What is your idea of a Dream Home?
An old country Farmhouse with a white picked fence, nestled safley in the middle of big beautiful oak tress with an aging wooden swing hanging from one its branches.
Maybe a Cabin on the Lake with a big screened-in back porch. A spot where you can sit and here the sounds of nature all around you.
Perhaps you are more of a Tuscan Style girl and the idea of a pergilah with ivy heavily intwined all over it, with a chandler dangling gorgeously from the center of it makes your heart skip a beat.
Today I want to ask you, What is your Dream home? However, when I ask you this, I am not talking about the style, color or even the neighborhood of the house you long for. I am speaking of something much more deeper and of much more importance.
We have heard the childhood song,
"The Wise man built his house upon the Rock" In this song we see a wise man and a foolish man. The Wise man built his house upon a Rock and the Foolish man built his house in the sand. We also know that when the storm came the house on the Rock stood firm while the house in the sand came tumbling down.
So let me ask you, how are you building your dream house?
What tools are you using?
The Bible is our guidebook and all throughout the Scriptures it shows us how we can build a secure home with a firm foundation. The Word of God also shows us what tools are most needed in building a solid structure.
In a society where the average Christian marriage last 5-7 years ( at best) and couples now take the easy way out, I need advice on how to stay in for the long haul, but there is simply no way I can do it on my own.
As a Mommy of a 3 yr old little boy, I yearn for instructions and guidance in training and raising him for the Lord. I'm so thankful that I do not have to do it in my own strength!!
But first things first... I need a blueprint. I need to know what I'm going after and the goals I desire for my dream home. Everyone's dreams are different and i would like to dhare mine:
1. I want my home to be a peaceful, relaxing Oasis. A safe refuge and a little piece of Heaven. I don't want it to be a war zone with strife and confict.
2. I want it to be a fun environment. A place where we laugh, play, and enjoy life.
3. I want God to Real and for Him to be the center of my home.
I know what the style of a home I long for, now let's think about the tools I will need in my toolbox. Why my toolbox and not husband's? I'm so glad you asked..in the verse above Proverbs 14:1 it said "Every wise woman buildeth her house..." So ladies, we see that it is our responsibility. We set the mood. We all know the saying if Momma ain't happy then ain't nobody happy. And God knows we are the keepers of the home. We are the Dream makers.
So let's look in our cute little pink toolbag and pick a few of the important tools we will need. My tools might be different from yours, but the necessary fact to remember is to pick up your tools and start building. A happy home is on purpose not by accident
Wisdom
Proverbs 24: 3a "Through wisdom is an house builded..."
I believe wisdom is the most important tool that each of us need. We need wisdom in our marriage, raising our children, running the house, staying organized, keeping a budget, multi-tasking, staying involved in church, taking care of ourselves, preparing healthy meals, carpooling kids, extra- curricular activities, encouraging others, helping our loved ones succeed and for many ladies working a part time or full time job. Yes, we need wisdom! We need it everyday and lots of it!!!..Amen????
Trust
Proverbs 31:11 "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her..."
without trust it is hard to truly love and invest in one another. I do not feel safe with people I do not trust, nor do I let my guard down around them. The home should be the safest place for a family, not a place to feel guarded or on the defense. I want my husband to safely trust in me with our home, our son, our money and our future.
Kindness
Proverbs 31:26 " She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of Kindness."
We need to be just as kind to our family members as we are to our church families, co-workers, neighbors and the general public. And kindness starts with our mouth. Hard one, I know!!! But we can strive to achieve it.
Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:31-32 "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Unfortunately, holding on to hurt never stops there, if you do not forgive it becomes the breeding ground for all these other nasty, yucky sins to sneak in for the attack. No one sets out to be a bitter, wrathful, angry person; yet, when you hold on to unforgiveness and do not give forgiveness where it is due, then that is what you will became, BITTER!!!! That is not my prediction, that is God's promise. I do not want any of these traits in my home. So, to prevent any of these from sneaking into my home i must forgive. Forgiveness is a commandment from God. It is not an easy one, but it is a possible one with His strength!!! Do not let the little things become big things and don'ts let unforgiveness destroy your home.
A Sense of Humor
Proverbs 17:22a "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..."
No amount of money can buy a happy home. You can have all the money in the world, the biggest house and the newest cars, but if you can not enjoy life and laugh, it's all a waste. My husband has the corniest sense of humor and I love it. I'm very task oriented and he balances me out so well. My child loves to laugh and has the most contagious laugh. It makes me stop and remember that I need to slow down and laugh more. I have learned to laugh at myself and my mistakes as well as bloopers around the home. A home full of laughter is a happy home!!!
Hard work and time
Proverbs 31:25 "Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come"
All through Proverbs 31 We see how the virtuous woman was an amazingly hard worker. She was balanced and well skilled. She was selfless and disciplined. She took time to invest in every member of her household and with purpose made a house into a home. She did not see the fruits of her labors for many years, but when her children grew up and called her blessed, I'm sure it was worth it all!!!
A walk with God
We can not do this alone. If we were truly on the verge of building a home, we would hire a trained, skilled, professional contractor. One with a favorable reputation and lots of experience. Well, ladies, wives, mothers and friends, Use the Original Contractor. That's what He is here for. He wants us to come to Him, He wants to help. He has the Masterplan, He wrote it and knows it pretty well. He has been in the "Home Building" business for a very long time. Glean from His expertise and experience. He has a pretty good success rate!!!
Let's remember a well built, solid house is not built with sloppy carelessness by chance or accident but is built with a well thought out plan with preparation and time. So with the Contractor, the Plan, the right tools and supplies we are well on our way to building our Dream Home. It will not happen over night..nope, daily We must plan, we must pray and we must build...because Failure to plan is planning to fail!
