Do You Know Your Homemaking Strengths?

 

I love being a “keeper at home.” On top of it being my part of my calling from the Lord, it’s a great creative outlet and opportunity to express myself. I am not only the “housekeeper”, I am the interior decorator, the chef, the seamstress, the custodian, the personal shopper, and much more. I’m sure you could add your own titles to your homemaking resume. Being a homemaker can be a rewarding job, but it’s also a challenging one.

If we are going to find joy and fulfillment in our role as keepers at home, one thing we need to do is to find and realize our strengths and be aware of our weaknesses.

I. Realize the Strength of Your Place

By this I mean, do not diminish the importance of the role you have. God has commanded us to be “keepers at home” (Tit. 2:5), and instructed us to “guide the house” (I Tim. 5:14). This is no small responsibility. The world may not view our jobs as glamorous, or even worthy; but if we see our place and our purpose in our homes as something that is important and precious to God, we will realize that it is not only a duty, but a joy to seek to fulfill it.

II. Realize the Strength of Your Personality

Every personality has strengths and weaknesses. We need to learn to incorporate and make the most of our strengths in every area of our lives, including our homes. We then need to ask God to help us in our weak areas. The wonderful thing is that He tells us that His “strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9).

Let’s look at some examples. Maybe you’re an organizer and a perfectionist by nature. This can be a great strength. You may excel in the cleaning of your home, and the organization of your family. Your weakness may be that you tend to expect perfection, and feel frustrated and disappointed because it’s always just out of reach. Make the most of your strength! Use your organization and detail skills to keep your home at its best. Then ask the Lord to help you give your expectations to Him, and to enable you to relax enough to enjoy your family.

Another example may be the opposite of this. Maybe you’re a very laid-back, relaxed personality. Your strength may be in the ability to be flexible and creative. You probably take the time to go outside and play with your kids, and not worry so much about the house being perfect. What a gift that is! On the other hand, you may need to ask the Lord to help you to not be so relaxed and fun-loving that you neglect the tasks of keeping your home “clean enough to be healthy”.

Maybe you fall somewhere in between these two examples. The key here is to find your personal strengths, and make the most of the gifts God has given you. Then, be honest with yourself, and seek God’s help in your areas of weakness, and know that He is able and willing to give it.

III. Realize the Strength of Your “Palace”

Part of the joy of being a homemaker is learning to enjoy our home. If you’re expecting to have your “dream house”, you may live in a world of disappointment. It is easy to focus on the problems and shortcomings of our homes, instead of maximizing their potential.

My house is an older home. Now, I love old homes, and when we first looked at our house, it wasn’t in bad condition, but it really needed some love! It has been a lot of fun to fix it up, and make it reflect our personalities and lifestyle. It has also been a lot of work! Be willing to invest in your home, not only financially, but with love and creativity.

If you’re on a budget (and who’s not?!), don’t use that as an excuse to do nothing. Instead, use that as inspiration to get creative. Go to your library, or get on Pinterest, and find looks that reflect styles you like, and get ideas. Then, adapt them to your home and budget. Will it take some effort? Sure. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

View your home as your own personal “palace”, a gift from the Lord. Realize the strength of a welcoming home, not only to serve your family, but to serve the Lord. Use it as a place of hospitality. Your home is a reflection of you. So as you look around today, are you pleased with that reflection? More importantly, is the Lord pleased? If not, begin to make some changes.

I am still working on this constantly in my own life.  How has the Lord challenged and helped you in surrendering your strengths, and overcoming your weaknesses as a homemaker?  I’d love to hear from you!

DIY Housewife!

Who doesn’t like a little DIY in their life? Well, I like a LOT of DIY! It is so fun to take old ‘junk’ and give it new life…and it is so much more affordable than buying brand new furniture from the store.

I love finding a deal and a bargain. There are a lot of great shops that offer good prices to make your home stunning and beautiful. Tjmaxx, Target, Home Goods, Marshalls, Hobby Lobby…those are some of my favorites…but nothing beats a great cheap one of a kind find!

Garages sales, thrift stores, and even dumpsters are this girls best friend…HA!:))

I just want to inspire you to get creative. You don’t even need to BE a creative or crafty person to develop your own DIY skills. Pinterest is your teacher and guide!:) YouTube offers tons of great how to videos for redoing furniture and upholstery.

Here are a few DIY projects I’ve done over the fall and summer. I enjoy doing it to make extra money for my family…and once you start you can’t stop! The possibilities of making old into new are endless!:)

{Create a Fall or Thanksgiving topiary with things lying around the house. Just paint your little pumpkins!}

{Or Make a NO sew curtain with hot glue and drapery clips. Simple and Cheap! I found this fabric at Joann’s on sale & used a coupon.}

{Use an old baby Crib to make a chalkboard easel!}

{This old TV tray on the left was painted gold and made into a chalkboard to dress up my mantle!}

{This garage sale find got a fresh coat of paint and a new chalkboard finish!}

{I’m currently working on painting my dining table and chairs a pretty distressed white. The distressing will hide the love and distress my four children will bring to them! HA!}

A homemaker has the best job in all the world! In fact, God says she is valued more than rubies. Enjoy being the interior designer of your home! Make it a place where love, joy, and peace abide…and why not add a touch of cozy too! Hope this inspires you to spruce up your interiors while spreading love to your family. Enjoy!

Love,
Heidi S.

Valentine Cupcake Wreath

Valentine’s Day is such a fun time for me! I LOVE making the people I love feel special.

Here is something fun to make to decorate your home to get it ready for that special day!

Supplies Needed:

* Heart Foam Wreath (I used the medium size) *

* Cupcake liners (I used 50) *

* Ribbon *

* Hot Glue Gun *

~ Wrap the foam completely with ribbon, tacking the beginning and end with hot glue. ~

~ Add as much ribbon as you would like for the bow in the middle. Tack the front & back with glue & tie bow at the top ~

~ Randomly glue folded cupcake liners around the heart. (It will look funny for awhile) ~

~ Continue adding liners until you fill in the empty spots to make it look full. ~

Joyfully Serving Him,

Rachel