Homemaking

More Than Dinner

2010 at 1:15 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking Eating and Mealtime

“It helps to imagine an ornate gold frame. Pick it up (don’t worry; it’s only pretend) and place it around the image that appears when you say ‘supper at my house.’ Bet the picture you see is very specific: These are the seats we sit in, the things we discuss. Here is the person who shows up last. That is the bowl we use for the rice…. Sitting down to a meal together draws a line around us. It encloses us and, for a brief time, strengthens the bonds that connect us with the others members of [our family], shutting out the rest of the world.”

I love photography; that is why I love this quote. It tells you to stop for a minute and observe. To pull up the image of your family mealtime. Can you see it? It can seem so trivial: What’s the big deal? You rush around, trying to get everything hot and on the table at the same time. Everyone comes, eats, leaves and you clean up. However this author is challenging us to take a step backwards and take a long, slow look at this seemingly mundane activity. There is something more that happens here.

Mealtime is a gathering. The people you love the most come to the same place at the same time. Conversations happen; memories are made. There is laughter and tears. A strong family bond begins to form—a bond that grows stronger by doing it again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that.

The mundane has purpose. If it weren’t for the ordinary duties of food preparation and kitchen cleanup, than this moment, this mealtime, this bond, wouldn’t exist.

So the next time you make dinner, hang that “mealtime picture” on the wall of your mind while you grate the cheese and toss the salad. You are making much more than dinner.

--from the archives

Your Dream House

2010 at 12:38 pm   |   by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under Homemaking

Speaking of dream houses, do you (like me) find yourself desiring what you do not have?

You may be longing for the day when you can move away from your parents or get rid of your roommates in exchange for a husband and home. Or maybe you can’t wait until you and your husband can finally afford to purchase a house rather than pay rent on an apartment. Or possibly you resent being stuffed into a small house with a large family. What you wouldn’t do for a larger dwelling place!

Do you (like me) find yourself tempted to be discontent with your home?

If so, then this counsel author Randy Alcorn once gave a discontent couple is for you (and me) today:

“When I was a pastor, a couple came to my office and told me they wanted to be able to give more money to the church and to missions. “But we’ve always had this dream for a beautiful home in the country,” they added, “and we can’t seem to shake it.  Is that wrong?”
          No it isn’t.  In fact, the dream of a perfect home is from God.  It’s just that such a dream cannot and will not be fulfilled in this life.  Our dream house is coming; we don’t have to build it here.  In fact, we can’t. (In Light of Eternity, pp. 155-156.)

We may never have that perfect home we desire here on earth. But “our dream house is coming!” It’s in heaven, waiting there for us, as Jesus promised: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2)

Dear Lord, may my mind and affections be set, not on the things of this earth, but on my eternal home in heaven where I will one day be with you. This is my ultimate dream house—and not just a dream, it is a certain hope! Thank you for the work of your Son on the cross, which brought me into your family, and, one day, will bring me into your home forever!

--from the archives

Getting Ready for Vacation

2010 at 2:01 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking Vacations

You know you have kids when you tell people that you will be leaving for vacation in “3 sleepies.” Obviously, we are on countdown here at the Bradshaw household; we’ll be heading to Tennessee on Sunday with the whole Mahaney clan.
 
If you are planning to take a vacation, and like me, need to prepare to serve others and glorify God, here are a few links from the girltalk and cheap seats archives you might find helpful:
 
First, check out my dad’s three part series on leadership and family vacations. You can leave it up on your computer screen for when your husband “happens” to walk by.
 
Then, for some easy vacation cooking ideas, you might like these recipes.
 
If you need a reminder to keep fighting remaining sin—which doesn’t take a vacation--this post by Nicole will encourage you to prepare accordingly.
 
You definitely don’t want to forget to make wonderful memories. Read about that here.
 
And the hardest part of vacation--coming home. This post will help ease you into normal life again.
 
I hope this little sampling serves you as you prepare for your trip. I’m signing off, because I only have 3 more sleepies to get ready!

Is It OK for Moms to Have Jobs Outside of the Home?

2010 at 1:16 pm   |   by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under Homemaking Motherhood

Last week, John Piper answered a question we get a lot--"Is it OK for mothers to work full-time outside the home?" We love his answer--full of grace and passionate to encourage women to view their home as a "launching pad for ministry and missions." He concludes with these comments:

"Those are the kind of dreams I want to offer the younger women that are coming along so that they don't think, "If I don't get a career and make lots of money and be equal with men in pay and time and everything, I've somehow sold out to something small or something that doesn't require intellectual capabilities. It is a great and glorious calling to be a mother and a homemaker and a wife and a neighborhood make-it-happen kind of person and a church minister. Who knows what God might be pleased to do."

