Contentment and Home Destroyers part 1 of 2

I think I will try to do some writing for At The Well! I hope I can join often!

I have been memorizing some of the Proverbs, and one that I picked was Proverbs 14:1
"The wise woman builds her house, but a foolish pulls it down with her hands."
As a young wife and mother I consider everyday whether I am building or tearing down my home as I go about my daily task. Since this is my calling in life, as a woman, I must find joy and peace and learn how to best handle all my task, big and small. Even when my task are not pretty are very enjoyable. I often think of how mothers years ago must have ahndle all their Hard task! They did not have any of the modern things we have today. We complain about all the stuff we have to do and all the little time we have for ourselves! Back in the day, (not that long ago really!) women had to hand wash laundry and just that took a whole day! Then they had to grow all their own food, sew all their clothing, bake all their bread, can or preserve all their food, tend to all the house maintance, and yard maintance, school the children and life went on, morning sickness, pregnancy, sickness, and all! I have a little more understanding since I grow up very plain (plainer then a lot of mennonites even). Now I live in a modern house and have a ton of time! And yet I still catch myself complaining sometimes! And King Ed will have to remind me, I am not hand washing my clothes by a creek anymore! Complaining a lot and being unsatisfied or always wishing for what we do not have makes us more and more miserable and only hurts us! And runs down hill onto those we love (our husbands and children!)! We do not want to hurt the ones we love! The ones God has blessed us with! We must learn contentment! If not, we will be tearing our house down! May we honestly be able to say with Paul, a man who endured great hardships,
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Philippians 4:11


Below is something from Nancy Campbell. I have these emailed to me. I really enjoy them and wanted to share them. May they speak to you, too!
God Bless in your calling as a wife and mother!
-fortheirfuture
Hannah


HOME DESTROYERS
Part 2a

Jeremiah 4:22 RSV, "For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are stupid children, they have no understanding."

Today we continue talking about things that destroy the home.

2. FOOLISHNESS

Proverbs 14:1, "Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish plucks it down with her hands."

What does it mean to be foolish? Simply, it means to do it my way rather than God's way. God's way, although different to my way always ends in blessing. My way, although it may look good, always ends in destruction.

If we are not building our home, we are pulling it down. How do we pull it down?

We pull it down by vacating the home. God wants the mother in the home--nurturing, nourishing and training her children. We can't do everything successfully. We either build up a business (usually someone else's business) or we build up our home. God has given us a full time job to tend our little flock. God gives a warning to the mother shepherdess when He says in Zechariah 11:17, "Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock!" Notice that this Scripture has an exclamation mark!

We pull it down by our words. Negative words. Critical words. Reactive words. Spiteful words. Angry words. And on it goes.

We build our home with words or
we destroy our home with words!

When God allowed Satan to get at his servant Job, he smote him with terrible boils from the top of his head to the sole of his feet Job was in agony and pain. Instead of encouraging him, Job's wife said, "Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die." Job replied, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" (Job 2:9-10)

Do you speak as one of the foolish women, or one of the wise?

Sometimes it may not be negative words. It may be wasteful words. Proverbs 15:2 says, "The mouth of fools pours forth foolishness." Often we speak unnecessary words when we should keep out mouths shut. I am always challenged by Proverbs 10:19, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." The more we blab on about anything and everything, the more opportunity there is to sin with our mouth. The NLT makes it clearer, "Don't talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!"

We pull it down by spending frivolously and unwisely. The foolish woman buys according to her whims and what takes her fancy. She buys groceries without thought for nutrition or without reading the ingredients. She fills her cupboards with devitalized packaged foods instead of cooking from scratch. She purchases unnecessary "things" to fill her home which could be used for wiser needs.

Proverbs 21:20 says, "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man (or woman) spendeth it up." The foolish woman spends more than her husband can afford. The wise woman lives frugally within her means. I often have to remind my new adopted daughters that we don't have to eat what we want whenever we want. We must learn to live thriftily rather than extravagantly.

We pull it down by wasting. Many women not only waste time but waste products. They throw out everything. It is not wise to be a hoarder and clutter up your home, but there are many things that can be re-used to save re-spending.

Many mothers allow their children to pick at their food and leave it on their plate without teaching them to eat what is in front of them. Good food is thrown in the trash. This is wasteful.

May God deliver us from being in the "foolish women category" that pulls down their home.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

"Father, please touch my lips with coals from off the altar. I don't want to speak negative words. Fill my mouth with encouraging and life-giving words that will build up my husband and my children. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

Building up my home with uplifting words,
To do anything else is utterly absurd!