Occupation, Character, Qualifications... part 1

Whenever I get together in a new group and need to introduce myself I always start out with my name, how many children I have and their ages, maybe how long I've been married. Of course if people don't know you they want to know where you work or "What do you do?" My response being, "I get to stay home with my kids". If I was filling out a form I would simply write "homemaker". Depending on the group the response is either a blank look, an "oh", "how neat!", "must be nice" (sarcastically or maybe more enviously...) and the lovely "me too!"
So why do some homemakers feel like they need to add extra so called important titles or qualifications to their occupation? I've heard, "I stay home... BUT I also have my degree in ______ " ( meaning, I am smart enough to have a career). Why do homemakers feel inferior at times to career women?
I think because there is such a push in our society to be someone, to get to the top, to have a name for yourself that it's in our sub-conscience that we just stay home so our "title" is not as big or important. 


When I was in college I had a really hard time deciding on my major. I knew that I could do anything, I had/have soooo many interests that I just took a class in everything. haha not really but kind of. I have my medical assisting certificate, a photography certificate, a piano teaching certificate, but I also have a ton of extra PE credits and an auto class, a journalism class and a bookkeeping class on my transcript. Random, yes. Me, yes. I wanted to be a photojournalist then I wanted to be a physical therapist and then a photographer and then a respiratory therapist (there were other career goals between). It came down to wanting a degree that I could use while being able to just stay home with my children. Maybe to earn an income but more to benefit the lives of my children. I finished up my college schooling with an AA in Liberal Arts and Music Education on top of the certificates. Yes, I admit, I love learning... and school. :) But those are just extras not requirements or qualifications as a homemaker. Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"


At the beginning of this year, I started meeting with a group of moms and we discussed The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson. If you haven't read this book you must! The introduction talked about Proverbs 31 and the worthy woman. I had read Proverbs 31 before but not in a long time and not since becoming a mom. It took on a whole new meaning and application to my life.


Let's look at our role not just as a mother but as a godly worthy woman from Proverbs 31. Maybe you can add some qualifications to your homemaker resume. :)


Verse 11 says that, "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." 
Our husband's believe that we can take care of many, many things. They know we are perfectly qualified to take care of the bills, feed the children, keep the children from harm (to the best of our human ability) by being attentive, showing them love, teaching our children life skills, keeping the house at least straightened up, doing laundry, feeding animals, grocery shopping, watering the garden when it's hot so the fruit trees don't die and anything else you take care of on a day-to-day regular basis.


Verse 12, "She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." 
Every decision we make we think of how it would benefit our husbands and family. We help our husbands to see between lines when they might not see the full picture. We inform them of accomplishments or upsets that have happened while they were away at work so they can be connected to the family and children. We encourage daddy time to help nurture relationships (and we jump on the opportunity to take a long shower). Our husbands adore us (Refer to verse 10 about a wife of noble character being worth more than jewels). And if we have the wrong/selfish intentions or motives who is that benefiting? Who would that hurt most?


Verse 13, "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands." We use the right tools for the job and we get the job done. Neosporine and band-aids are good for all cuts and scrapes and ice packs make everyone feel better. Right!? It would be a lot quicker to use a rake than a broom on the grass to rake the leaves... The right tools for the job.


Verse 14, "She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar."
I tend to shop pretty locally but I don't think this is necessarily talking about the distance, I think it's talking about the quality of food and the importance of bringing good, nutritional food to our families because we care enough about them to do that.


Verse 15, "She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants."
If you've ever had a baby you understand getting up at various hours of the night. I know I don't need as much sleep as I use to. Though I'm not opposed to a full night of sleep... We take care of our families, our children, no matter what hour the clock says it is. If our kids are hungry we feed them, it could be a growth spurt. When we are beyond tired God provides the energy that we need to get up. Talking about being tired. I'll share something that happened to me. 
At the beginning of the year we all had the flu in our house. Not at the same time of course. One would get the chills and fever and then about a day or two later the next person and so on until we all had caught this nasty sickness. High fever for 3-4 days, not fun stuff. Mommy being way done, I asked God, "please Lord wake me up if my children need me." I fell asleep and while I was sleeping I saw a mouth (you know like in the movies) yelling at me "Get Up!" I woke up startled. We checked the kids. Kiera had a temp of 104.5. Yikes! Cool rag, cooler pillow, motrin, water and I stayed awake by her feet until her fever broke and was down to 100. God gives us the strength!


Verse 16, "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard."
I like this one. This woman has a business mind. She can weigh the pros and cons, she can make an informed, thought out decision. She is wise. Most of us moms like to bargain shop right? We know when a good deal or a good product is presented to us. Though this woman is not into being just a consumer, she invests her time and money and uses her earnings to plant something beautiful, something that will grow and produce. Buying only if it's beneficial for the family is the key.


Verse 17, "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."
I like how we're suppose to have strong arms. Especially since our little Domenic was just about 30 pounds when he was 1 year old. It is not suppose to be "I am man, you are my little weak wife". No, we need to be strong (not talking body builder here) to keep up with the kids, move furniture, carry bags of soil...


I will stop here for now. Good night!