Slideshow image

The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

~Proverbs 14:1

 

Good morning wise sister!

Do you remember dreaming of having a place to call your own? I sure do! 

Thinking about this verse, I realize now that I knew how to clean a house, I knew how to maintain a house, but I was always a little fuzzy on the “building” part. Whether your house consists of you alone or is filled to the rafters with family or friends, the principles of building remain the same.

I read somewhere a long time ago that the ‘woman of the house’ most often sets the tone for the atmosphere of the home. We’ve all heard the saying ‘if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy’.

Having lived through 5 teenagers, I can’t confirm the opposite; that if mama is happy it makes the whole household happy, but it does help!

Sometimes mama has to leave her own frustrations and worries at the foot of the cross and lead her household into a place of faithfulness, love and hope. This is the foundation on which our houses are built! We can’t always solve every problem, but there are measures we can take to build our house stronger.

The first thing, of course, is prayer! Practicing prayer together with those in your household  teaches us how to pray effectively and builds faith in God answering those out loud prayers!

Remember, children especially, are insecure. They face so many challenges outside the home. Build them up by encouraging them. Increase their confidence by speaking in a positive way to them. Teach them the truth of God so they can stand firm against the lies they hear everyday. 

You are building your house!

The people you live with, big and small, like to feel special! Look for the best in your husband, spouse, friend, relative, reflection in the mirror, and compliment them! Remind them of their good qualities that you see and appreciate. Remind them how precious they are to you and how they add value to your life. When people are complimented, they are like flowers that turn their faces to the sunshine…you are building your house!

The people in the house you are building need direction. We’re all on the same team, so make the goals clear and guide them in how to achieve those goals. This takes a fair amount of self-discipline on everyone’s part, but a team working toward the same goal has much more success than team members going the way that seems best to them. Your house will be much more peaceful and orderly with clear expectations and routines.

That’s enough ‘home’work for now (get it? Hee hee) That reminds me, generous sprinklings of humor go a long way in building your house as well. This life God gave us is pretty funny sometimes if you can see the lighter side of things. Especially with children; there is nothing that is both more comical and humbling at the same time as raising a child. But every child we have is a gift from God and He is entrusting us to build our house.

So, go give your child a hug, or your spouse, or your friend! Tell them how much you appreciate them in your life! If you let your home radiate with encouragement, peace and joy in the Lord, I guarantee that people won’t care about the transitory dishes in the sink or the dust bunnies in the corners. You are building a home that reflects the eternal power, love and glory of our God!

God bless you as you build your home to His glory!

With love, dishes and a few dust bunnies, your sister, Celeste