Summer with a purpose: Week Nine!

Greetings dear sisters in Christ! I hope you all are well and had a lovely day!

Another week of summer has passed on and I’m left to ponder how well I used it. I did not have a very productive week at home this week, but I did get a few things done.

Reading: This week I’ve been trying to work away at Are You Serious About Marriage? by Susan Zakula. This book is filled with godly wisdom and I have really enjoyed it so far. One particular section spoke greatly to me. It reads,

“Similarly, young women who have been in the working world have a difficult time changing their focus. They may make a great effort at finishing the ‘housework’ so they can go on to the more seemingly important things in life. They do not realize that making a happy home and meeting their husbands’ needs are the important things in life. As a woman grows in the Lord, she begins to realize that what her husband thinks is important IS important.”

 p. 26,27

I know that I have often struggled with the “I must get the cleaning done so I can do things important to me” mind set. I’m reminded of a saying which says “If a things worth doing, its worth doing well.” Ah, how true this is! How many times have I hastily dusted the furniture, skipped over changing my sheets, and put off the laundry? Too many times. I believe that part of training to be a godly woman and helpmeet is to diligently apply myself to these important things! I am so thankful the Lord has opened my eyes just a little to this important lesson and I hope I learn it well!

Anyways, it is my great hope to finish this book this week!

Cleaning: I was able to tidy up my room and go through a few of my decorations. This was such a blessing because my dresser was starting to collect more junk than pretties. I’m very excited because it is now orderly! :o)

Special Things: This past week I was very blessed to start working full time at a nearby day-care. God was so faithful and timely in giving me this job and I am learning so much! One thing God has been teaching me is to love little children. To many people this comes very natural, but I struggle with impatience and the unkind thought “If these were my children.” :(  I confessed these feelings to Momma and she gave me some lovely advice: Talk to Jesus about it. Jesus already knows my struggles and faults and He can help me. And you know what? I prayed about it, and I felt a love and patience the very next day! God is so faithful! I know this all may sound silly, but patience and gentleness is something I need to learn. I feel like this job is God’s way of trying to teach me! While learning this lesson I was reminded of Titus 2:4 which reads,

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,”

I had never given that part of the verse much thought. To love their children? That seems so easy, but is it really? Is it really easy to truly love anyone who is disobedient and sometimes selfish? For me it isn’t. But as Jesus loves me, though I am often disobedient and selfish, so I need to love others. And what does it mean to “love their children?” I feel like I have much to learn from this verse and am very excited!

One extra special thing is that I was able to go on a float trip with my family today. I was very blessed to be given the day off and truly enjoyed God’s beautiful creation and my family’s company!

Well, that is about it for my week.  I hope you all were able to be more productive than I. God bless your night, dear sisters, and let us continue pressing on towards Christ!

With love,

Frannie

Picture Credit: This lovely painting was created by Helen Allingham.