Christian Homekeeping

I have been putting these off for too long, sorry for those whose questions I'm not getting answered until now.  I tried to answer all the questions in the Freezer Cooking Guide but some I wasn't able to, so I will go ahead and answer all of them now.

Q. When I go to cook a meal that's already been frozen, what's the procedure? Do I need to defrost for a period of time, or simply pop the frozen dish in the oven?

A.  Here is what I do: for meals that have any type of pasta, I do a quick-thaw, which is basically filling up a large bowl or the sink with room temperature water and placing the ziploc bag in the water for 10-20 minutes or until you can break it up and get it out of the bag.  Then, I put it on a skillet on the stove and heat it till very hot, constantly turning as it starts to melt even more.  This way helps to prevent soggy pasta, and heating it on the skillet also helps to make the noodles crispier.  I've done it the other way and let it thaw for hours in the fridge or counter and its a soggy mess.

For meals that are casserole dishes, I simply take them from the freezer and put them in a pre-heated oven and bake.  With spaghetti and pizza sauce, you can either thaw them in the fridge or counter and heat them on the stove or microwave or you can quick-thaw them in water and heat them up.

Meals such as BBQ Beef and other sandwich fillings, taco fillings or those that go with rice, I simply let them thaw on the counter or in the fridge most of the day.  Then I will heat them on the stove, in the oven or sometimes the microwave in a microwaveable-safe glass dish.  You will find that while they are thawing, the sauces really help marinade the meat.  The meatloaf, for us, is way better after its been frozen then before!

Q.  Can rice be cooked and froze in the freezer?  I would also like to start making meals for up to at least two months and one of my family's favorite side dishes is rice. I know it would be nothing to cook it that day that we eat it but if it can be cooked in big patches and froze and then popped in the microwave that I would love to try it.

A.  Yes it can though we prefer freshly cooked rice.  If you want to freeze rice, simply cook it and then let it cool and transfer to ziploc bags.  You can portion it out but you don't have to because rice is easy to break off, even when frozen.  Do the same with rice as you would with pasta, do a quick-thaw and then heat, although I would think you would need to add some water to the rice when re-heating.

Q.  will you be putting a 3-4 month menu of how you divided and eat your delicious dinners?
how much do you spend at the store for cooking 3-4 months of meals at one time?
do you have any leftovers? if so what do you do with them? 

A.  The guide I did was geared to once a month cooking and all I can offer right now to show how I do the 3-4 month freezer cooking is my posts under freezer cooking on this blog.  It is so strange how it works out but it is cheaper for me to cook 3 months of meals at once, than if I did 1 month, 3 months in a row.  I think its because I buy larger sizes of certain ingredients and it seems to cost less.  I average about $150 for what I need to cook 3 months of freezer meals.  That is from getting my meat on sale, usually buy one get one deals and purchasing a lot of my other items directly from a farm, thereby cutting out the "middle man" and saving money! ;-)  I portion out our meals to last for one meal, so we don't have leftovers.

Q.  i would love your recipe for granola bars.  I have been looking but can't seem to find it. 

A.  I use this recipe.

Q.  Hi Bev~

Q.  Bev, I would just like to ask you a question on your viewpoint regarding Halloween. It is not an activity that we participate in, as it is not acceptable here at all in this country. I don't live in the USA.
We have chosen not to mark this day, and I am just a wee bit confused when I read of so many believers' blogs saying it is quite acceptable to join in the festivities.
I value your opinions on many controversial issues, and as you know, I really benefit from subscribing to your blog.

A.  I don't celebrate Halloween and I don't let my daughter either.  I think a lot of Christians that actually do participate in Halloween activities are not doing it out of a heart to celebrate wickedness but just because they think its "fun".  There was a great article from my church's publication a few years ago about the Origin of Halloween (click to enlarge):




Not only has Hallows Eve become Halloween and full of satanic icons, it also carries with it the "trick or treat" which is basically a threat that if you don't give a treat, you will receive a trick.  That carries over into the egging and toilet-papering of houses.  It is far from an observance of Christian martyrs lol.  Rather, its become a major day of the year to rejoice in all things evil, wicked and vile.  It is the most sacred day of the year for Wiccans who practice witchcraft with a night full of fear, horror and terror that enthralls them with excitement.

