A Virtuous Woman

This is the third {and final} post of my thoughts/revelations about HOME.  If you haven't read Part 1, or Part 2, please go ahead and do so, or this post may not make entire sense on its own.


I want to start by sharing the values I used to attach to the idea of HOME.  To me home meant:
- owning a house
- never moving
- having nice stuff {for me, and for others to enjoy}
- perfection {everything the way I wanted it... NOW}
- welcoming
- accomodating
- a fun place for people to be


God has made some HUGE adjustments in my heart on how I see HOME now:
- to be clean and organized
- comfortable and welcoming
- useful to God and his purposes {giving people a place to stay if necessary, hosting bible study, raising my children, etc.}
- pleasing to the eye but not perfect
- PEACEFUL SANCTUARY
- a place where LOVE abides and freedom reigns


Notice I no longer list owning a house as a value. I do not need a lecture on the financial aspects of owning a house because I understand "own" vs. "rent".  AND I am NOT saying that owning is bad.  But consider whether you own the house, or does the house own you?


Before the idea of owning a house was an idol in my life.  Let me explain.  I recently heard a teaching from Pastor Richard saying that "anything in your life that takes up more of your energy, time, focus, and money than you give to God is an idol."  Woah.  There may be some for whom this idol may be a hobby or sport. For me it was the idea of owning a house.  It consumed me.  God has since then taught me that I don't need to own a house to have a HOME. Are you hearing me?


For me, the biggest revelation is right here.  I used to consider myself a "stay-at-home-mom" {SAHM}, because that's what I did. I was a mom that stayed at home to raise her children.  So that was the title I bore.  The Lord has been teaching me and showing me that he has called me to be SO much more and the label of SAHM was limiting me.  He has shown me in the scriptures 2 specific passages Proverbs 31 and Titus 2, that speaks to the heart of the woman God created; The Virtuous Woman.


He has stirred a DEEP passion in me to become a HOMEMAKER, and to be excellent at it!  I want to be a woman that the following can be said:


- her husband trusts her and she greatly enriches his life
- she gets up early to feed her family and plan their day
- she invests wisely {my time, efforts, talents and money!}
- she is energetic and strong - a hard worker
- she helps the poor and needy.  I love this because one translation says that "she extends her FULL hand to the needy"
- she makes the HOME "ready" for the seasons {not house}
- she laughs without fear of the future {I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS VIRTUE}
- she gives instructions with kindness
- she is economical
- she is not lazy, idle, discontent. she does not gossip or have self pity.
- she fears the Lord!


In the Hebrew, a virtuous woman meant "one of power in either mind, body or both".  In contrast to todays "modern woman", being strong does  NOT mean speaking your mind and refusing help, or being equal to a man.  A virtuous woman is capable, intelligent and serves in her HOME, with a servants heart.  Serving at HOME is not a menial task but one of honor and dignity.


I have meditated and have committed to the Lord that this will be my focus for the remainder of 2010, and beyond, if He so leads me. I want to practice being a Virtuous Woman so that I will become a woman who blesses God, her husband, her children and her friends and neighbors.  And through practice I will develop excellence in all these virtues.  In doing so I fully believe that God will re-establish my HOME, and the blessings will fulfill me beyond my comprehension!

Family photo courtesy of Jill Callitz

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Proverbs 14:1