on my mind a lot.  I've been going to an awesome bible study at church for several months now, and that subject has come up a bit.  I used to always think that if i had the latest stuff or had the mindset of a 50s housewife that my home would automatically be a haven.  Don't get me wrong, i am a southern girl, and i love the smell of food baking, i love wearing aprons, and i also like having a clean house.  But that is not where a haven starts.  it starts within us.  our actions and attitudes affect the tone in our homes.  

My boys, for example, often reflect what attitude i have.  If i am edgy, short and hormonal they seem so much more whinier and demanding.  That goes for the same thing in our homes.
Because what makes up a home - people. Just like a building does not make up a church, it is the people and the presence of God that make up a church.
In Proverbs 14:1 it says "A wise WOMAN builds HER home, but a foolish WOMAN tears it down with HER own hands."  It does not say a wise MAN or a wise MAN and WOMAN.  It says just WOMAN.  i think that shows how much purpose there is in us as women...and how much God wants us to influence our homes.  

What sort of atmosphere are you creating for your children in your home?

Like i said, it starts with US (women).  We need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves - resting, doing things we love, eating right, exercising, being surrounded by encouraging women, and most importantly spending time in God's presence and His word.  When you feed yourself with God's presence and God's word...it spills over into your home.  It doesn't make it perfect - you will still have demanding and loud kids and have laundry and dishes to do...but His peace can be there.  
And you will have more strength to handle ALL the things you have to do.  

Being a mom of two lively boys...who seem to always be on my heels.  it can be hard to have quiet time - i have written out scripture on index cards (verses that really speak to my heart) and have taped them up in places that i am at a lot throughout our home.  One is by the kitchen sink - when i do dishes i can read it.  One is on our calender.  One is even on my washer and dryer.  

We do need to make the effort to spend time with God so we can be refreshed, but God knows how exhausting it is being a wife and mommy.  He created the roles - wives, mothers, and homemakers.  His grace is there for you!  Do not be burdened with guilt if your house is not spick and span or if you don't have the latest things. You're children will not remember those things...they will remember the atmosphere in your home.  

My parents house was and still is home.  It wasn't always clean (with 4 kids that would be hard) but we had fun!  My mom used their home as a ministry to us kids.  And that is what your home is for your family and whoever else comes in.

Okay, i was not planning on typing all of that! haha!
I pray that God's peace will be in your hearts and minds as you tackle your roles as wives and mothers!