Would you want to join in on those festivities?  It is a night full of glory for the devil and all things devilish - so ask yourself the question: Would a Christian join in on a night and activities that bring Satan and all things evil glory?

Question #8
What books, besides your Bible, of course!, have left a lasting impression on your life as a Christian?  As a wife?  Mother?

Answer
This was a hard one because I can't really think of any particular books that I recommend to others.  Most books are not completely Biblically sound.  Meaning, though they have some wonderful gems of truth in them - they also contain error.  I'm always hesitant to share with others books that I read because you never know how far progressed someone is in their salvation and Biblical beliefs and I don't want to lead them astray if they can't tell when something in a book is right or wrong.  Know what I mean?

Take for instance, there is a certain author, whose books I really glean a lot of things from.  However, she is not doctrinally sound in her beliefs and sometimes she has error in her books.  I throw things out and pull out the good.  A new Christian may not be able to do that.

Question #9
I've recently come across some interesting blogs which discuss covering ladies' heads or hair. While I am not among those whom are following this practice, I find it interesting with regards to modesty. I would just like to ask you your view on this much- debated topic , Bev.
Thank you.

Answer
The simple answer is this, 1 Cor. 11:15

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Here is my take on it from a few years ago in a post I did, called "Blurring the Lines".  You can also read this excellent article: http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/1stpentecostalchurch/hair.html

That completes all the Q&A's that I received.  If I somehow missed someone's question, please let me know, thanks! ;-)

Question #7
What is the best parenting advice you ever received?
What is your favorite Scripture?
Why did you start blogging?
What a fun idea! :) Looking forward to your answers.

Answer
The best parenting advice I ever received was to give your child enthusiasm!  I started at a young age with my daughter and she truly possesses enthusiasm in her life now.  I'm thankful to the lady that told me about training my child to be enthusiastic.  I took it even further and became enthusiastic, even about the mundane things in our lives.  It has shown its rewards with a child who has a passion for learning, life and Jesus!!

My favorite scripture has always been Philippians 4:13:

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I started blogging because I felt it was needed in the internet world.  I got tired of googling topics and there was no real, Biblical, honest answer out there for a lot of things.  Also, seeing others lack so many homekeeping skills, not knowing how to be a wife and mother - stirred me up to help in any way I could!  I think the platform of having the world at our readership can't be taken lightly and I figured if all these people across the world came to read what I wrote - that God could use it.  Even if something I share helps ONE person, then its worth it to me.

I've never put aside my beliefs or principles to win over readers.  I think if we disguise ourselves from what we truly are to gain readership or popularity, even online - we will probably do the same in real life.  I'm no mystery - I have my beliefs on my sidebar - this is what I am!  I am not ashamed.

Despite not blogging to please the majority - God has blessed me with readers all over the world!  Not only was this blog started to help others but it also has helped me in my walk with God and to connect with people likeminded!  I've made mistakes even publicly on this blog but I admitted them and went on.  To have so many people see your faults, failures and mistakes really makes you stronger to handle whatever criticism you face in life.  I think if it had not been for this blog and all the haters, criticism and slander I've received because of it - I may not have developed to who I am today.  God truly used this blog to make me better and work things out of me in my own life!!

Question #6
Hi Bev.
Okay here are my questions for you to answer:
1. What is a typical day like for you and your family?
2. Who is the disciplinarian in your family?
3. Where is your familys' favorite vacation spot getaway?

Answer

1. Other than the basics of wake up, eat breakfast, etc - we do homeschool and then I do my house responsibilities.  We have a lot of church activities during the week.  I did a longer description below.
2. My husband ultimately, but we both have that responsibility
3. Other than visiting our home states, currently, we really enjoy going to Leavenworth, Washington - a small, Bavarian town nestled in the mountains!  My dream spot would be Italy!

Question #5
Hi Bev! I enjoy reading your blog, thanks for taking the time to answer questions! How fun! Well, my question I guess would be under the "beliefs" category....What do you think about Christians drinking alcohol? I'm talking ANY amount of alcohol. The Bible talks about not becoming drunk on wine but I have had many conversations where this is a grey area for some. I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Sorry if it's a "deep" question, but it's one I would love your imput on.

