Being a homemaker creates a lot of discipline. You are always self-motivated to clean things routinely, you are re-washing dishes a couple of times a day, re-doing never ending laundry, re-cleaning, re-scrubbing, re-straightening, re-vaccuming, re-sweeping, re-mopping. I might not have the proper grammar here, but its a lot of joyful, hard repetitious work.
However, I do love the slow days at home. I make it a point to shut everything else out and focus on the Lord, let my little ones play, and allow myself to organize, clean, or venture into a new project without distractions. I have strived to make our home a place of rest. Our home is a shelter in life's storms. It is a solid tent to lay our heads. Yes, if God ever calls us on, we will move on. But with whatever earthly tent we are given, we will make it a haven.
I have been trying to be better at cleaning things, because this is my job, and finishing the task. For instance, finishing the entire kitchen (wiping tables and counters) not just dishes, etc. to help me get on top of things better. It is actually working. I've been able to notice some house areas that need improvement.
I created a garden center in the corner of our yard, where the little ones can have flower pots, and learn to water and take care of plants. There are chairs, a bench, and decorations, and its a cute, little nature learning corner outside. Of course, the snow will put us on hold for the winter, but I'm excited to plant some flowers come spring and also plant some food... possibly. :)
As far as other home projects, Jeremy is re-painting the older kids Jack and Jill bathroom upstairs. It needed a makeover. I will be very excited for a lighter, crisp color. This is a work in progress. In the future, the loft will be re-done. I'm actually going to draw out some things for the loft like I did with the mudroom area; but this will be in a while... We might just use what we have around for a bit and clean it up.
My newest project is re-painting the kids old toy dollhouse and using scrapbook paper to cut and modge podge to the walls and floor. Its pink and white, and I'm going to paint the pink areas black. We will have a black and white modern dollhouse with vintage wallpaper (scrap paper) colors, tan and brown. I'm excited.
I also ordered some small, framed vintage rural landscape paintings to go above the dollhouse. I didn't realize Amazon has such cheap framed paintings that are antique!
I'll post a link. I've chosen two pictures from these selections.
On the other side of the room, our socks are everywhere. I'm cleaning up the baskets they are in, and ordered an extra large farmhouse style woven basket. This will mesh nicely with the other dollhouse corner. I'll upload pics when I'm done. I'm the type of person to notice every knick and corner of the house... eventually to remodel.
Lastly, our home is already feeling better. We have really thrown a lot of junk away, given junk to the thrifty, cleaned, straightened, and remodeled with more simple aspects.
I love homemaking. I am actually a woman that is happy to be busy at home, serving my family.
I love my life. I've even been studying the scriptures on non-resistance. A topic I need to study more on and that I enjoy studying about- its not taught that much today. The world is so full of evil.
I have come to the conclusion fallen man in the Bible a lot of times had to resort to violence- their condition sickening them. God did command some wars for the protection of His people, but these were due to the violent, evil nature of Israel's foes who were out to destroy them without ceasing.
However, I've come to the conclusion personally and biblically; especially after God came to earth as a man, Christ Jesus, that He above anyone else and above Old Testament scriptures, showed us the way to non-resistance, love, and peace; even with our enemies. I'll leave an excerpt I studied last night from a man who is a biblical scholar.
"Jesus taught his followers to follow the same rhythm of nonviolence and enemy-love
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also” (Luke 6:27-29). Whenever violence is mentioned, it’s always shunned. There’s no evidence that only some of our enemies are to be loved, or that we should love our nonviolent enemies, but kill the ones who are trying to harm us or our nation. Jesus’s countercultural commands are unqualified and absolute. And whenever the apostles try to confront evil with violence, they are rebuked (Luke 9; 22).
Now, some will say that Jesus’s nonviolent journey to the cross was necessary for Jesus to atone for our sins. He had to suffer; he had to die. His nonviolence was theologically necessary not practically mandatory.
But the Bible says that it was both.
3. Jesus’s nonviolent journey to the cross was both theological and ethical
Yes, Jesus had to die, so he chose not to resist his death. But NT writers view his nonviolent journey to the cross as a pattern for believers to follow. 1 Peter 2, Romans 12, Philippians 2, and other passages draw upon Jesus’s nonviolent journey to the cross as a model for believers to follow.
When NT writers themselves ask the question WWJD, their most consistent and pervasive response is: don’t fight evil with evil, endure suffering, don’t retaliate, love your enemies—because that’s what Jesus did. Jesus fought against evil through suffering.
...“The New Testament is ubiquitously clear: don’t retaliate with evil for evil; do good to those who hate you; embrace your enemy with a cross-shaped, unyielding divine love.”
Another interesting note- God sent the flood in Noah's day due to violence. Not just immorality in other areas. Violence , sinful, unprovoked, evil violence. God hated it and destroyed the people who acted in such ways unrepentantly. My goal in life is to live peacefully, be blessed by Christ, and love and enjoy my family. I know God's ways are higher than America's or man's ways.
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