• Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

The Proficient Homemaker

  • Marriage
  • Parenting
  • Homemaking
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool Resources
  • Christian Living
    • My Journal
  • Resources
    • PRINTABLES
Home » Homemaking » Christian Homemaking

Christian Homemaking

Homemaking

19 Nov
Share
Share
Pin3
3 Shares

Is the Proverbs 31 Ideal Attainable?

What is homemaking? In the simplest sense, it is the art of making a home. Christian homemaking, then, is the art of making a home that is God-honoring. We get a glimpse of the ideal Christian homemaker from King Lemuel’s mother in Proverbs 31.

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. . . The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her . . . She looketh well to the ways of her household . . . Her children arise up, and call her blessed. . .

Proverbs 31:10-11, 27-28

This woman is a paragon of virtue. She does everything – and she does it well. Few women can claim to have mastered all virtues set forth here. However, this passage does give guidance for those of us who want to grow as Christian Homemakers. So, what are the ideals set forth by King Lemuel’s mother?

CHRISTIAN HOMEMAKING AND THE PROVERBS 31 WOMAN

  • She exhibits Christlikeness: strength, honor, joy, wisdom, kindness, fear of the Lord (vs. 25, 26, 30)
  • She has a good testimony: her children bless her, her husband praises her (28, 30, 31)
  • She is a good wife: her husband trusts her, she helps build his reputation (vs. 11, 12, 23)
  • She is skilled in providing clothing for her family and items for the home (vs. 13, 19, 21, 22)
  • She provides food for her family(vs. 14)
  • She helps provide income for her home (vs. 18, 24)
  • She gardens (vs. 16)
  • She is physically fit (vs. 17)
  • She ministers to the needy (vs. 20)
  • She is a diligent and productive homemaker (vs. 27, 31)

IS CHRISTIAN HOMEMAKING ATTAINABLE?

You would think that, after 42 years of marriage, I would have attained the status of the Proverbs 31 woman in homemaking. You might expect my home to always be spotless, meals planned and served on time, every nook and cranny organized and kept straight, laundry kept up, and more. However, life happens. New babies, sickness, moves, weddings, house building, ministry, aging parents, and life, in general, interfere with the best intentions. It seems that there are always interruptions in my quest to become the virtuous woman described in this passage. There have been times when it seemed I was getting close to accomplishing this goal. However, the demands of life overshadowed my plans and dreams of a Proverbs 31 household.

There are so many great blog posts, articles, and books written by women who seem to have mastered the goals set forth in Proverbs 31. They offer homemaking hints and help designed to challenge and encourage us to keep pressing towards the mark. Yet, when we see how far we have to go to attain homemaking perfection, we can still get overwhelmed. When this happens, we are tempted to simply give up. So, what can we do?

CHRISTIAN HOMEMAKING HELPS

While we won’t cover the nuts and bolts of Christian homemaking here, we will look at four obstacles that can get in our way. They are comparison, lack of wisdom, lack of strength, and discouragement.

STOP COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. ~ 2 Corinthians 10:12

Have you ever been guilty of comparing your homemaking abilities with those of others? I know I have. According to Scripture, when we fall into this mindset, we are not being wise. I believe this is because different circumstances will yield different results. In addition, appearances can be deceiving.

For instance, several years ago, one of the young moms in our homeschool group told me, “Your home is always so orderly. How do you do it?” This mom had five children under the age of nine. I had twelve children ranging from newborn to late twenties. There was no way that she could attain, with five littles, the level of order I had with a houseful of adults. She felt like a failure because she couldn’t achieve the same results I did. She didn’t consider the fact that our circumstances were totally different.

Later that year, we hosted the annual Christmas tea for our homeschool support group. Our family had been traveling a lot and our home had suffered in our absence. As we prepared for the tea, we got all the rooms that would be seen by guests in perfect order. We shoved everything into the bedrooms behind locked doors. When this young mom arrived, I told her I had something to show her. I brought her on a tour of the house – the WHOLE house – messy rooms and all. After the tour, she teared up and said, “This makes me feel so much better!” When she saw my hidden clutter, it helped her to realize that things weren’t always as they appeared and that even the most orderly homemakers can be hiding imperfections behind locked doors.

SEEK WISDOM FOR THE TASKs THAT LIE AHEAD

Sometimes, life gets in the way of our homemaking attempts. As a result, we get behind and have no idea how to get back on track. We make countless to-do lists but can’t seem to pull ourselves out of the rut we have fallen into.

There are many wonderful websites out there that can help us get back on track (see links below). However, it’s difficult to focus and make progress when we are completely overwhelmed. In addition, not every method on every site will work for everyone. So, where do we begin?

First, ask God!

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ~ James 1:5

It can be as simple as saying, “Help, I don’t know where to begin,” or “Please show me the first step.” God always knows where we are, and He always knows what we need to get us moving in the right direction.

Second, just get started. Activity breeds activity, or as Einstein once said, “Nothing happens until something moves”. Choose one task for the day. Often, that’s all that’s needed to get the momentum going. You might be surprised how much you actually get done once you start moving. Finally, celebrate little victories. Rather than focusing on the tasks that remain undone, reward yourself for the tasks you were able to accomplish. Every little step gets you closer to your goal.

RELY ON GOD’S STRENGTH AND NOT OUR OWN

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. ~ Phil 2: 13 How encouraging! God works in us to give us the will to do what He wants us to do. In other words, even when we don’t WANT to tackle the tasks that need to be done, He can give us the “want to”. In addition to this, He also works in us to DO what He wants us to do. Because we know Christian homemaking is God’s “good pleasure,” we can rest assured that He will give us the strength and ability required to do it. Even when things get hard, and we don’t feel that we can accomplish the task set before us, He gives us assurance,

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

REMIND OURSELVES THAT GOD’S MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY DAY

We all go through seasons in life where homemaking is a challenge. Maybe circumstances have taken us out of our homes for days or weeks on end. Or perhaps, sickness has interfered with our ability to keep our home in order. No matter what the circumstances,

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ~ Lamentations 3:22-23

CONCLUSION

More than anything else, Christian homemaking requires a relationship with Jesus Christ. As we grow closer to Him and learn more about Christian living, we will be ready to tackle the obstacles that stand in our way. Only then will the Proverbs 31 ideal become attainable.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

If you’d like to study the Proverbs 31 Woman in depth, check out Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s podcast series, The Counter-Cultural Woman: A Fresh Look at Proverbs 31.

You may also like:

  • Five Fixes For Clutter
  • Large Family Christmas Traditions
  • 5 Reasons to Homeschool
  • Marriage: God’s Plan and God’s Purpose
  • Hitting the Target: Pointing Your Children to God
  • Quiet Time at Jesus’ Feet

Christian homemaking websites:

  • ~Loving Life at Home
  • ~A Virtuous Woman
Christian Homemaking Pin for Pinterest

You might also enjoy:

Share
Share
Pin3
3 Shares

Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « The Drawing Textbook: A Review
Next Post: Large Family Christmas Traditions »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Me

Hi, my name’s Karen. I’m so glad you decided to visit The Proficient Homemaker. My desire is to help women of all ages become proficient in their role as homemakers.  READ MORE

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Search…

Copyright © 2023 · Refined Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT