Okay, if you haven’t heard of this term before, you need to check this out. Recently my sister did a post on Replacing Disposables with Permanents. A few people commented on this thing called “Family Cloth”, a term I had never heard of before then. It refers to a washable rag replacement for toilet paper. Now, before you get all grossed out, just hear me out. Instead of good ol’ t.p. some people are using cloths to wipe with. At first I was like “Oh gross. I don’t think I’d go that far to be more environmentally friendly, or to save money”, but I was still interested in the idea, so I did a little research to see what others were saying about it. Here are a few excerpts I found:

“I continued to think about the claims I heard like “it’s softer” “no more fuzz” and “I’ll never go back” so I decided I had to try it. After all, I was already washing cloth diapers. I could just throw my cloths right in the washer with them, no extra work required.”

“The next huge difference was the massive change in toilet paper consumption. I didn’t really keep track before but I estimate we went from buying one huge package every other week to one small package a month!!! For a family on a limited budget this is a major savings. After noticing this I knew there was no going back.”

To read this article in it’s entirety, go here.

Here are some other comments that I’ve found:

“I too have ditched the tp. I cloth diapered my kids so family cloth was an extension of this. We’ve done away w/paper towels too Easier on the environment, the sewers, my wallet AND our bodies!”

“…for families that are already familiar with cloth diapering or using cloths instead of disposable baby wipes, it’s really not that much of a jump.

However, there are variations in usage, according to the article, even among proponents of the family cloth. The article notes that some men refuse to use it, some households use it only for urination and many families will stock regular toilet paper for their guests.”

“We use family cloth at our house. The used cloth gets tossed into the diaper pail and washed with the diapers. I have yet to pull anything out of my dryer that smells like poo. My first reaction to family cloth was that it was disgusting and I would never use it. It saves money and trees and doesn’t use any extra water at my house because we already have to wash the diapers. There is no “scrubbing the inside of the pail” since we have washable pail liners. Really, it’s not as gross as you think. It’s so easy my 3 yr old can do it.

And anyone grossed out by putting soiled garments in the washer is missing the whole point of a washing machine. It’s the machine’s job to clean things. Unless you throw out your underwear after every use, some of those bodily fluids and yes, even some solids, will find their way into the washing machine.”

After giving it some thought, and reading how happy those who have at least tried it are with the concept, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d like to give it a shot as well. I realize how socially unacceptable it sounds; but you know what, who cares! Hubby is all against the idea, which is fine with me! I’m only interested in the girls using it. My terms of usage will be: just for the girls, just for “tinkles”, and of course I’ll have regular t.p. for guests. I think baby girl will like it better too. And since I’m already washing cloth diapers, it won’t really make much of a difference. So, when I get a spare moment I’m going to cut up some old t’s and try it out! I’ll let ya know what I think once I’ve been doing it for a while.

If you are interested in reading more from other’s who have made the switch, I found this forum to be very interesting!

Kristy at Homemaker’s Cottage wrote a very sweet and encouraging post on what homemaking truly is. I was very blessed by what she wrote and reminded that I need to keep relationships first…not my to-do list. Here is a snippet of what she wrote:

On our way in Amy spotted a display of porcelain dolls in the front window and wanted to stop and look at them once we got inside. While she looked, I happened to see a cute little wooden plaque with a quote painted in black letters which read,

Homemaking is love made visible.

.

That quote has been tumbling around in my head the past week and I’ve realized more and more how very easy it is to lose sight of the real reason we women do what we do. Too often homemaking is reduced to little more than housework; a list of duties to be marked off a never-ending to do list. But isn’t love the motivation behind all our efforts? It should be, and, I think, for most of us it is. We just need a good reminder every now and again that our homemaking is more about joyful service and cheerful faces (ours and our families’) than it is clean kitchens, spotless floors, and folded laundry. Without those things our work can quickly become drudgery and a source of frustration- not only for us, but our families as well!

Am I the only one that needed to read this? Go here to read the full article.

I’m glad you stopped by to join us for our series on Making Your Home a Haven. If you haven’t been with us, you may want to start here . So far we’ve looked at nourishing your own walk with God , honoring and respecting your husband , serving your children and nourishing both the bodies and souls of your family .