Answer
Here is the simple answer - Christians should not drink alcoholic beverages.  I believe we shouldn't drink wine, liquor, beer or any other alcoholic beverage.  A lot of people will use Jesus turning the water into (un-alcoholic grape juice) wine as an excuse to drink alcohol but God never changes His Word and we all know what drunks end up doing!

Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Notice, there is excess in wine!  Drinking always brings on the excess - lust, orgies, rioting, improper behaviors, etc. Here is an awesome commentary by Henry:

This was a sin very frequent among the heathens; and particularly on occasion of the festivals of their gods, and more especially in their Bacchanalia: then they were wont to inflame themselves with wine, and all manner of inordinate lusts were consequent upon it: and therefore the apostle adds, wherein, or in which drunkenness, is excess. The word asōtia may signify luxury or dissoluteness; and it is certain that drunkenness is no friend to chastity and purity of life, but it virtually contains all manner of extravagance, and transports men into gross sensuality and vile enormities. Note, Drunkenness is a sin that seldom goes alone, but often involves men in other instances of guilt: it is a sin very provoking to God, and a great hindrance to the spiritual life. The apostle may mean all such intemperance and disorder as are opposite to the sober and prudent demeanor he intends in his advice, to redeem the time. 2. Instead of being filled with wine, he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit. Those who are full of drink are not likely to be full of the Spirit; and therefore this duty is opposed to the former sin. The meaning of the exhortation is that men should labour for a plentiful measure of the graces of the Spirit, that would fill their souls with great joy, strength, and courage, which things sensual men expect their wine should inspire them with. We cannot be guilty of any excess in our endeavours after these: nay, we ought not to be satisfied with a little of the Spirit, but to be aspiring after measures, so as to be filled with the Spirit. Now by this means we shall come to understand what the will of the Lord is; for the Spirit of God is given as a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding. And because those who are filled with the Spirit will be carried out in acts of devotion, and all the proper expressions of it, therefore the apostle exhorts,

Notice that in the story of Noah that starts in Genesis 9:18, where it was the first place alcohol was mentioned in the Bible, it was shown as a problem. It brought a curse on the son!

In the verse below, notice that the Hebrew word for wine, יין, was fermented wine and then the wine that Jesus made from water was a Greek word οἶνος, was for either unfermented or fermented.  We know that Jesus wouldn't introduce a fermented/alcoholic wine at a party that had such effects on people for God had already said this in His Word about fermented wine:

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Wine is a mocker it says, and using that verbage alone, do you think God would have made something that was a mocker at a wedding feast!?  Would Jesus make the fermented wine if he already knew whoever was deceived by it was stupid?  Of course not, and you have to be completely desperate to justify your sin of drinking to support that.

The Bible even talks about the fool who is deceived by such, later on, in Proverbs 23:29-35:

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Notice in the part I underlined it talks of the wine moving itself aright - basically the bubbles from the FERMENTED wine!  Look at what fermentation/alcoholic wine does to someone in the above scripture!  Even if you drink 1/4 of your cup, you are still a 1/4 drunk.  How about not even LOOKING upon the wine in the cup, thereby, not even touching the stuff or being around it?  Be not drunk with wine - the New Testament tells us because of this excess of behavior it brings!!

Check out this verse:

Habakkuk 2:15
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Being drunk and nakedness, just go hand in hand!  Remember the first encounter with alcohol in Genesis with Noah's son seeing him NAKED?  Yep - you can bet your clothes will probably come off or at least you will have the desire to see another's come off lol.

Drunks aren't going to be in Heaven and God's word tells us of this FACT!

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Not only is drunkeness a work of the flesh and something you can't do and make it to Heaven - notice he went on to say and "such like". That entails all the other things that come up in our society that smack of that same flavor of those things listed! The Spirit of God will help us discern what these are. But for sure - drunkeness can't enter in.

