Making a Home

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:41-42

“I can use the house to create a home. I can offer my family, my friends, myself, and even strangers the gift of love by making them feel special when they are in my home.” Sarah Mae

 

  • Read Luke 10:38-42.
  • Journal about your home. If a stranger were to come into your home, what three words would she use to describe it?

Making a Home

As I sit here writing this study and gleaning inspiration from the Lord, He tells me to write from my heart in this season I’m in. Allow me to give you a little glimpse of my life currently.

I am a mother of four, soon to be five, children. I’m 16 weeks pregnant! In this season, I have been struggling with all-day pregnancy sickness—worse than ever! I have also been homeschooling two of my children and working a part-time job from home. Given my situation, the idea of writing a study on homemaking made me chuckle, to be honest! My home has not been tidy, my toilets have rings, and my floors could use about an entire day of deep cleaning…did I mention the laundry is in one giant heap that resembles Mount Everest?!

As I thought about homemaking, I was struck with this thought: What if homemaking isn’t about having a tidy, Martha Stewart home? What if homemaking is more about the heart? Breaking it down, I would prefer to call it “making a home.” Ahhhhh…doesn’t that sound much more manageable? I sure think so. When I think of making my home, I think of the ways I want my home to feel: kind, warm, graceful, loving, forgiving, affectionate, and all the things that make a home comfortable and safe. I want my home to be a place where my family can rest, a place where they can retreat, a place where they can fill their love tanks!

I don’t know about you, but often, my go-to homemaking attempts are just me barking at my children to clean their rooms, huffing and puffing as I try to get “all the things” done. In those moments, homemaking isn’t fun; it’s stressful!

Proverbs 24:3-4 (ESV) says, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all the precious and pleasant riches.”

Last night, I sat in my girls’ room and read them one of their favorite chapter books, Nancy Clancy. Their room was a MESS! But in the moment, I chose to overlook the mess, literally push toys and clothes to the side to make a space for me to sit, and just read to them without saying a word!

My oldest said, “Oh Mommy! You haven’t read to us in a while! I’m so happy you are reading to us tonight!”

I could have missed my opportunity to bless my girls by forcing them to clean, but I focused on “making my home” instead of homemaking. This moment was a perfect example of the verse above! I want to build my home with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, which yield pleasant riches!

As we reflect on the verses featuring Mary and Martha from our reading above, we should think about what Jesus said: “…few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” Mama, choose what is better. Jesus cares so much about our hearts and our children’s hearts. Don’t miss opportunities to “make your home” while you are preoccupied with homemaking chores. The dishes, laundry, and messes will return tomorrow anyway—you can count on that!

Blessings and Love,

Krystle

Questions to Ponder

  • To start off, we journaled about what three words we thought a stranger may use to describe our home, but now, think about what you would like those three words to be! How do you want your home to feel to your family, friends, and guests?
  • What are a few things in your home that are taking a higher priority than they should? These are the things that keep you distracted and grumpy in your home, preventing you from being able to “make a home”.
  • What are some ways you can make your home feel lighter, happier, or more inviting not only for you, but for your family too?

Faith-Filled Ideas

One thing that has helped me to have a bigger perspective in my home is writing Bible verses on a chalkboard for the whole family to see! My chalkboard is large and noticeable, and I find God often uses it to change my focus when my day takes a turn for the worst. Chalkboards are super easy to make (check Pinterest!), and you can choose the size you want. Or, you can just purchase a ready-made one to avoid the hassle of making one! A white board would work as well.

Write and frame a family mission statement. For example, “In this home there is love, acceptance, grace, forgiveness, kindness, respect…” And the list goes on! This will establish the atmosphere of your home and serve as a reminder for you and your guests. I love seeing these in homes, and it is such a fun family project to work on together!

Krystle Porter
Latest posts by Krystle Porter (see all)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.