You can read a transcript of John Piper's response at the Desiring God blog. Also, we did a short series last year in response to a question about the husband's responsibility in the home. You can check it out here.

May God give us all a bigger vision of how we can serve Him in and through our homes!

Bitter-Sweet Appetizer

2010 at 1:14 pm   |   by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under Homemaking Recipes

It may be summer, but a cold March wind still blows through our hearts when we remember this year's Maryland v. Michigan State tournament basketball game.

Wearing Maryland red, the Mahaney family all crowded into Dad and Mom's living room. We were on our feet--bouncing up and down, calling out plays to the television as the Terps overcame a nine point deficit in the last two minutes to clinch the lead.

Then, with only a few seconds left, and Maryland ahead by two, the MSU player took one final three-point shot.

He made it.

We sat down, hands to our faces, and looked at each other in disbelief.

Did that just happen? 

"We are heartbroken," Dad emailed a friend and MSU fan. 

As sad as that day was (and still is), it had two redeeming aspects:

1. We were all together, and

2. Mom laid out a delicious spread.

One of the appetizers (which will always remind me of that game, but there is no reason you can't enjoy it) is a perfect summer starter. It will make a great lead-off to whatever you're cooking up for Father's Day.

And, if you would be so kind, observe a moment of silence for our Terps. Your dad will understand.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
 
3 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and diced
12 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
                        
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Melted butter
1 2/3 cups cinnamon sugar (1 1/3  cups sugar and 1/3 cup cinnamon)
 
Directions
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Granny Smith apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter. Sprinkle buttered side with cinnamon sugar mixture. Then cut into wedges (with pizza cutter) and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Yeah for Summer!

2010 at 12:05 pm   |   by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under Homemaking Holidays and Seasons

In case you hadn’t noticed, we get excited about the change of seasons here at girltalk. I guess it's because Mom—who grew up in Florida—never got over the wonder of how different each season is in Maryland. Some of that delight must have rubbed off on us girls. And we haven't lost it yet.

So as each season changes, we find ourselves writing about it on the blog. In fact, we started girltalk in June of 2005 and before the first week was up we wrote about—you guessed it!—summer!
 
Since then we’ve shared our favorite summer salads, summer shopping, summer pics, summer reads, simple summers, and even some interesting summer classes for men.
 
Two years ago, you all sent us enough summer ideas to fill a book!

Summer Meals

Summer Vacations
 
Summer Schedules
 
Summer Activities
 
Summer Goals and Projects
 
We love summer because, as John Piper says, “Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is preeminent in all things (Col. 1:18), including vacations, picnics, softball, long walks, and cookouts…. The summer sun is a mere pointer to the sun that will be: the glory of God. Summer is for seeing and showing that.”

In all you do, may you see and show the glory of God this summer.

Chocolate Cake in Milk

2010 at 1:27 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking Recipes

If you checked out the 52home picture from Monday, you saw a large piece of chocolate cake swimming in a bowl of milk. Makes me hungry just writing those words. My brother, Chad, was about to make quick work of that piece of cake.

I titled the picture, “Cake the Mahaney Way” to avoid confusion, but this tradition actually comes from my mom’s side of the family—it is “Cake the Layman Way.”

You see, my grandfather was raised on a dairy farm in rural Virginia, and for as long as I can remember Grandpa Layman would only eat his cake drowned in a bowl of milk. So his kids grew up eating cake that way, and now, so do his grandkids. Even Mike ate his cake this way the other night. I’m telling you, it’s catching!

The cake you saw in the picture is a family favorite: Sour Cream Fudge Cake. We got the recipe from our friend Valori. She’s the mother of five boys, so you know this cake has to be good! Per your request, we wanted to pass it along.

The bowl of milk is optional, but I’m saying give it a go!

 

Sour Cream Fudge Cake (PDF Version)

from Valori Maresco

1 c. butter

5 T. cocoa

1 c. water

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. butter

5 T. cocoa

1/3 c. milk

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Bring the butter, cocoa and water to boil in a large pan. Remove from heat and add the flour, sugar and salt. Mix together the eggs, sour cream and baking soda; add to the mixture. Pour into a greased (13x9-inch) cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. While the cake is baking, make the frosting by bringing the butter, cocoa and milk to a boil. Beat in the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Spread on the hot cake when it comes out of the oven.