Notice the Bible adds in another place that drunkards will not make it to Heaven and tells us to BE NOT DECEIVED - these people will NOT make it in!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Then the last verse states - "and such were some of you"!  I know I'm not the only one out there that this verse applies to.  I fit in right there because I was an alcoholic - I mean I was a bonafide alcoholic!  I would get drunk often on liquor to try and forget my past.  I can tell you from experience that Jesus would never make alcoholic beverages and give them to others because he SET ME FREE from alcohol!  I had tried it all - I tried to quit, I even went to an AA meeting, I sought a "higher power"......but nothing was working and the desire to drink was so strong, I had no control over it.  I sure had a lot of friends who loved to see me drunk because of the above verse in Habakkuk - let's just be real here!!  When God saved me - IMMEDIATELY the desire for alcohol vanished!!!!!!!  I was so amazed that I walked in around in shock for weeks!  There was no desire, there was no thirst for it anymore!! God delivered me from the hands of satan and if he delivered me from alcohol - you can bet he sure didn't want me going back to it!

Such was I.......but now I am washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus!!

Question #4
My questions is this:  How did you learn how to become so incredibly organized with planning and organizing meals, family time, homeschool, church, Bible study, cleaning, etc.? You seem so on the ball!

Answer
Pay attention to the word you used in your question - "LEARN how".  That is exactly how, I learned it.  I spent years getting sick and tired of things not being how I wanted them, not having a schedule to my day, being disorganized and I just resolved to change it.  No fancy program - definitely not Fly Lady! She drove me nuts LOL.  Just pen and paper, the good ole' fashioned way. I do use Google calendar now some but my main tools are still pen and paper and that is how I've done most of my planning.

I have weeks were I don't clean and things get hectic and it is because of those weeks that I strive all the other weeks to keep that from happening! I can't even think straight if things aren't where they should be, etc. How can you think amidst clutter, dirt and filth?

I want things really simple and what may work for others wasn't working for me so I had to find what worked for ME. I still feel like I have a ways to go because the whole house is not how I want it yet but I have come a long way with other areas and for that I'm grateful unto God for helping me get a schedule and way that worked for me.

Above all you must have GOALS. I know a lot of people always make fun of people that make goals and such but they are usually the same people who aren't getting anything done. Fitzhuh Dodson said

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination."

Not only having them but writing them down! There is something about putting things down on paper that sets it in your mind - one reason I'm a writer - its not only a passion and love for me, its therapeutic! If you don't write your goals down, one man said, then they are just wishes.

I made a list one time about what I envisioned the perfect day in my home to be like.  I simply wrote down bits and pieces of this vision/dream and then sat back and just drank it all in, figuratively speaking.  It was a wonderful feeling!  I then acted upon those things as best I could and ditched what I realized just wasn't logical for me at that time.

As far as homeschool goes, that is just trial and error - finding out what works for me.  I really put my all into it because I believe my calling is not only a wife, mother and homekeeper - I'm also my child's greatest teacher!

To sum it all up - if what you are doing isn't working, quit doing it and try something new till you find what works for you!

Question #3
What do you think about unmarried women working? Like, a teenager that wants to work, or a single woman, or a woman working to help save money in order to get married. 

Answer
My opinion on this has changed over the years and my husband and I view the family in a different way than most in society today.  This is a personal conviction, meaning - I don't hold others to this but its purely what God has convicted our family of following.

With girls, who eventually become women, God never intended for her to be what I call "headless".  Headless meaning without a head.  She begins under her Father and then should not leave his headship until she is married and is under her husband's headship.  If she follows this, she would never need to work on a job.  With boys, its quite different - they are destined to work on a job, so therefore when we have a boy, it will be a different for him.

Note - just wanted to insert this here because someone had even told us this years ago.  Some suggest that the Pastor is the head of the single women in the church.  I totally disagree with this and if anyone is her head it is Christ.  If anything, those that teach this are often very controlling to say that the single women should submit to him, when he is neither their father or their husband.  He should be promoting submission to Christ not himself.  For a minister of God to tell parents that their daughters are under him when she turns 18 is disgusting to say the least!  Pastors don't tell our daughters what to do, we do as parents.  My husband is her head until she is married and then her husband is her head.  The Biblical model tells us that the women should ask their husband questions at home - notice how it never instructed her to follow another man but her husband!  The husband is the representative and sole authoritarian of each family.  A true, Godly Pastor will not overstep this boundary because the Bible clearly instructs the woman is in submission to her OWN husband only.  SO much more to say here, maybe I will do a post on Biblical headship soon if time permits.