Today we are going to talk about:

Keeping a Clean and Orderly Home

One of the most practical things that you can do in your home to make it a “haven” is to keep it clean and organized. Think of how crumby (don’t mind the pun) you feel when your home is a mess. Now think of how good you feel when it’s clean!

My husband has told me that when he comes home to a house that is clean and fresh (rather than cluttered and dirty), it makes a world of difference on his attitude. Wow! So, that means that I can be a blessing to my family when I keep my home clean! My diligence in this area can actually be an avenue of ministry to those around me.

And that’s absolutely understandable because I know how much better I feel when the home has that crisp and sparkling feel to it!

While I am by no means saying that my home is 100% of the time clean and organized (ha…just drop in randomly some time!), I do want to share a few things that I have been learning over time. Let’s look at a few practical steps to maintaining your home’s overall order and cleanliness:

Knock out the clutter first
Believe me, no one is going to notice that you dusted the mantle if your floor is covered with toys and the counter strewn with mail. Try to keep yourself from getting too caught up in cleaning when your home probably needs to be de-cluttered and organized first.

I generally do two to three de-cluttering walk-throughs per day to keep the clutter maintained: one first thing in the morning before I do anything else (usually if I wasn’t able to do a walk through the night before), one midday or right before my husband gets home, and one right before I go to bed. When clutter is under control, I feel much better and the cleaning is a snap to get done. As far as my “walk through” goes, I generally start at the front door and walk from room to room in my house picking up anything that is out of place and returning it to it’s “home”.

Cut down on “stuff”
One reason why de-cluttering is pretty simple in our home is because we try to keep our “stuff” level down (though I still have way more stuff than I’d like to have!). Our home isn’t covered wall to wall with knick-knacks and furniture. It actually looks very simple and almost bare, but it’s much easier to maintain and very quick to clean (since I don’t have to pick up tons of knick knacks and such to clean and dust under!).

A good rule for cutting down on “stuff” is to go through each room and look at what you have. If you haven’t used it in three months, you may want to either trash it, sell it or give it away.

Doing an annual or bi-annual “stuff toss” may be a good idea for your home! This may also be something that you would want to do to keep your children’s toys under control.

Have an organizational system
If you don’t have a “place for everything”, you won’t be able to keep “everything in its place”. Having an organizational system is key in keeping your home organized.

There are as many ways to organize your home as you can think of them, so the main point is to walk through your house and make sure that everything has a “home”. Designate a place and keep it there. You may want to do a weekly maintenance check to make sure that everything still has a “home”.

Create a cleaning schedule
Once you’ve got the clutter and organization under control, cleaning will be tons easier. Creating a cleaning schedule will help you stay on top of the dirt and grime. Some people create a daily cleaning schedule, some clean once a week. It’s up to you and what works best with where you are in life right now.

Personally, I have a daily cleaning schedule (very basic: dishes clean, do at least one load of laundry, counters wiped, floors swept, beds made), plus a weekly cleaning schedule which is more thorough. I also have things that I do once a month as well as bi-annually.

Just do it
This can be the hardest part – but in order to get (and stay) clean and organized, you just have to do it. I find that jumping on it at the beginning of the day is much easier than trying to tackle everything near the end of the day.

I hope that gives you a little inspiration as you seek to create a clean and organized “haven” for your family to enjoy.

Next time we’ll look at how to provide your family with plenty of wholesome, fun and creative times together.

Nourish Both Body and Soul

You as mother and wife bear a huge responsibility in making your home into a haven for the benefit of your family and for the glory of God. We have been looking at some ways that you can do that in our current series (if you haven’t been with us, you may want to start here ).

So far we’ve looked at nourishing your own walk with God , honoring and respecting your husband and serving your children .

Today we’re going to look at nourishing your family’s bodies and souls.

Let’s face it…who generally plans and prepares the meals, stocks the medicine cabinet, cleans the wounds and kisses the boo-boos? You do! God has given you, as wife and mother, a natural desire and drive to oversee the physical well-being of your family. Let’s look at a few things to consider as you seek to grow in this role.

Physical nourishment often helps spiritual nourishment
I don’t know about you, but when my belly is empty, or my sleep is lacking, I find that there is a direct link to my level of sanctification (I’m being honest, here) – and it seems to drop very fast! And let me assure you - your husband and children are probably the same way. When you take care of your family physically, you are ultimately aiding them spiritually.

