Ladies, as you look around at today's women in our modern world, you may have also come to the conclusion, as I have, that homemaking is becoming a lost art. Although we cannot be responsible for all women, we can certainly work to improve our own homemaking skills this year, and teach them to our children and other women, as well.
May I suggest that each one of us write down three to five homemaking skills we would like to learn how to do, do better, or teach to others over the course of the next twelve months? Let's write our goal in an organizational notebook or post the list on our refrigerator, to refer to often, as we press toward our goal.
Certainly add "improving our marriage" to the list. The best thing we mothers can do for our children is to love their father - and show it in many ways! No matter how long we've been married, there is always room for improvement. Start with being kind and considerate if you aren't already doing so. My husband and I had the privilege to be around newlyweds, our son and daughter-in-law, for almost a week during the past three Christmases, and it has been so refreshing! Thank you, Jeff and Rachael! Seeing their love shown to each other in every word and action as they displayed a servant's heart and put the interests of others before their own, made me realize how every married couple, including those who have been married forty years or more can learn by their example to express our love, consideration and servant's heart more as well. It was like a marriage refresher course in action!
There are so many other suggestions of skills and activities that I think could fall under the category of "homemaking" and this certainly does not exhaust the list. Here are a few:
Home gardening, herbal gardening, decluttering your home, following a "To Do" list each day, home organization, stretching your dollar, home decorating, house cleaning, laundry, sewing, serging, quilt making, yeast bread baking, learning about nutrition, cooking healthier meals, planning meals, freezing meals ahead, homemade baby food, homeschooling, children's birthday parties, children's art projects, learning how to be a better wife and mother, painting your walls or painting landscapes or flowers, stenciling, refinishing furniture, flower arranging, wood crafting, scrapbooking, rubber stamping, card making,
embroidery (by hand or machine), silk ribbon embroidery, cross-stitching, knitting, crocheting, yogurt making, hospitality,
problem solving, managing finances, learning how to shop, starting an organizational notebook, making an Advent calendar for next Christmas, planning and making your own gifts, planning gift ideas for all occasions, starting a class - cooking, sewing or craft class for adults or after-school children, or learning any other skill that would make your home a peaceful haven of rest for you and your family.
Check books out of the library on these topics and learn all you can. Check television listings for some of these homemaking skills and tape the programs. Why not swap teaching a particular skill to friends, as you get together to learn from one another. Enjoy learning new things that benefit the family!
Don't neglect the most important part of making your home a peaceful haven of rest. That would be including spiritual edification and instruction for God's Word in your own personal time with the Lord as well as a meaningful time together with your family, even if it is a short time. As you work on your homemaking skills, ask the Lord to help you. He will.
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