Shining the Light of Home

Summer's Reflection

by Carol Jones.

The home dweller represents her family and her values both in and outside of the home atmosphere. For this reason, she needs to develop a code of living and a set of standards that will put her at ease and present a good message to everyone around her. I have made a list of possible things that can be done to create more contentment in homemaking. Not only that, but some of these things tend toward a sweet happiness that will produce an inclination toward creativity and efficiency.

View From the Veranda

by Leon Roulette

Take Care of Your Appearance. This has been emphasized throughout the years by many wise women, and discussed a lot in the blog world. We live in an era that preaches an attitude of  informality. Fifty years ago, there were those who proclaimed loudly that any kind of carefulness regarding appearance or speech was insincere, affectatious, prideful, and self-indulgent.  Dressing down took over the whole culture, and   many women feel self-conscious if they try to dress up neatly or wear anything they really like that is pretty. Snide remarks about floral prints were heard on television by "experts" who intimidated many sensitive women who only wanted to look nice. They then put these women in clothing that was inappropriate for them, both emotionally and physically. Women were made to feel self-conscious and conceited if they dressed well at home or in public. 

We can change this mindset just by wearing something nice in public. When others see someone wearing a nice garment, they then have the courage to do so, themselves. It is very tempting just to want to keep to ourselves at home, to avoid feeling uneasy and different, but the Bible teaches  Christians to be like lights in the world. 

During the course of a day at home, a woman is going to have to answer the door, and that few minutes makes an impression. The day you decide not to fix yourself up, is the day everyone comes to the door and catches you off guard. It is important how you present yourself, because of what you represent: the family, the church, your nation.

Summer Breeze

by Alice Dalton , from allposters.com

Make a point of taking care of your appearance before anything else, at the beginning of the day, barring illness or other circumstances. If you have children, they will get these habits from observing you as they grow up. If your children are grown and gone, dressing up (and I don't mean prom dresses or ultra-formal, impractical clothing) can lift your morale tremendously. This includes care of the hair and face and all the other grooming necessities, to go with the look of completeness and confidence.  Do it to glorify God and for your self, and there will be other good results that follow.

One example that was given to me recently was from a friend of mine who had grown discouraged at the way women were dressing in her town. It made her sad to see the sloppy, badly designed, dull looking clothing in the stores with high prices. She decided to pray for the women in her town, that God would give them something beautiful to wear that would increase their love and happiness for God and the life He gave them.  Since she was able to sew, she wore some of her prettiest things whenever she went to the grocery store or her errands in town. When she had company, she also dressed her best, wearing skirts and dresses instead of tee shirts and jeans.  She did not expect quick results, but in just a few years she noticed that some women had chosen prettier, more feminine clothing and wore it in public.  

T.C. Chiu

Make your home beautiful, no matter what your circumstances. People do not notice the flaws in your house if you have something beautiful in it. An arrangement of meaningful books in a shelf, a picture on the wall, a pretty rug and a lamp, a bouquet of flowers or just a basket of yarn in the colors of your choice, go a long way to create a feeling of love and contentment at home.  You can feel so much better in a home that has some order in it, and some cleanliness. There is something very relaxing about just having one room done the way you like it, so you need not think you have to wear yourself out making the whole house perfect. You can make any home beautiful without expense just by they way you arrange things, and such a house will make its members content to be there.

Making a lovely home requires attention, and so it is important not to get sidetracked by all the issues that life presents.  Recognize unnecessary drama and trauma and work around all obstacles. Keep sweeping and arranging and planning and singing. When discouragement interferes, ignore it and move on. It is important to learn to work alone, and not depend on the approval of others, but to get satisfaction from reaching goals. Make a brief list of two or three things you want to do and then make small steps to do them. You'll see how it changes your character and your heart and your love for your home. 

Veranda, by Candace Lovely, from allposters.com

It is one thing to expect changes in your circumstances, or changes in the world, or the economy, or,  the end of the world, but it is another thing to stand around anxiously looking for signs. Christians need to be busy about the work that God has given them, rather than sitting around wishing things could be already done. Women at home have a great work, and a "good work" to be done, so it is no wonder that they will be challenges. The greatest defeat is in demoralization. Demoralization is where you don't feel worthy of anything and do not feel your work is worthwhile, so you give up.  The greatest weapon against demoralization is achievement. If all you do is dress up and sit on the porch with a cup of tea to make a list of immediate things to do, you have achieved something. If all you do is look after your new baby, you are achieving something. If all you do is get a meal on the table, you have achieved something. These things should make you feel good, especially if you find creative ways to do them.

Ofsprey Point by Albert Swayhoov from allposters.com

With these two things: dressing well and creating beauty in the house,  much can change for the better, for yourself, and for others, but it will take patience. By patience, I mean that you do not give up when you don't see results. You keep doing something steadily, and then you will notice how much more content you are and how much stronger your light shines.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world...Philippians 2:15

For those who feel demoralized because they feel they cannot get anywhere with their work, I would like to say that it does not always have to look like you are making progress in your house, for that work to be worthwhile. One great lesson that I learned was from a quote by a soldier in the 1800's who was on the losing side of a conflict. He said that he did not feel defeated, because he would rather be on the right side and lose, than on the wrong side, and win. He still believed in his cause of freedom, and clung to that principle. So, if you feel you are just treading water, you have to look at life differently. The world thinks that progress is important, but God wants us to do our daily work, even if it does not look like anything great in the eyes of the world.  Every day that you do the work of the one who sent you, is a day of progress, even if it is just your daily work.

Someone in comments mentioned the lift a new paint job does for your inside walls. I was given a lot of ---yes--quacamole green paint (the color we would ALL like to get rid of!) but was able to mix it with white and make a very velvety green. It was not my choice of color but because it was free, I wanted to use it, and the effect was a lot better than the "before" look. A  fresh painted wall or clean curtains are great motivators because the room becomes a new place. It is more enjoyable to make the bed or straighten up a "new" room in a "new" house. Cleaning and rearranging also make a "new" house.