Ways that you can nourish your family physically

Provide healthy meals
Umm…fried chicken, biscuits and gravy don’t count. I’ll be the first to admit, I am sorely lacking in my knowledge of good, quality nutrition. This is something that I’m slowly trying to learn more about and implement in my home as I learn. We’re taking small steps toward eating more fresh fruits and veggies, less preservatives, fried foods and sugar, and drinking more water.

Try to do some research on general nutrition, organic foods, gardening, filtering your water, etc. and start taking baby steps to better nutrition. Write down some goals and work on them.

Make sure everyone gets adequate amount of rest
This means getting to bed early and taking naps (if you can!). God designed our bodies to need sleep for a reason (namely, to refuel), so don’t skimp on this.

Provide plenty of outside activity for fresh air, exercise and sunshine
Try to get outside at least once a day with your kids. Plan some weekend trips to the beach or mountains for a hike or a day in the sun. Go to the park and throw a baseball, kick a ball around or play volleyball together.

Make sure your home is safe
This is especially important when you have little ones around. Make sure chemicals are out of reach, outlets are safe, sharp objects are out of reach and so on. Also invest in good locks and possibly an alarm system or dogs.

Cut down on chemicals as much as possible
Try using homemade cleaners instead of the harsh chemical cleaners on the market. Open your windows during the day (I’ve read that the air in your home is more polluted than the air outside - yikes!). Keep plants in your home to maintain air purity. Invest in a good water filter. Make sure that baby toys, bottles and feeding bowls and utensils are BPA-free and non-toxic.These are just a few ideas to cut down on chemical exposure.

Give your family multivitamins
Multivitamins are a good way to supplement nutrition.

Ways that you can nourish your family spiritually
Your husband will most likely provide the main spiritual leadership in your home, but you also have the responsibility to provide spiritual nourishment to your family.

• Nourish your own walk with God
• Honor and respect your husband
• Serve your children
• Memorize Scripture together
• Sing and memorize hymns
• Read Christian biographies together
• Read Classic Christian works together
• Memorize the Westminster Catechism
• Pray together
• Minister as a family
• Minister to missionaries
• Talk to your children often and openly about spiritual things
• Point out answers to prayer to your children
• Use every day objects and situations to talk about God and tell your children about what He is like

I hope that these ideas provide some ideas for your family. Keep putting this before the Lord and asking for His help as you seek to make your home a haven for His glory and honor.

Next week, we’ll take a look at keeping a clean and orderly home. See you then!

I’ve really been learning a lot as we’ve been working through this series discussing how we can make our homes into havens . There has been a lot for me to think about…things I’ve never really sat down and fleshed out before…so it has been very good for me!

So far, we’ve looked at nourishing your own walk with God , honoring and respecting your husband , and today we’re going to look at…

Serving your children

If you haven’t been with us during this series, you may want to start here .

I am a new mother, so I am no expert on this subject. In fact, I’d like to do less talking and more listening today and get your input today.

Before you all share your wisdom, here are a few thoughts that I had about what it means to serve your children:

1. When we Serve our Children, we are Imitating Christ.

Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (Matthew 20:28). He washed the disciple’s feet, provided food for the five thousand, healed people, prayed for His disciples…even gave His life for you and me. As mother’s we’ve been given the opportunity to imitate Christ’s selfless service every day to our little sheep. When Christ served, He did not expect anything in return…He did not come to be ministered unto, and neither should we. This is not to say that we don’t expect good behavior and respect from our children, but it does mean that there will be many diapers changed, messes cleaned, noses wiped, meals cooked and clothes washed that we will never be recognized for…and that’s ok.

2. Serving our Children Does NOT Mean being a Slave to our Children

Serving (i.e. ministering) is not one and the same with being a “slave” to our children. Serving means overseeing the nourishment, education, discipleship and care of our children. It does NOT mean doing whatever your child wants just because they want to do it. Part of you serving your children means leading them by establishing rules and boundaries, as well as disciplining them and teaching them character. That is true service. As mothers, we are not to be slaves to our children’s desires and tantrums.

