This is such a fun week for cooking because it’s Thanksgiving Week!!! This means we have reason to be in the kitchen! But sometimes all the kitchen work can be overwhelming. Let’s face it we eat over 1,000 meals a year (that’s counting breakfast, lunch and dinner) - and if you have a family you provide all those meals for – and snacks too – cooking can become a chore.

When I first had children, I dreamed of them cooking along side of me. Then reality set in.  Bringing my kids along side of me in the kitchen was more work than I expected. They were messy and needed constant instruction – “stir slowly”, “stay away from the hot pot”, “be careful with the knife”, “don’t wipe your hands on your shirt”, “stop eating the dough”, “one at a time on the stool” and the list went on.  At some point, I threw in the towel literally and sent them off to play or watch Curious George so I could get dinner on the table in a timely fashion. And my dream bubble popped with the reality that inviting my children into the kitchen would be a sacrifice.

And here’s where “Making our Home a Haven” comes into the equation. 

It is only when we as women learn how to lay down our lives for those in our home, that the home will begin to thrive. 

When we learn that creating a culture of love means sacrifice on our part - our homes will transform from being a shell – to being a place of hospitality, the breaking of bread, laughter, training, deep talks, loving embraces and fun memories.

Bringing the kids into the kitchen has been hard for me – but it’s worth the memories!

It starts with following Jesus – laying down our lives and our desires - so we can bless those who sleep under our roof.  And as we learn to lay down our lives – we model to our children how to lay down their lives for others. 

We aren’t responsible for every home on the block…just the one God has given us.  God has given us one home to turn into a haven for his glory.  One home to use to shine brightly for him.  One home to subdue, manage and cause to flourish.  And when a home is flourishing – the souls that pass through your home are forever touched and changed by the work of your hands.

And so we come to this week’s challenge:

Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home. Cook things with pleasant aromas – like homemade bread, pies, and cookies. Don’t wait to have a reason to make something special – do it simply to show love to your family. Invite your kids and/or hubby to cook along side of you – make memories in the kitchen – test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remove discontentment and give thanks to God for the home God has given you in which to create a haven for your family.

 Keep your candles and soft music going this week and add in tasty treats full of love.

Edith Shaeffer reminds us of how deeply food can bless those we prepare it for:

“Food cannot take care of the spiritual, psychological and emotional problems, but the feeling of being loved and cared for, the actual comfort of the beauty and flavour of food, the increase of blood sugar and physical well-being, help one to go on during the next hours better equipped to meet the problems.”

 
If you are participating in this challenge leave a comment below with how it’s going – if you are a blogger copy this button into your blog post, write about how it’s going and link up on Wednesday at the Women Living Well Wednesday Link-Up party!!

Thank you all so much for your accountability. I so appreciate you joining me on this journey!!! We are in it together!

Walk with the King,

Chime In: What are you cooking this week? And do you bring your kids into the kitchen with you? Do you have any tips to help other moms manage little ones in the kitchen?  We’d love to hear them! 

When we were kids – every year we would decorate the Christmas tree as a family and then we’d turn off all the lights and plug in the tree.  My sister Jen and I LOVE to sing and so we’d go to town singing Christmas carols.  One of my favorites was Silent Night because it was such a calm and peaceful song. For a moment – time seemed to stand still and we savored the moment and the meaning of Christmas.

“Silent night…Holy night…all is calm, all is bright…”

I have a feeling just reading those lyrics brings back memories for you too.

Music.  It has a strange effect on people.  Certain songs can flood our minds with good memories.  Others can touch a painful and tender place deep inside of us where we’ve been hurt and bring tears.  And other songs just make us all want to boogie! lol!

Edith Shaefer says “There is a charm in making music together which not only stimulates interest and creativity, but which breaks through whining and fussing and clears the atmosphere.”

Music changes the atmosphere of our homes.

In our home, soft piano music plays 24/7.  Yes, even in the middle of the night we have music going.  We can’t hear it in our bedrooms but I like coming down the stairs in the morning to a serene atmosphere.  Just as my candle serves me, my music serves me.  It doesn’t make messes, it doesn’t need managed, it just simply blesses me AND it blesses my family.

This week’s challenge:

Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. I’ll be playing Christmas music! Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Work on gentleness this week.

Now we can’t have our candles burning, our music going and prayers for peace going up to heaven and not pause to take a look at our own hearts.  Is there anything we are doing with our words that could be stirring up strife and interrupting peace in our homes? 

