All is Well

 

Greetings and congratulations for another day of home life. All is well here and I hope all is well with you.

I spent the day cleaning up outside and making things look as curb- attractive as possible for my family and friends. It is time to get the paint out and freshen up garden fences and outdoor things before rain comes. 

The Manse this evening.

In light of world events and cultural pressures swirling around us, here is a little scripture that I feel is integral to keep the homemaker focused on every good thing: 

Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." 

It is easy to be distracted by the uncertainty of the world around us. Replace those worries with kindness and forgiveness and tenderness. I will try to talk more about it on video.

Also to the homemaker: It's never too late to create an atmosphere at home conducive to happiness, especially in a country like ours.

When you are doing well, there will be criticism and attack. My husband read a scripture that helped deal with the unjust and undeserved hatred of the Titus 2:5 reference to women as keepers at home .

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 1st Peter 4:12

Those who pressure homemakers to get a life outside the home, can leave you puzzled, but that's what the enemy does: keep you in a state of uncertainty and fear. 

Instead of taking up thinking space in hours of emotional turmoil, rehearsing what someone said to take away your love of homemaking, use it as a trigger to do something nice for yourself, the house and someone else. Do not stay in that immobile state, unable to progress from the sorting of good books to the careful keeping of family memories in a journal or a box of precious papers.

I like that phrase "be not surprised...as though something strange were happening to you."

It is saying "don't be so surprised when those who are minding their own business at home will sometimes be attacked for it."  It triggers negative, jealous people. 

Previous generations taught their children about this: Whatever you try to do that is justified by God, even the simplest things like having a home and being a homemaker, -- "whatever you try to do, someone will try to stop you."   

When we were younger, (back in the olden days 😊) we  rather expected resistance when we practiced goodness.

 Homemaking, and homeschooling , being feminine, teaching others what is good, pursuing interests, improving yourself, etc. would always attract envy and resentment. Those good things just seem to trigger negative people. 

Read the book of Nehemiah and see how the culture tried to prevent the progress on building something good. Some people would sneer at the builders and make snide, disrespectful remarks. Read what Nehemiah did to encourage the workers. 

This would all be easier to understand in a video talk but my vocal chords have felt thin the last couple months. I hope to talk to you pretty soon and fill you in on what has transpired since I last broadcast. 

Lydia Ruth 

Things I saw in a shop recently;