3. The Following Are Some Ways That I Can Serve My Children:

• Let God’s love and grace flow through me each day so that I respond correctly with wisdom and patience and am like a sweet savor to my children
• Train them in the fear and admonition of the Lord by disciplining them, reading and memorizing scripture with them, bringing them to church and talking to them about the Lord
• Pray with and for them
• Respect and Honor my husband as this provides stability to them and paints a picture of how the Church honors and respects Christ
• Be there – for their first steps, their first words, when they fall, when they laugh – whatever it is, I must be there with and for my children…especially when they are young.
• Provide healthy meals and nutrition that will nourish their growing bodies
• Make sure they are properly clothed and well-cared for
• Kiss their boo-boos and hold them when they are sick or sad
• Listen to them, play with them, laugh with them, build a strong bond with them
• Provide a rich learning atmosphere where they can flourish intellectually, emotionally, relationally and spiritually

Now, let me hear from you. What does it mean to serve/minister to your children in your role as “mother”?

Creating a home is not primarily about well-decorated rooms or clean bathrooms. While keeping your home attractive, clean and organized are helpful (I will even venture to say, necessary …we’ll even touch on it during our series) in creating a right atmosphere for a peaceful home, they will not ultimately make your home a “home” (or “haven” as we are talking about in this series).

Making your home a “haven” goes deeper…it goes further…and it takes a lot of work, prayer and trust in the Lord. If you haven’t been following our series on how to make your home a haven, you may want to start here.

During this series we are looking at the following points that are foundational to creating a haven in your home:

Nourishing Your Own Walk with God

Honoring and Respecting Your Husband (which we will talk about today)

Serving (but not being a slave to) Your Children

Nourishing Both Body and Soul

Keeping a clean and orderly home

Providing Plenty of Wholesome, Fun and Creative Family Times

Establishing Some Traditions

So again, grab a cup of tea, pen and paper, and let’s get started!

Today we’re going to look at the next building block:

Respecting and Honoring Your Husband

There are several verses that we could look at, but I want to hone in on I Peter 3 . I asked my husband for his input on this post. He was so sweet to help and gave a lot of good insight - I learned tons from what he said! Here is his “exposition” of the passage that I typed as he talked (with a few thoughts that I injected as I edited this, noted in blue ):

1. Cultivate a Submissive Heart – vs. 3

It is not the outward appearance (“your adornment must not be merely external…” vs. 3) that is most important, but it is your heart that makes all the difference. You can try to please your husband by “acting” a certain way or simply “acting” submissive, but unless you have settled it in your heart, you will not be successful. Submission is a heart attitude that spills over into your actions – it’s not blind obedience or conforming to another’s wishes thoughtlessly. You submit out of your love for God, your love for your husband, and your desire to seek harmony (we’ll talk about this more).

2. Cultivate a Gentle and Quiet Spirit – vs. 4

Women are to adorn ourselves with the “imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit” (vs.4) - and this really goes hand in hand with having a submissive heart. A while back I read in a commentary that “quiet” in this verse means “tranquil”, like a glassy pond with no ripples…undisturbed. The commentator also noted that this is a disposition that is not easily disturbed and does not create disturbances. So basically, this is a calm confidence in the Lord. The kind of quietness of soul can only come about when you are trusting in God’s sovereignty over your life and over the world. It is quietness toward troubles and always gentle toward others…not harsh or abrasive.

3. To Sum it All Up: The Main Point of Submission is to Seek Harmony – vs.8

Near the end of the passage, Peter says, “To sum up, all of you be harmonious…”(vs.8). He is not “picking” on women by telling them to be submissive - what he is saying is, “do this in order to keep harmony!”. If you step back and look at submitting to your husband, it is ultimately about the kingdom of God. Your husband is your brother in Christ and you are to build him up in the Lord, not tear him down with disrespect and dishonor.

Do not think that you can’t express your ideas and opinions to your husband – he appreciates that, even wants that - but you must be willing to submit to his wishes (even if they aren’t your preference), in an attempt to seek harmony.

Lest you think that women have the “bad” end of the deal, Scripture commands all Christians to be “subject” to each other in the fear of Christ (Eph. 5:21). As brothers in sisters in Christ, one of the most important things we can do to is keep harmony with one another…to put our preferences aside in order to serve someone else.

