Busy at Home

I am very good at keeping myself occupied at home.  I bake, clean, do laundry, cook meals, pay bills, take care of my children, knit, make cards, garden, and I've recently decided to learn to make balloon animals.  The list could go on and on with all the things that I do to keep myself busy.  Staying busy is a good thing.  I am happier when I'm busy, serving a purpose as mom and housewife and accomplishing things around our home.  I have also noticed that my children  and husband are happier and keep themselves better occupied when I am contented in my busy-ness.  I think it is true that the mom's attitude sets the tone for the whole household.  I know it is true in our case anyway.

However, though I may be a good example to my kids of staying busy and not being lazy, sometimes I think I'm teaching them to stay busy with the wrong things.  Instead of being an example of sitting at the feet of Jesus, I'm an example of doing dishes, laundry or mopping the floor.  I can fill up my time with so much doing that I forgot to also fill up my time with what really matters--mine, and my family's relationship with our loving heavenly Father.

I think there needs to be a balance. I shouldn't just sit on the couch reading devotionals all day and neglect the duties of my home and family, but I also shouldn't be doing all  the duties of my home and family all day to the neglect of our relationship with God.  I could definitely be better at combining the two: praying, worshiping, and teaching my children about God while I'm going about my daily activities.   Having a God ward focus throughout the day is something that I want to strive more at accomplishing! 

Titus 2:4-5 Then they 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 31:27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

Luke 10:38-42  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Haggai 1:5-9  Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Proverbs 31:30   Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.