We don't agree with society's rule that when the girl is 18, she is out on her own to fend for herself.  Society doesn't make our families' rules.  Until our daughter is married, she will remain in our home under her father's headship.  We are planning on starting college courses online when she is 16 or later, depending upon her abilities.  If she wishes too, I would allow her to work for her father or tutor/teach others for income to save for a vehicle, future, etc.  She is a maiden in waiting as she is home with us, until her future husband will come and marry her.  There is an excellent book that I own called "Raising Maidens of Virtue" and it truly fits with this model and teaching our girls to not have a worldly view but a Godly view.

There is always the exception in homes where God is not present but then why would they even follow the Bible if they are not Christians?  The Bible is the Christian's guide for life.

For single women, who may be widows or came from homes that were un-Christian and therefore escaped those environments......if they are Christian women, the following is my opinion concerning these.  They must work to survive, but their ultimate goal should be what the Bible taught these women to do: marry, bear children and guide the house.  She should seek to marry and not live the single life, so that takes care of the working only being temporary.

As far as widows go, I would expect the family of the widow to support her if she is completely unable to work for herself and if she has no family and meets the Bible requirements for a widow indeed - then the church would take care of her.  Notice that Paul said in that passage that it was for the younger.  Maybe the 90yr old widow can't find a man to marry her, so what is she to do? The older could be great teachers with their wealth of wisdom that's for sure!

In the olden days, and even in some Amish circles today, only the single women work as teachers at the schoolhouse and when they would marry, they would be replaced with another single woman.  Being a teacher would be one of the occupations I could support my daughter in if she went years without finding a husband.  I would want her to teach in a place that supported God though, not the corrupt public school system!  Something like a Christian school or even tutoring or teaching piano, etc.

My opinions may change as the years go by but one thing will not change and that is the role of women according to the Bible - to marry, bear children and guide the house; keep the home, love their husbands and chidren, etc.  God's word never changes!  Society changes, but God does not.  We know what our daughters should be upon marriage, but before that, in my opinion, is something that lies upon the personal conviction of each family.

Thank you for all those that submitted questions via email, comments or the comment box!  This is the first post in a series to try my best to fully answer your questions.  You can always ask me any questions at anytime but this got a lot of responses and was fun!

Question #1
Hi Bev,
Do you ever share pictures/video of your home and how you decorate/organize?
Thanks...Janel in NJ

Answer
Yes, I have shared several over the past few years and you can find them under the decorating label.  I also have some organizing posts.  I just posted on our homeschool blog, pictures of our bookshelf organization here and here.  Here is a link to some decor photos, its changed some since those photos and maybe I can do a house tour video sometime in the future.  Or you can open an IKEA catalog and that pretty much sums up my style LOL.

Question #2
What audio books do you use for your daughter?

Answer
I choose various ones that look decent from the library when browsing, use the suggestions in "The Well Trained Mind" (see lists below) and use various free audiobooks online.  My daughter has her own computer in her room and listens while she plays.  Below are some places we get our free audiobooks from:

• Library - our library uses Overdrive to let us check out free audiobooks online.
• Storynory
• Librivox
• Kiddie Records
• Adventures in Odyssey

I deleted my commentary in response to some of the rebuttal I get on here about homekeeping, I'm just going to let these quotes say it all:

The following quote flowed from a paragraph showing the position commonly held in early New England that, “no repectable person questioned that a woman’s place was in the home. . .”

“. . . However, this view went beyond the Puritans and was the perspective of all branches of the church and a central aspect of Western Christian culture. For example, Lenski, the eminent Lutheran commentator, stated that the phrase ‘keepers at home’ indicates domestic responsibility and that the home is the place of a married woman’s work; she is a ‘housekeeper’ who dispenses ‘all good things in this domain.’
“Her role is so vital to the well-being of her husband and children, her responsibilities in keeping the home so demanding, that it would not be possible to properly fulfill them unless she devotes herself entirely to them. She cannot do what God has called her to do unless she abides at home. “Furthermore, ‘guide’ is a present infinitive indicating that managing the home is the wife’s constant occupation, her full-time job.”