Here are some practical tips that will help you as you seek to honor and respect your husband:

Don’ts:

1. Don’t forget to spend time with the Lord each day
2. Don’t forget to ask God for His help
3. Don’t criticize your husband in front of others
4. Don’t be harsh or demanding
5. Don’t be impatient with his requests

Do’s:

1. Be sympathetic with his weaknesses
2. Listen to him - stop what you’re doing and face him when he speaks to you. He is your number 1 priority (other than the Lord), so be willing to put aside what you are doing to listen to him.
3. Make his goals your goals – what are husband’s dreams and goals? Make them yours! Help him reach his goals.
4. Praise him – to him and to others. Let him know when he does something well.
5. Pray for him – and let him know you’re praying for him
6. Provide good meals and a clean home – it is tremendously refreshing to your husband to come home to a clean home and a warm meal.

Going over these points with my husband really helped me gain a better grasp of what he appreciated (you may want to sit down with your husband and make a list of things that he appreciates) and shed light on areas that I need to grow in!

Another exercise that I did that was very helpful was to sit down and write a list of things that I am thankful for concerning my husband. Sometimes it just takes sitting down and thinking through all of the things that you husband does and what he means to you and your family to get your perspective on track! Try it out yourself! Here’s a portion of my list:

Reasons that I’m thankful for my husband:

1. He is passionate about knowing the Lord and His Word
2. He is excited about ministering to others
3. He constantly points me to Scripture
4. He loves to joke around with me and makes me laugh!
5. He’s a good sport when I joke with him J
6. He is so patient with me…every day!
7. He hardly ever complains
8. He is consistently sweet and humble
9. He works hard every day to provide for our family
10. He is quick to forgive and overlook my faults

I’m sure there is tons more to be said on this topic, but I just want to challenge you to take a look at yourself and your home to see if honoring and respecting the head of your home, your husband, is the norm (as this is a necessity in making your home a God-honoring “haven”). Seek the Lord for help and start making honoring and respecting your husband a priority in your and your family’s life.

I’ve been praying a lot about this series and have been very challenged myself as I’ve been working through what to write. I usually like to post somewhat shorter posts, but it has been very difficult to be brief while at the same time giving the topic its due justice. So bear with me - this post is a little long!

First up in our series:

Nourishing Your Walk with God

I’m going to venture to say that THE most important thing you can do in making your home a haven (apart from committing your home to the Lord for Him to do the work) is nourishing your own walk with God. If this part of your life is left neglected or undone you will not be able to properly build your “haven”.

Personally, I know what an irritable person I am when I have neglected my relationship with the Lord. My perspective on His priorities get all out of whack, my patience and grace when dealing with others dwindles, and my attitude as a servant becomes almost non-existent!

I also find that I cannot make proper judgment calls when I have not been spending time with God. Why is that? Well, when I have not been reading the Bible (and thus, don’t’ know the mind of God) it is extremely difficult, actually…impossible, to decipher how to handle things biblically, as well as what to allow and not allow into my home.

This is an area that I am growing in (and have a major growing curve!), and do not claim to be an expert or that I’m consistent in this every day (actually, I need to gain more consistency, that is partly why I’m writing this series!).

That being said, let’s look at a few practical steps on how to nourish your walk with God each day:

THE BASICS

Salvation. I can’t assume that everyone reading this post already has a personal walk with the Lord. If you are not sure if you do or have been wondering how to have a relationship with the Lord, I’d urge you to read this page on how to know God .

Getting in the Word. Think of how amazing your relationship with your husband would be if you never spoke to him, never spent time with him or never thought about him. Lovely, right? Well, the same applies to your relationship with God. You need to spend time in the Word to know God and to nourish your relationship with Him! As you read the Bible every day you will come to:

• Know God better
• Know what God expects of you
• Know what God thinks about mankind
• Know what God has done in the past
• Know what God’s plans are for the future

We also need the Word because our minds are naturally corrupt (we are born sinners) and the Word of God is the only thing that can straighten it out – and that means that there needs to be a lot of straightening done!

On a side note: Each of us has different circumstances and are in different stages of life, so I’m not saying that we all spend the same amount of time each day with the Lord. For instance, if you are a mother, you may find it harder to have the “alone” time that you used to have every day while in college – so take a look at your circumstances, and do the best you can. The main point is to do it every day.

