I saw this cutie graphic on another blog, and I had to share it with you all. I think it sums up my home life. I can spend too much time on the computer, but since I don't enjoy house work any excuse would do! I've seen other versions of this motto "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life" or "A clean house is a sign of a dull woman."House work seems like a dreaded job. But does the bible tell us anything about that? Well, there is the dreaded Proverbs 31 woman...(I mean the lady in the bible, not Lysa TerKeurst.) We learn that she "works with eager hands." (v.13) That is exactly how I do the laundry, with eager hands...ummm, right. "She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family" (v.15). It is dark when I get up...in the winter months. And of course I provide food for my family...McDonald's is food, right?
Okay, clearly I'm exaggerating. My family rarely eats McDonalds. We are more the Chinese take-out type. But to continue with the lesson, verse 27 says "she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."
Mainly I think I am eating 100% whole wheat...but perhaps I can occasionally have a slice of that bread of idleness. So today I pray to be more purposeful in my daily life at home. To get my "jobs" done quickly & efficiently so that I can be a good example to my daughters.
And to teach them that a clean house is a sign of a Proverbs 31 woman. You don't have to bake your own bread, just don't eat the bread of idleness.
Titus 2:4-5 -- Then they {the older women} can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the word of God.
Proverbs 10:4 - - Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 15:17 - - Better a meal of vegetables where this is love than a fattened calf with hatred."
7 comments:
Bread of idleness, I wonder what that looks like! With six kids there hasn't been that kind of bread in my house for a LONG TIME. But, am I using my time wisely? Now that's another blog for another day (probably not).
God keeps calling me to a life of order and He is trying to help me become very organized so that my time isn't used wrongly.
Thanks for the reminder this morning!
Ouch!
God and my husband have been dealing with me on this one the last couple of days.
I teach and I am off during the summer months. So my mind says work a little, play a lot.
I also write Special Ed Bible Study curriculum for LifeWay, with a deadline in September. So I have let that be my work.
The house has looked very lived in this summer. Not dirty, just lived in. Cluttered.
So, you confirmed what my heart and husband have been telling me this week.
Time to put thing in priority. My house needs to come up the list a little more...or maybe I can grow more hands?
Pamela R.
There's hardly ever any idle time here. BUT I don't obsess over my house either. I want it presentable and ready to receive company, but right now there are socks that need to be picked up and put away and some shoes that need to find their homes. It looks, as the poster above states, lived in. And, I'm OK with that.
It's such a balance, isn't it??? And I'm convinced that it differs from person to person.
Susan
Reminds me of my Business Vrs Productivity Quandary. The business could sometimes be called the Bread of Idleness.
P.S. When I babysat for you today, I cleaned your kitchen....but to be fair, there was actually very little cleaning to be done. :)
I sometimes eat the bread of idleness I have to admit.
Last week I had a Saturday afternoon at home, and yes I baked and did some laundry but then I sat at the computer, read a book, watched tv. I could have tackled the bathroom, the toilet, washed the floors....
As a wife, mother, and full time career woman, I know exactly what you mean. There are always things around the house to be done, but when things are really busy and crazy in life, I find it's best for my sanity (and the sanity of those around me) to eat the bread of idleness :-) I would love for my house to look picture perfect all the time, but with a baby who's into everything, that's nearly impossible! I've learned to just "go with it" - very hard for a type A person, lol.
Amen, sister!
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