Being Busy at Home

Jennifer hung up the kitchen towel, took one last look at the kitchen and smiled as she had completed the task of doing the dishes after dinner. She walked out to the living room and notices the children have failed to pick up their toys after dinner as they were told.  She then remembered that there was laundry needing to be folded, lunches to get ready for her children and clothes to be ironed for her husband the next day. Jennifer sighed as she continued on working to complete these various tasks. She wondered if she was ever going to get to sit down that night and finally have her quiet time with the Lord like she was hoping.  The battle in her mind was now beginning as she had a choice to serve her family happily or complain about the work to be done.

* What are some biblical principles Jennifer can remember as she fights to maintain a good attitude while working at home?

* How can women like Jennifer strive to maintain the balance of housework and time spent in God’s Word?

Working at Home

Genesis 2:18 says that God made the woman to be the "helper" for the man. God has designed a wife's role as her husband's helper. Working at home is one of those ways that a wife can be the helper to her husband. It's important for us to look at the kind of home we are making for our husband. Are we doing things in the home that make him happy? Maybe he prefers the dishes are always cleaned and put away, but you'd rather focus on the laundry. It's important to talk with your husband about what he would like done so you know how to focus your day. Then the question of "should I work outside the home?" comes up. We ought to ask ourselves some tough questions before making this decision. Carolyn Mahaney in her book, Feminine Appeal, writes " But whenever we contemplate opportunities outside of the home, we must first consider the consequences they might have on our families. We must also evaluate our motives. We should ask ourselves questions such as: 1) What are the reasons for considering this opportunity? Are they selfish or God-honoring? 2) Will pursuing this venture glorify God and honor the gospel? 3) Will it enhance and enrich the lives of my family? 4) Does this endeavor hinder my role as the caretaker of my family?" The answers to these questions will help you see if working outside the home is something the Lord would have you do. We'd like to hear from you. If you have any other Scripture or principles concerning this topic, please click on the comment link under this post and share your thoughts with us!