Here are a few resources:

• How to Study Your Bible - by Kay Arthur
• Bible Reading Plans

Hiding God’s Word in Your Heart. Spend a few minutes each day memorizing Scripture. You may want to pick out a verse for the day to memorize, or just try to memorize one verse per week or month – whatever you think is do-able for you…but do it!

What are the benefits?

• When you are tempted, the verse you memorized will ring loud and clear in your conscience, deterring you from disobedience.
• When you are discouraged, you will be comforted by verses you memorized.
• When your teenager or friend comes to you for advice, you’ll have Scripture to draw from.
• You will be able to filter everything through the Word of God that you’ve hidden in your heart and be a wise woman.

Here is a helpful “sermonette” (not even two minutes long) on Scripture memorization.

Spending Time in Prayer. This is your sweet time each day to commune with God, one-on-one. I encourage you to set aside a time each day to pray by yourself. For the rest of the day, do what the authors of “Passionate Housewives Desperate for God” suggest and pray in prayer droplets – pray throughout the day (while doing dishes, folding laundry, etc.) as this is “praying without ceasing”. As your seasons in life change, so will your time for prayer. When you are an older saint, you’ll most likely have more time for prayer (that’s why most prayer warriors are older women!). Just make sure to capitalize on what you have in this season of life!

Regularly attending Church. It’s God’s desire (Heb. 10:25) that you gather with other believers regularly (He must know that we need it!). Not only will you be fed the Word of God from your pastor and given the opportunity to worship the Lord during the services, but you will be encouraged, uplifted and held accountable by other believers.

Putting Off the Old Man. What areas in your life are you holding on to that are unbiblical? Gossip, deceit, an unforgiving spirit, immodesty? In order to nourish your walk with God, you cannot constantly disobey Him! He wants you to forsake your old lifestyle and put on the “new man”, so take a good look at your life and commit yourself to the Lord anew asking for His help to put off the old man (Eph. 4:22).

Other Ideas to Nourish Your Own Walk

Listening to Sermons. This is an excellent way to be constantly feeding your soul. Try turning off the TV while you fold laundry and listen to a sermon instead. You can find free sermons at www.sermonaudio.com .

Reading Christian Living Books. Cozy up on the couch with in a few Christian living books every now and then. You’ll be encouraged, educated and challenged in your walk. You can read on topics such as prayer, evangelism, parenting, marriage, etc. This is a good way to hone in on certain areas of your life that you want to grow in.

Reading Christian Biographies. Other than reading Scripture, missionary biographies have probably been one of the biggest influences in my Christian walk. The Lord often uses the testimonies of other Christians who have devoted themselves to the service of the King and who have gone through trials and hardships to encourage us in our own walks. If you don’t know where to start, here are a few ideas:

• Hudson Taylor (2-volume set)
• Evidence Not Seen
• To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson
• Shadow of the Almighty
• Through Gates of Splendor
• A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael
• Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
• Stones of Fire:

Keeping Scripture around Your Home. Surround yourself with Scripture. Place framed verses at your desk, sink, nightstand and living room walls. Place memory cards at your kitchen sink. For more ideas on this, see my post on filling your home with scripture (sorry the images are a little messed up in this post right now).

So as you seek to make your home a haven, remember that the woman often sets the tone (we all know the saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” - that can be very true!), so set the right tone for your home! Nourish your walk with God and let His grace and love flow through you to your family.

Next in our series we’ll be looking at respecting and honoring your husband .

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my ministry in the home – particularly about how to make my home a haven (provoked by Crystal ). This is definitely not a subject that can be conquered in one post, so I thought that doing a short series of posts on making your home a haven would allow us to cover more. I’m looking forward to doing this series because:

1. I’ve been wanting to flesh out some thoughts and challenge myself in this area, so this’ll be the perfect opportunity
2. Perhaps you all may be encouraged and challenged in your ministry as wives and mothers

So as we begin, grab a cup of tea, a pen and paper to jot down ideas, then sit back and enjoy!

Well, where do we begin and what exactly is a haven?

A haven is a “harbor or anchorage protected from the sea, or, by extension, a place of safety; a refuge or sanctuary”(Wikipedia).

