A loving wife and mother: Titus 2

So I know that we have talked about Titus 2 on several occasions but today I just received a little devotion from an old friend (Bethany Springer Dickey) and wanted to share it with you all :)

It's worth the read!

I was reading Titus 2, endeavoring to become a better wife. I was struck by the word "homemaker." I have always associated that word with WORK. Cleaning, laundry, cooking, chasing messy kids, mowing the yard, meal planning, grocery shopping.... I just wore myself out! But this time, I read it differently. Home-MAKER. As in, I MAKE my home? Ok, so I may be a couple steps behind the parade, but I seriously never thought about it that way. So I looked up the word "make" and this is what I got: "to bring into being by forming, shaping, or altering material: to favor the growth or occurrence of: to begin or seem to begin: to cause to happen to or be experienced by someone: to cause to exist, occur, or appear: create.(Merriam-Webster)"
Wow. So this goes beyond decorations on the wall, food on the table, or laundry in the drawer. (basket, if I were going to be totally honest, today) My attitude and my behavior MAKES my home.... a chaotic mess, or a haven of peace. If I'm all wound up, my kids will pick up on that. If I'm calm and collected, even through frustrating situations, they will play off of that, too. (this seems so elementary, but I am realizing how necessary the extremely basic concepts are) And if I spend my time screaming at my children and snapping at my husband, I am not practicing Titus 2:4, "...love their husbands, love their children." I would do better to put into practice, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1 KJV) or "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient." (2 Timothy 2:24 KJV)
Ah, yes.... teaching. Everything I do is teaching my children something. My 3 year old is "monkey-see, monkey-do." If I am freaking out every time something goes wrong, he will, too. If I'm praying, reading the Word, and LIVING the Word, he will see that. If my attitude around the home is not one of joy, and I begrudge my daily "chores," he will learn that attitude. When I learn to make my work a game, sing, be joyful and positive, my babies will notice.
Not only will my babies notice, but a smile around the home, a spirit of contentment, will make my husband happier, as well. What's the verse...."It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman." (Proverbs 25:24 NKJV) (do you know that just realized that is in Proverbs TWICE? emphasis by repetition...) Honey, I don't want my man hidin' from me! That species can be difficult, but a little extra effort on my part can make a world of difference! Pretty soon the extra effort will become a habit, and I won't even notice making it! Little things like teaching *(see paragraph above) my children to send Daddy off to work with a ceremony, or make a big, happy deal when he comes home, so he knows how much we appreciate his hard work. Not bombarding him with every single little frustration and complaint; the big things can be hard enough to deal with.
I'm just going to touch this briefly, because there are just some things too painful to just dive into, at the moment. Keeping my house straight and things put away. A peaceful, calm environment will help create peaceful, calm minds and moods. Now, that's all I'm saying about that one.
At any rate, it's ME and MY attitude that makes this home what it is. I can choose to be a "contentious" woman, and make everyone miserable, or make my home a haven of peace in a hectic, scary, world. I would like to be a living example to my family of, "joy unspeakable" (1 Peter 1:8) and the fruit of the Spirit: "... love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:" (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). That is what I want to MAKE my home. It's up to me, "Bethany-homemaker!" "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17 NKJV)

Something that she didnt mention is the end of Titus 2:5 says this"...That the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited)."

There is a direct connection between the testimony of our faith and the way we live our lives as mothers and wives.

If our faith is real, the way we make our homes will be a testimony to those around us!

It is impertinent that we understand the effects of our priorities ... When they stay : God, Husband, Children, and everything else follows. We will find true purpose and contentment in life!!!

That's a shurt giraffe ...

Mid sentence Nelson said "Oh it's a shurt giraffe"

Rene and I looked at each other and wondered what is he talking about!? and I said, "I think he just said short giraffe?"

So I asked what did u just say about a giraffe Nelson?

And he pointed to this