New Feminine, Beautiful, and Modest Skirts

I just love dressing femininely.  It is wonderful to be a woman, to be different from men....
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A Great Opportunity to Learn from Other Homemakers

Look in the churches, and what do you see?  Do you see a lot of older women teaching the younger how to be great wives, mothers, and homemakers?  No, sadly, you don't...I feel this very keenly, and it saddens me that there is such a lack of Titus 2 teaching these days.  Ideally, this teaching should come from mothers to daughters at home, as they are growing up.  But the older women in the Church are still to be an example of good things and godly living, to the younger.

When I got married many years ago, I didn't have a clue how to be a housewife.  It wasn't something my mother ever thought to teach me.  Thus I went limping, struggling, into the world of becoming a homemaker all on my own.  I had to learn how to cook, clean, keep a routine, raise children, and many more things, without anyone to teach me how.  It was a great task to undertake, and it took me years to figure some things out on my own, especially with babies coming one right after another.

I am of course, still learning things and always seeking ways to improve.  This is one of the blessings of living in our modern times--that we can find ways to further our homemaking education, even if we weren't blessed with a mother who taught us, or if we have no one to turn to in the church.

One helpful resource for learning is coming up, so I wanted to let you know about it and encourage you to look into this resource to see if it can help you to learn more about homemaking. It's the 2018 Homemaking Ministries Online conference which has many talks from different ladies to help you learn more about different areas of taking care of your families.  To be honest, I am not familiar with all of the speakers, but I am familiar with several of them, especially in the kitchen category.  Those ladies will provide you with lots of helpful information about feeding your family well.  Also, Marci Ferrell usually has very helpful information about keeping a nice home for your family.  If you even think you could learn a little bit, I'd encourage you to sign up for it, as you will have lifetime access to all of the sessions (which is so helpful since you can take time to listen whenever it's convenient for you).

The conference won't take place until September, however, the last day to get the super early-bird pricing is tomorrow, July 31st.  The pricing will go up after that.  I'd love to hear if you sign up, and if you've found it useful if you've taken part in any of the other Homemaking Ministries conferences in previous years.  I know I've been able to learn some good things from past conferences.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: This post does contain affiliate links, along with my honest opinion (smiles)  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Godly and Polite Communication

I'm just sharing some basic tips about communication today that are often forgotten.  These are very basic, and if we do not currently practice them, we should work on making them a habit so that we may have that "meek and quiet spirit" that is of great worth to the Lord.

Listen
When someone is speaking to you, listen.  Really listen.  Be attentive.  Don't think about whatever else is going on around you, or what you should say in reply while someone is telling you about something.  Just be quiet and listen.

Ask Questions
If you don't quite understand what is being said, or if you would like further information, ask questions.  This is to be done politely, of course, and with a goal of having better understanding.  It is much better to ask questions than to make assumptions about someone or something.  There are so many times that people have made assumptions about me instead of taking the time to get to know me or asking questions to find out what is really going on in my life or what I think about something.  Making assumptions can be terribly destructive.

Don't Spread or Listen to Gossip
Many times, gossip is made based on assumptions someone has made about someone else, or it may be a deliberate spreading of falsehood if someone is really malicious.  We should get in the habit of not passing on, or listening to, unseemly news or information about others, but instead go to the source, if need be, to find out the truth.  The Bible has much to say against slander and gossip.

I will leave off with this verse, and encourage you to be reading God's wonderful Word every day, as it has much to teach us about communication (as well as everything else that pertains to life and godliness).

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:26)

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Favorite Classical Music

Often, I enjoy having some classical music on during the day while I'm teaching the children their lessons.  I like something relaxing and not too "bouncy" or distracting.  Some times it can be hard to find a selection that I particularly like and that is conducive to learning.

But this is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it too:



Isn't the above such a lovely painting?  Maybe when I am older I will have time to paint such lovely things to remind me of when the children were young, and of all the blessings and joys of motherhood.

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Gender Roles

Gender roles...I think Christians fear them because both sides have been taken advantage of, by and in sin. Masculinity is scorned for its presumed assumptions, femininity for its seeming weakness. But in context and in right standing, they are divinely intended to show God in all of His goodness and love. It takes a strong man to appreciate and desire protection regarding the vulnerability of the women in his life. It takes a truly meek woman to encourage and respect masculinity in all of its determination. Today, we laugh at women who desire nothing more than to keep a home for His glory, and humiliate a man who desires to take charge for Christ's glory where darkness prevails. Yet, I think it's the element we are missing in our homes, our parenting, our love lives. Passion is sparked by these differences. Sin perverts, and don't misunderstand me...the bottom line involves love and a willingness to submit on both sides. Love covers every wrong, and in that sense, there is neither female nor male. But without these distinctions so long as we are on this earth, encased in this very frail, very partial flesh, we will never respect each other in the fullest sense intended by the divine Will.

~Whitney Ann Dotson 

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Saved by Grace, but We Have Work to Do

It is very true that it is by God's grace that we are awakened to our need of a Saviour, and it is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of our sin.

But once we are given this wonderful gift of salvation, there is work for us to do.  We don't sit around idly by--there is work for us to do to become more like Christ.

Here are some commands given to us in Scripture, as we pursue this walk of holiness.

We are to...

•  ..."grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ..." (2 Peter 3:18)
• "Follow after charity...." (1 Corinthians 14:1)
• "Flee fornication..." (1 Corinthians 6:18)
• "...exercise thyself rather unto godliness. " (1 Timothy 4:7)

 There are many more commands given in the New Testament for us to follow, and even special commands given to women in Titus 2 and other places.  We must never think that the Lord has not given us direction for all of our lives, or that we are to sit idly by, hoping to become better people.  If we are God's children, we will long for Him to change us into His image, and pray for His grace to help us.

We must keep our souls in mind daily, and have a goal of growing in the Lord, so we will not fill our days with worthless pursuits and entertainment.

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