It’s a refuge…a sanctuary! But from what? Well, as Christians…from this world. When I say “world”, I’m talking about the anti-biblical teachings and beliefs that are predominant in this world and am using the language of Scripture that speaks about not being of this world and not loving this world (I John 2:15, John 17:16).

As I pondered this, I started to make a list of things that I wanted my home to be:

1. A haven from the onslaught of the sin and temptation that this world has to offer.
2. A pure place where my family isn’t constantly being bombarded with anti-biblical philosophy and Hollywood filth.
3. A place where my family can run to and be safe, secure and uplifted in their spirits.
4. A place where my family’s gaze is consistently lifted up to the High and Lofty One – Jesus Christ
5. A place that is full of warmth, understanding and laughter.
6. A place where you don’t have to be perfect to be loved.
7. A place where my family isn’t cut down, derided or pushed aside.
8. A place that is clean, organized and offers structure instead of chaos.
9. A place that is free from strife and discord as much as it possibly can be.
10. A place where purity, godliness and wholesomeness are the standard.

You may want to make a list of your own or just copy this one, but try to write out some goals for your own home.

The next question, and the question that we’ll cover during this series is “how do I get there?”. This list is by no means exhaustive, but is definitely a starting point and should get our brain juices going:

1. Nourish my own walk with God
2. Honor and respect my husband
3. Serve (but not be a slave to) my children
4. Nourish both body and soul
5. Keep a clean and orderly home
6. Provide plenty of wholesome, fun and creative family times
7. Establish some traditions

This is an area that I’m constantly trying to learn more about and seek to grow in every day and I find more and more that I need the Lord’s grace and strength to “build my home” and not “tear it down”. I hope that you will find these posts uplifting, encouraging and full of inspiration as you seek to make your home a haven.

Go here to see the first part of the series: Nourishing Your Walk with the Lord .

Last Friday, I found myself feverishly cleaning my home because my sister-in-law was coming to stay with us for the weekend. I ran around making sure her bathroom was stocked with toiletries, fresh towels and wash rags, that she had fresh linens for her bed and that food was stocked in the pantry for her to munch on.

My husband saw me running around with a feather duster in one hand and broom in the other. In the middle of dusting the furniture that I had been putting off for two days, I thought to myself:

Do you relate? You go about doing your normal daily routines - cleaning, cooking, etc. - but when GUESTS come over, it’s a different story! Furniture is polished, front porch is swept, cobwebs are swept from the ceiling corners…you’d hate for them to see your house in a mess!

My question is: Why do we tend to treat guests like they are more important than our family?

Our family should be our priority…and they should see and know that by the way we serve them in our homes! They ought to know that they are our primary ministry and that the bulk of our energies are devoted to them. They ought to enjoy the fruits of our labor before anyone else does.

Well, after rebuking myself soundly, I vowed to make it my best effort to give my family my best every single day, and to never let them feel like I’ve put something else before them (except for my relationship with the Lord).

graphic from allposters.com

Continuing on with our Hospitality Series, we’ll be looking at how to set up a guest friendly room. Here are some must-have’s for an inviting and comfortable guest room:

• Clean, fresh linens on the bed (perhaps with a little linen spray to add a soft fragrance)
• Clean, fresh towels, hand rags and wash clothes
• Small Alarm Clock
• Luggage Rack to place their suitcase on
• Wastebasket - you do not want them to have to wander to your kitchen to find a trash can
• Mini Coffee Maker - place a small basket next to the coffee maker with coffee/tea packets, sugar, cream, plastic spoons and coffee cups
• Bottles of water
• A few snacks - you could even have a tin of homemade cookies sitting out for them to enjoy
• An Iron
• Mini Ironing Board
• Starch
• Laundry Detergent
• Lint Brush
• Clothes Hamper
• Mini Sewing Kit
• Book light
• Roll up slippers
• Headache Medicine
• Cough Drops

For a few warm touches, you could do the following:

• Place a handmade welcome card on their pillow
• Place a vase full of fresh cut flowers near their bed
• Light a fragrant candle in their room for when they arrive
  
• Place a pitcher full of ice water and a few cups on their nightstand before they go to bed

Well, there are a few ideas to get your brain-juices going. Have fun creating a room that glows with hospitality!