Last week I had a terribly strife filled week – not with my family but here on the blog in the comment section and later in a string of emails.  Thursday’s post brought a backlash of negative comments and I lacked discernment as I responded.  I completely regret much of my response and learned some tough lessons after taking the post down. 

Proverbs speaks to the power of our tongue and the power it has to create strife or to bring peace.

Are you in need of some guidance for your week? 

Here’s some Proverbs that speak to me:

“Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning.” Proverbs 10:13

Pursue discernment.

“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

Hold your tongue.

“A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.” Proverbs 11:12

Hold your tongue.

“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 12:16

Overlook insults.

“Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

Use your tongue to bring healing.

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3

Guard your lips.

“A quick tempered man does foolish things.” Proverbs 14:17

Be slow to anger.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh words stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Give gentle answers.

“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” Proverbs 17:27

Use restraint.

There’s a lot of food for thought there in Proverbs.  Just think – if we actually followed the wisdom of these verses how our homes and relationships would be transformed!

So let’s begin. Light your candle, crank up your music and continue praying over your home. Every time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye – pray for peace. Peace with each other and peace within your soul.

If you are participating in this challenge leave a comment below with how it’s going – if you are a blogger copy this button into your blog post, write about how it’s going and link up on Wednesday at the Women Living Well Wednesday Link-Up party!!

Thank you all so much for your accountability. I so appreciate you joining me on this journey!!! We are in it together!

Walk with the King,

Chime In: What kind of music is playing in your house this week? And how are you doing with pursuing gentle and peace-filled words?

Welcome to Week 1 of the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge!

Here’s this week’s challenge:

Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. Do what makes sense for your family. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.  

What makes a home a haven?  Is it following every idea on Pinterest, organizing with IKEA or decorating like Better Homes and Gardens?  Is it a home that has massive amounts of toys, food to feast on, video games stacked high and every movie imaginable to view? Is it a certain number of square feet, a separate bedroom for each child, or the neighborhood you live in?

No. It is not the things we have or the things we do not have that make our homes a haven. It’s you – my dear reader – you are the key to making your home a haven.

Proverbs 14:1 says: “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”

How are you making your home a haven?

Here’s 5 things I absolutely love in my home:

1. Vaccuum cleaner lines on freshly vaccuumed carpet.

2. The sound of the dishwasher running at the end of the day – signaling the kitchen is clean and closed.

3. Warm towels fresh out of the dryer.

4. The way the house is sparkling clean ALL at once right before guests arrive.

5. A flickering candle on my kitchen counter.

I simply enjoy these gifts in life.

But…

They are momentary.

Soon the kids will come running into the room and wrestle around and the vaccuum cleaner lines will be gone.

The dishwasher will stop running and need emptied – that’s not so fun!

The towels – they’ll be cold and wet soon. And most likely, left laying on the floor somewhere.

After the guests leave, the house will need cleaned all over again.

It’s the cycle of life.

But my candle.

My candle just keeps on burning.  Morning, noon and night it serves me.  It serves me with a flickering warm light, a pleasant scent, and a reminder to pray for peace in my home.

I remember long ago when I first started daily lighting my kitchen candle.  The kids came down for breakfast and asked – “who’s coming over today mommy?“  “No one“, I answered. “Then why is there a candle lit in the kitchen?” they asked.  “For us!”  I light the candle for us – to bless my own family.

Why is it that we save the best for guests?  I’m not saying we should give our own family the best and then ignore guests – but rather let’s bless our own family by paying attention to the details we so carefully tend to when we  are expecting visitors.

You have the power – as the woman of the home – to effect the mood of your home.  Your home can feel sterile and cold or warm and inviting.  It can feel chaotic and unstable or subdued and managed well.  It can feel like a cold shoulder or a warm hug.

But simply lighting a candle is not enough to change our homes.  We must be women of prayer – praying for each individual that finds refuge under our roof.  It’s easy to get busy and distracted and forget to pray for those we love most.

Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us?  It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.” ~ T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

So let’s begin.  Light a candle and begin praying over your home every time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye.  Pray for peace.  Peace with each other and peace within your soul.

If you are participating in this challenge leave a comment below with how it’s going – if you are a blogger copy this button into your blog post, write about how it’s going and link up on Wednesday at the Women Living Well Wednesday Link-Up party!!

Thank you all so much for your accountability. I so appreciate you joining me on this journey!!! We are in it together!

Walk with the King,

Chime In: Have you begun to light your candle?  Did your family ask “what’s up with the candle?” What scent is your candle?  And have you found a deal on candles?  Share it!