Being That Wise Woman Who Builds Her House

Have you ever had one of those moments when you open your Bible like you’ve done every morning, but this time a certain verse just slaps you in the face and pokes at your heart.

That’s exactly what happened to me this morning.

I’ve read Proverbs 14:1 dozens of times, written about it, taught on it and even included it in my book, The 12 W’s of the Christian Woman. I know this verse, I can quote this verse and I share this verse all the time. But today it resonated.

We’ve been battling health issues in our house over the past few months, including several trips to the hospital in Iowa City. We’ve not been sleeping well, we’ve had to miss some days of work and all that adds up. Unfortunately, the one thing that has suffered is the house.

Who wants to clean and organize and put away Christmas decorations when you don’t feel good? Or you’re watching your husband not feel good? Giving medications on time and staying quiet so he can sleep are much more important in the moment than dusting. (One of my least favorite chores, I promise you.) You’re heart’s definitely not in it when there are other priorities to focus on.

But what now, as the chaos subsides and things get back to normal, whatever that looks like? The very first verse of my Bible reading this morning reminded me that it’s time to get back to building my house. I want to create an environment of peace and rest again, but that’s going to take some time and effort. My role as help meet remains, but I’m switching gears a little from on-call nurse back to homemaker. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with letting a few things slide when God calls you to a specific work, but I don’t want to get complacent and turn into the woman who’s plucking her home down with her own hands.

So I’ve pulled out my planner and written in some goals for the week. First and foremost, I’m going to get the Christmas decorations put away, even though that breaks my heart. (If I fall in line with the stores, I can put them back up in July, right?) After that, I can clear out the living room, clean the carpet and dust everything as I put it back. Since it’s one of the first places you see when you walk in the front door, that space is one of priorities, keeping it cleared out and kept up. Unless you’re looking at the craft table I set up in there - then all bets are off.

Why am I so serious about making a clean and organized house a priority? Number one, God says in His word that keeping the home is vitally important, as today’s Proverb showed. Number two, I want Danny to have a clean, peaceful sanctuary to come home to every night. If God is pleased and my husband is comfortable, everything else is just icing on the cake.

I pray that as you continue through your week, you’ll look for ways to build your own house in the ways God wants you to. Being in the center of the perfect will of God is the best place to be.

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