Your Wonderful Opinions!

What a response!!! Thank you to everyone who took the time and made the effort to comment on my last post. I was encouraged, challenged, hugged and convicted as I read and re-read the thoughts. Overall, there was a clear message of agreement: no matter what, learning and living a life devoted to Jesus, THE Christ, is essential. This point was my greatest encouragement and my deepest conviction rolled into one. Of course, we know this and have heard it spoken many times, and although that is my heart's desire, I find that in the wake of trying to accomplish the tasks of the day sometimes it is my Lord who is put on "pause"; it is living that life devoted to Him that "slips" into obscurity when He isn't regularly and consistently made the center of our home. I become a Martha...so busy doing that I don't take time to sit at the Saviour's feet, or I forget the priviledge of walking along the Way with the children, or just plainly neglecting those things which are needed for spiritual growth.



~So a life devoted to loving and serving Jesus really clears the muddy waters! Once our purpose and vision is properly established, what our children pursue should "fall in line" with giftings, interests, family vision...

~Practical skills not only build character, but should by nature result in blessing their family, future husband, and others...

~Managing the home is an essential, not just learning individual skills...

~And from the brave men who responded: they affirmed all of this by appreciating the skill set, but not rating that as most important

"...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Titus 2:3-5

On more than one occasion, I've posted a farmhouse confession, and here's another one: I have overlooked this text as a "lifestyle of learning" curriculum because I have always read it through the eyes of an older woman teaching a younger MARRIED woman. Good grief! Could there be a more fabulous outline for what I ought to be teaching my daughters to be as a wife, and my sons what to look for in a wife? I didn't even know this verse existed in the Bible until I was married, and at that point I was looking for an older woman to teach me...somehow I crossed over that line and I now AM that older woman.

And another description: "...she has been...well reported for good works:if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work." 1Timothy 4:10

It was fairly unanimous...if we instill a deep love for the Lord, our daughters will love their husbands and children, and with that same fervor fulfill the tasks of the home.

Your comments have blessed me so much! I will be re-reading them often...I hope this has encouraged others as we together fulfil our high calling!