“Thus the roles assigned to the married woman by God confirms that ‘keepers at home’ refers to those who remain at home so that they might properly attend to their duties of caring for their family and managing its everyday affairs. When her duties are understood in all their scope and significance, it becomes clear that only by being ‘keepers at home’ can a wife and mother fulfill her high calling from God to be a helper to her husband, a mother to her children, and a manager of her household.” ~ William O. Einwechter

“The Woman’s first duty is the making and keeping of her home. Many a modern woman chooses a career, hires a baby-sitter, and rushes her children through childhood so that she can be free to pursue her selfish interests. The Bible teaches that women are to be ‘keepers at home’ (Titus 2:5). This means a women is to be there, loving her husband, teaching and enjoying her children, and applying the homemaking arts with joy in her heart. This mother is the heartbeat of the home. She helps lay the foundation of moral standards there. The warmth of her spirit quietly establishes security in the lives of the little children, brings confidence, that in spite of their problems and fears, all will be right. Why would any woman trade this noble place for some dollars earned or for some coveted position?” ~ “Woman’s Role”, Mennonite tract

“Nowadays when the godless element is putting a premium on childless homes and sneering at the faithful wife and mother, some homes are becoming centers of crime; marriage is becoming a merchandise; wives are becoming business women, and children are unavoidable nuisances. The few children who do make it into the world are turned over to milk bottles and babysitters, to public schools where there is now danger in the classroom, and to modernistic colleges, where young people live together without the legality of marriage and where drugs and drink abound on campus. But memories of old-fashioned mothers truly bring us back home to the simple things. How different her home? How different her life and sphere of activity! Rarely do we find her equal in this modern age. Her home was her realm — she was always there. . .” ~ Great Preaching on Mothers

“My dear sister, the Bible teaches that womenfolk are to be ‘. . . keepers at home. . .’ (Titus 2:5), not a social gadabout or a professional career woman in public employment. No woman can fulfill her duty to either her husband or her children who spends eight hours per day away from home and family. It takes real spiritual determination for any woman to properly perform her duty before God towards her husband and children.” ~ Bob Gray

“. . . the career-chasing of mothers who are not satisfied with simple, unapplauded home duties; the selfishness of wives who criminally avoid motherhood. In addition to these difficulties, heightened, as they are, under the laxity of war, American mothers are being coaxed away from their families into high-salaried positions. I have some startling figures for you. They are reliable, submitted to me by Frank X. Reller of the St. Lois juvenile court, and show that in this city almost one third of all juvenile offenders under seventeen came from homes in which both father and mother were employed. ‘But,’ you say, ‘perhaps their mothers had to work. Perhaps these families could not exist without her extra salary.’ What does Mr. Reller say? He answers, ‘In every one of these cases the father was employed with an adequate income to support his family without the necessity of the mother’s employment or her leaving the home.’ ‘Why, then you ask, do these mothers work? Again, this juvenile court official explains, ‘They are actually sacrificing the welfare of their children for a few paltry dollars and a few items of luxury.’ You may be ready to denounce me for what I will now say; but I am certain that if you follow this advice, some day you will be ready to thank me: Mothers, give up your work now! Go back to your family! Pray God to show you how your children should be trained! Watch over them as the gift of the Lord’s love! You may lose a little money, but how rich you will be when your boys or girls — under parental direction — become stalwart Christians!” ~ Walter Maier

I received a lot of comments in the past few weeks and some I'm sure were meant to mock women like me, but the sad thing is, they had some truth in them.  The comments ranged from attacks at homekeepers to attacks even more specifically (naming certain individuals).  At first, I just mentally shoved the comments aside and got angry but then being truthful with myself - I had to admit they were so right.  I know several that just sit around, clean their house (maybe), ship their kids off to school not even caring to help them with their homework, defrauding their own husbands, getting fat and spend their days on the internet or playing a game.  They give the homekeeper a bad rap and sadly its a majority instead of a minority that do this.