Good Friday

2010 at 2:07 pm   |   by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed under Homemaking Holidays and Seasons

May thy cross be to me

    as the tree that sweetens my bitter Marahs,

    as the rod that blossoms with life and beauty,

    as the brazen serpent that calls forth the look of faith.

By thy cross crucify my every sin;

Use it to increase my intimacy with thyself;

Make it the ground of all my comfort,

    the liveliness of all my duties,

    the sum of all thy gospel promises,

    the comfort of all my afflictions,

    the vigour of my love, thankfulness, graces,

    the very essence of my religion;

And by it give me that rest without rest,

    the rest of ceaseless praise.

--The Valley of Vision

God’s Wonderful Surprise

2010 at 1:06 pm   |   by Kristin Chesemore
Filed under Homemaking Holidays and Seasons

In preparation for Easter, here's a wonderful video for children from the much-beloved Jesus Storybook Bible:

(HT:Justin Taylor)

Hands Down

2010 at 3:11 pm   |   by Kristin Chesemore
Filed under Homemaking Family Time

(UPDATE 2/26:Links are fixed!)

My three little guys enjoy competition.  Actually, truth be told, they LOVE to win. Games in our home are quite loud, filled with much laughter, and well, more then a few opportunities for sanctification!

Recently our good friends, Don and Trish, passed down some games their children had outgrown.  One particular game, Hands Down, has become a new family favorite.  

Hands Down is a simple card game, easy enough for my 6 year old to understand and yet competitive enough to intrigue my 10 year old. It’s perfect for a family night, or if you’re snowed in (like we’ve been a lot lately!) or looking for something to keep your kids busy.

If games could talk, this one might ask to be sent back to its original owners.  Hands Down arrived in pristine condition--all pieces assembled and box fully intact.  It had enjoyed a peaceful existence. But it has not fared so well in our home. The box is already damaged and I’ve had to tape some of the cards back together. 

But hey, that’s life at the Chesemores!

 

Monday Recipe

2010 at 1:51 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking Recipes

We girltalkers have a weakness for homemade bread, and we are always on the lookout for new recipes. Mom recently discovered Buttermilk Refrigerator Rolls and they’ve made regular appearances at dinner ever since. These soft and chewy little guys are, well, what can I say? Scrumptious!

But what makes them doubly wonderful is that the dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. This means you can whip up a batch on Monday (today!) and use it for dinner (or breakfast and lunch, for that matter) all week long. Yummy and practical! You’ve gotta try ‘em!

Buttermilk Refrigerator Rolls
 
1 pkg dry yeast
½ cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
½ cup shortening, melted
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp soda
2 cups buttermilk
 
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand five minutes. Stir in melted shortening. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to yeast mixture; mix well. Turn dough out on a well-floured surface; knead gently until dough can be handled. Shape dough into a ball; place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover dough, and refrigerate until needed (dough will keep one week). Shape dough into rolls, as desired; place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: about 2 dozen.

 

Pick One Spot: Winners!

2010 at 3:26 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking

I get the huge honor of announcing the winners of our “Pick One Spot” contest. That’s right, I said “winners.” After pouring over your many entries, we were finally able to narrow it down to two. So it’s a tie, but don’t worry, y’all won’t have to split the prize! You will each get $100 to the home store of your choice.
 
Our first winner is Janie Grange. Woohoo, Janie! You are gonna love reading Janie’s story because what started out as “pick one spot” actually became “pick two spots” while she wasn’t looking. But Janie triumphed over both! Way to go, Janie. E-mail us so that we can get you your prize.

