Digging Deep in the Word | Wise Woman Meditations



Happy First Wednesday of April! I decided to post my Digging Deep in the Word series on the first Wednesday of every month, instead of every week like Sandy at Creating Kilter and Anna at Grace Happening .

This week is a busy one, my sister-in-law is getting married on Friday and being the matron of honor and married to the best man means we've been really busy. On top of that, getting ready to move into my father-in-law's house means I've been packing our stuff here and hauling it little by little over there.

But I have been really working thinking over what I am sharing today. In the midst of my month of reading a Proverb everyday (that I mentioned in this post) I read a verse that catches my attention every time I read chapter Fourteen.

"Every wise woman buildeth her house,

but the foolish teareth it down with her hands."

Proverbs 14:1

An Except from my Journals:

"Proverbs 14:1. It gets me every time. I meditate for days. 'What all does that verse mean?' I want to be known as a wise woman and I certainly want to build my house and not tear it down. 

And from what I study, and read, and meditate on, I'm realizing a wise woman is a manager of the home. A wise manager of the home. Matthew Henry says: 'But by a prudent(wise) wife, one that is pious, industrious, and considerate, the affairs of the family are made to prosper, debts are paid, portions are raised, provisions made, the children well educated and maintained, and the family has comfort within doors and credit without, thus is the house built.'

I've been reading in The Life-Giving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson {which is an EXCELLENT read!} and Sally talks of being the conductor of a life symphony, the life music of home, its atmosphere. It's keeping everything in its place in the concert: everyone playing the same rhythm, in key, in beautiful harmony together."

 Okay, so a wise woman is a manager. Got it. Except what does that involve? I've never been a manager in a job position but I know enough to say a manager is someone in leadership who helps things take place in an organized manner. Whether it's a sports manager, a restaurant manager, or a manager of a prestigious company, they all organize their field so everything runs smoothly Here are some things that come to my mind when I think of a Wise Woman Manager:

• A Manager of Home
• A Manager of Herself
• A Manager of Her Man
• A Manager of Her Time

Let's delve into each of them a little deeper...

      1. A Manager of Home

         When I reference home I'm speaking of the house where you live, the haven you create for you 

         and your loved ones to retreat to. Managing the home involves many aspects of your house: the

        cleaning of your home, the organizing of your home, the decorating of your home, the

        atmosphere of your home, and the activities of your home. There are more of course but your

        don't want to be at the computer screen reading my post all day!

        --To me a clean home doesn't necessarily mean it's spotless. Cleaning is very important but so

        is making your home a place for loved ones to feel comfortable, not afraid they are going to drop

         hair on the carpet or leave crumbs on the table and it turns you into a maniacal monster. There

         are certain things that will not bother me if they aren't done (I mean they do get done, but I can

         relax in the evening with Working Man and not twitch because these things aren't done) dusting

        and dishes (Gasp! Sorry Mom!). I've come to realize that people are more important than the

        counter being clear of dirty dishes. Sometimes we do them together, but sometimes we just want

        to hang out together and I'm great with that. But I am not able to relax well in a room where

        there is clutter everywhere, and I hate walking on dirty floors.

        --An organized home is hard work, but rewarding work. The saying is still true: "A place for

        everything and everything in it's place." Organization is just your system for keeping order in

        your house. Keeping things together that go together. Office supplies together, sewing supplies

        together, crocheting supplies together, woodworking tools together...you get the drift. Personally

        I don't like visual clutter, so if I can organize it behind closed doors or at least hide it in cute

        square cornered baskets (no round please!) I feel better. Everybody is different. Find what you

        love.

        --Decorating is personal too. Everyone has there own taste. To me contemporary/modern is not

       comfortable, but to someone else it may be. If I had to try to describe my taste in decorating I

       guess I would say Vintage Farm Cottage. Home decorating is more than your taste in design

       though. The way you decorate your home will determine how comfortable your loved ones and

       visitors will feel. Create a home that fosters learning, storytelling, resting, laughing, loving.

       --Atmosphere{Definition: the pervading tone or mood of a place} When I think of atmosphere I

       think of senses. It's what the house smells like when someone walks in. It's what's heard when

       someone walks into your house or when they are eating in your home. Obviously sight is

       involved but we already touched on that. Taste, food and talk around it is food for the soul.

       People will remember that banana bread you shared over a cup of coffee while they shared their

       heart. And I think atmosphere also involves your spirit, is there a frenzied spirit, one of irritation,

       or do you have a calm welcoming spirit?

       --And lastly, the activities of your home. Managing times of activity that take place in your home
      ensures there are times for fun and times of rest. Be sure to have joyful activities and celebrations
      in your home, whether birthdays or holidays or fun days just-because. It's important to have a
      home that is open and inviting to others, sharing what the Lord has blessed you with, with others.
     On the flip-side though be careful of having too many activities and running going on, your home
     must always be that haven of rest, to relax from the hurried pace of life.



Obviously I am not even going to try to write about the other points a Wise Woman manages but check back for more installments. It's been convicting, and eye opening to meditate on all the things a Homemaker, a Wise Woman, should manage.

Can you think of any other points on managing the home

 that I didn't touch on?

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