What example have we given?  Why have some been so lazy doing their Godly role as a homekeeper as to bring a reproach?  I will tell these commentors (you know who you are) that I apologize on behalf of these women and their lack of example.  It isn't supposed to be that way and a Godly homekeeper will be about NOT JUST HER HOME but her family and betterment of her husband in the community as well!  She isn't one to be known as a gamer, sit on her butt all day internet surfing and she surely doesn't spend hours in being a busybody catching up on other's affairs!  She isn't down with the latest gossip, is willing to help a friend in need, prays for her family daily, and sees every venture outside her home as a chance for God to use her to touch someone's life that day!

The question was posed, very sarcastically - about what I think about a woman who hires others (with or without pay) to clean her home.  I will give my opinion - if she is well-abled physically/mentally, then why would she have others perform her role?  Is it time for a new baby?  I know moms need help during that time.  Or does she deem something else more important than what God has called her to do - keep her home?  I remember a time when I was so busy that I didn't have time to eat, typing notes and I paid a friend $20 to scrub my tub and do my dishes.  I kept telling myself it was ok and was going to keep it going because I was doing the will of God by typing my notes for Seminary - but really I should have kept my family and Godly role first.  Here I was, training to be a minister's wife, with a husband that would be preaching the woman is to be a keeper at home and I wasn't even keeping my own home!

Recently, a woman over me in the Lord told me that I must tell others that they need to do what I'm doing (cooking and home management).  Do you know how much I wanted to cry at this moment?  Why cry you may say?  Because, the reason I set this blog up in the first place was to help others with what I took years to research and learn myself ONLY to be ridiculed, attacked, gossiped about and even shunned by some who used to be my friends.  One person confided in me and told me that a group was talking about me and how great I thought I was and they called me super-spiritual and lot of other things.  Do I think these people are saved?  NO!  But, I prayed for them and forgave them.   What I wanted to tell this dear, woman of God was that it wasn't just as easy as saying - hey, do this and it will help you.  Others will change your intention and good motive into something evil or prideful and say your a show off.

I will tell you my story.  I wasn't born a homekeeper and I never knew how to cook until after I got married.  I didn't even know how to boil an egg!  My mother had no time for me and I didn't know how to wash clothes or clean and all the other things that maybe most women learned alongside their mothers growing up.  Mine worked and then a lot of things happened to me that ended my childhood a bit early.  When I got married, I had to teach myself everything!  I spent years learning, researching, experimenting and trying to get the skills I needed as a woman/wife/mother/homekeeper.  I wish I had a Godly older woman that would have taken the time to show me these things but everyone is so 'busy' these days to help the younger generation it seems.

After many years and upon arriving in Washington state and seeing how women didn't know how to keep home, much less be frugal - I saw a need.  I remember one lady in particular that helped us move in our belongings.  She wondered why I had a freezer and I began to tell her about buying in bulk, etc.  She had no clue and sadly she struggled so much she eventually left God and her husband.  The poor girl needed some help but where was the help?  I tried to show her what I knew with what time had afforded me with a 2yr old running around but clearly no one had taken the time out to help her learn to be a homekeeper or a wife.  How many will we let slip through the cracks?  Who will help another with the skills you have?  I started a blog to help that sister out there who was like me years ago - hopefully easing her learning and teaching her in a short time what took me years.  I hope to give that example, even though I'm not the older woman, I can't seem to find too many that are available to help the younger generation sadly.  Ironically, my mom and I, are very close now and she likes to send me recipes she wished she had taught me to cook years ago.  I told her to not live in regret but know that I'm ok now and I will teach my daughter and tell others.  She tells me to keep doing that and spreading the word to other women to stay home and take care of their husbands and children!

Not everyone has to scrounge the yard sales, sit around bored, facebook gaming all day and putting down another through gossip.  That is not the example we should be giving and I hope to try - though I'm imperfect, have had big failures and have many faults - to help another in some way through this blog.

*I'm now allowing anonymous comments.  I had taken them away a few months ago but if you are really wanting an answer and for some reason afraid of giving your name - I will respond.