I would like to tell you what happened today when my friend Viv Bates and I picked one spot in my house to clean up!  My basement bedroom has become the catch all room and since Christmas has been an absolute disaster.  So today Viv came over and we decided to tackle this room together.  My older two were at school but at the house we still had Gavin (2), Milena (4), and Carson (2).  They were playing together very nicely. They were playing with baby dolls and having a great time giggling and talking.  So we decided it was okay to leave them playing while we went down to clean!  Mean while we worked extremely hard and managed to get the entire room organized and spotless!  We were so proud of ourselves- feeling pretty good about our accomplishment!  As we were taking things out to the car for consignment and putting other things where they belonged, Viv worked her way up to my bedroom where she came upon a BIG surprise!  She yelled to me Janie get up here with your camera right away!  I went running up to my room and was shocked at the sight I saw.  My once very tidy room was covered with everything from my loft - couch cushions, pillows, blankets, every movie, every magazine (there were lots), wii equipment, baskets, toys, you name it, it was there!  We couldn't do anything but actually laugh at what had happened while we neglected the kids to organize and try to win a contest!  We obviously spoke sternly with those little rascals and had them help (somewhat) with cleaning it all up!  So instead of tidying up one disaster of a room we got to clean up two disasters in one day.  Hope you have fun looking at our pictures of BOTH spots that we cleaned!  By the way Viv and I are a great organizing team if anyone needs any help! We obviously get lots of experience picking up after our kids!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement Bedroom Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement Bedroom Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement Bedroom Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement Bedroom After

Basement Bedroom After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement Bedroom After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My bedroom after the kids wrecked it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My bedroom after the kids wrecked it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My bedroom after the kids wrecked it!

My bedroom after the kids wrecked it!

The kids delighting in their mess!

Little rascals!

My bedroom after we cleaned up their mess!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My bedroom after we cleaned up their mess!

My bedroom after we cleaned up their mess!

 

And our second winners are sisters Bronte and Cosette Gamache. These teens tackled their “secret room” together and well, let’s just say the before and after pictures really do appear to be different rooms. Well done, girls, I have a few “secret rooms” that could use your professional skills if you are so inspired. E-mail us to collect your prize.

My sister and I would like to enter your Pick One Spot contest. My sister (Cosette) and I (Brontë) successfully cleaned out and organized our secret room. Well, it really isn't a secret room. It's a small out-of-the-way hallway (of sorts) that runs between the boys room and the girls room and we keep all of our toys in there. With 5 kids, a lot of toys, and a lot of visitors you can only imagine the mess. This contest was the perfect motivation to clean the room. So we did. 3 hours and 4 garbage bags later we have a clean secret room! After all that hard work, my siblings got a long talkin' to about keeping this place clean and putting toys away instead of in the middle of the floor-- believe me there will be trouble if there is one thing out of place!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ribbons and Soup

2010 at 6:16 pm   |   by Kristin Chesemore
Filed under Homemaking Recipes

As we’ve mentioned before, Mom was very intentional in training my sisters and me in homemaking—for which I am very grateful. Most of this training occurred in the home and she was our teacher. But she also tapped friends in the church to teach us candy making and sewing and together we took classes through the county and our local craft store.
 
Some lessons took off, and others fell flat. The bow-making class at Michaels, for example, was a complete waste of the registration fee. We had a good laugh about it this Christmas when I showed up to the family gathering with beautifully tied bows on my presents. Mom thought those lessons had finally paid off (fifteen years later) only to discover I had used pre-tied, elastic ribbons. Oh well!
 
The cooking classes, on the other hand, were worth every penny (easy to say when it wasn’t my money, but I think it is true!). They sparked a life-long love of cooking and the Lord knew that one day I would have three boys who love to eat. One of our favorite classes was Italian Cooking where a local wife and mother taught us how to cook some of her family’s favorite recipes. We still make many of her dishes today. This week, I whipped up a batch of her minestrone soup and put extra jars in the freezer. Mmmmm…perfect for winter! Here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

4 slices bacon

2 onions, chopped

2 large carrots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, pressed

3 cans chicken broth

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with juices

5 cups shredded cabbage

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Ditalini

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In large pot cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp. Remove; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and set aside. Drain off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook stirring often about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, wine, parsley, bay leaf, basil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add cabbage. Cook 10 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Serve with ditalini cooked separately. Top with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese--freshly grated.

 

 

Contest Time!

2010 at 6:23 pm   |   by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under Homemaking

For the girltalkers, the New Year usually sparks a cleaning and organizing frenzy. We blame Mom for this condition. Last week Nicole went on a crazy two-day organizing spree. She’s insane! But Mom and I were jealous of her newly organized home; so today we tackled our kitchen. We are giving each and every cabinet a thorough clean. Writing this post is my chance to sit down for a few minutes!
 
All this organizing reminded me of one of my favorite girltalk contests: Pick One Spot! Oh, I loved that contest! We asked y’all to:
 
1. PICK ONE SPOT in your house that was in dire need of some TLC
2. Take a “before” picture
3. Proceed to give said spot some TLC
4. Take an “after” picture, and
5. Send your pics to us for a chance to win some prizes.
 
Your entries were amazing! The transformed spots were just short of miraculous!
 
So, I’m bringing that contest back. Join us in our New Year organizing frenzy and try for a prize while you’re at it. Pick One Spot in your house—it can be a room, a closet, or even a corner and follow the directions above.
 
Grand-prize winner gets $100 gift card to a “home” store of your choice. Deadline is in two weeks: January 22.
 
OK, I’m getting up from the computer now and so should you. We’ve got work to do!
 
PS – If you have trouble inserting pics in the contact us page, you can email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Year in Review: Day 4

2009 at 2:42 pm   |   by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under Homemaking

A question from a reader named Julie sparked a week of great discussion at the end of June. Here's the first post followed by links to the others.

A Homemaker’s Dilemma

June 15 2009 at 6:32 am   |   by Nicole Whitacre

“I’m a feminist in remission,” Julie confessed in her email to us. And aren’t we all, by the grace of God?

She continued:

“Honestly, I still struggle in my role as wife and mother though I’ve lived in it for ten years now. So when I read Carolyn’s take on the Today Show a few days ago and the new book about sharing the home responsibilities 50/50, I just had a question, or maybe, a dilemma.

I stay at home full time, homeschooling my four children and I do love it. I wouldn’t want to work outside the home even if it was offered to me. But does that really mean that the husband has NO share in the household duties? Does that really mean that he should never wash some dishes, put laundry away, bathe a child, or pick up his own socks? I mean, if stuff needs to be done, should my husband be able to surf the web or watch a game while I tidy up after dinner and get the kids in bed? I guess I’m truly wondering if this is what It means to be a biblical woman? I WANT to be. I want to do my duties without grumbling and complaining. But it’s hard. It’s easy to feel like the maid. So, any words of wisdom in helping me to see this issue clearly and biblically, would be great.”

I suspect many women struggle with Julie’s dilemma; but I admire her desire to know and obey God’s Word. In Feminine Appeal, Mom tackled this question, and I will quote her at length here:

“Martin Luther, the man who sparked the Protestant Reformation, once quipped about his wife: “In domestic affairs I defer to Katie. Otherwise I am led by the Holy Ghost.” While facetious, Luther’s comment holds biblical credibility. As wives, we are to be in charge of domestic affairs.

The command in Titus 2 to be “working at home” is further illuminated by 1 Timothy 5:14 where Paul says: “So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander” (emphasis mine).

In the Greek, the phrase “manage their households” carries a strong connotation. It literally means to be the ruler, despot, or master of the house. So we see that “working at home” means we are to function as the home manager—taking full ownership for all the domestic duties of the household.

Once again the woman in Proverbs 31 is our example. She presided over the entire range of responsibilities in her home. She helped her husband; cared for her children; completed chores; supervised servants; oversaw land; invested money; bought, sold, and traded goods (just to name a few duties!). The Proverbs 31 wife maintained a broad sphere of rule in her household.

Imitating this woman’s model, Sarah Edwards, the wife of the eighteenth-century preacher Jonathan Edwards, managed her household with careful and thorough diligence. One day Dr. Edwards emerged from his studies and asked his wife: “Isn’t it about time for the hay to be cut?” To which Sarah was able to respond, “It’s been in the barn for two weeks.”

Sarah created a world where her husband could fulfill his God-given duties without being concerned for the domestic tasks of the home. We should aspire to do likewise.

Now, with the command to “rule” in our homes, I must provide two cautions. First of all, this is not license to usurp our husband’s authority. Our management in the home must be carried out in complete support of his leadership and direction.

But this mandate also precludes the currently popular “co-responsibility” approach to homemaking. As wives, it is our job to manage our homes, and we should not expect our husbands to contribute equally to this task.

This is not to say that our husbands shouldn’t help around the house. There are times when we legitimately need their assistance, and this is especially true for moms with small children. The point is not to excuse our husbands from service in the home, but rather to solidify our role as manager of the home. God has given that assignment to us.”

A clear and compelling vision of our God-given assignment as home managers will help us guard against complaining and resentment. For further study on this topic I’d recommend the entire chapter on homemaking from Feminine Appeal, as well as Susan Hunt’s chapter on the same in The True Woman. You can also check out some of our posts on homemaking.

 

Homemaker's Dilemma Pt. 2

Homemaker's Dilemma Pt 3

Homemaker's Dilemma Pt. 4

Homemaker's Dilemma Pt. 5

Homemaker's Dilemma Pt. 6