Easy Slow Cooker Sunday Suppers

Quick and easy slow cooker meals

Sunday lunch has always been a challenge for me since my family is famished after worship services. It doesn’t matter if we’re finished at 10:30 or 12:30, I’m starving and the last thing I want is to go home and cook lunch.  Am I the only one with this problem?

One of the best solutions that I’ve found to “what to do for Sunday lunch?” is the crockpot.  Most recipes can be cooked on high for 2-4 hours, making them ideal for Sunday morning.  You can have everything prepped the night before and just set the crockpot in the warmer before heading out the door in the morning.

Knowing that dinner is ready before we even get home is a great feeling.  It saves me time, money and the stress of wrestling with two little people in desperate need of a nap while trying to inhale greasy restaurant food.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Santa Fe Chicken

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup

General Tso’s Chicken

 

We’d love to hear your ideas for Sunday supper!  Comment below with ideas, suggestions and links to your favorite recipes.

For more recipes and ideas, visit me at Imitation by Design.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos make putting together a tasty dinner a snap!

Every home cook needs a secret weapon recipe that goes together in minutes and pleases the pickiest of palates.  One of my favorites is this simple recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.  I’ve served this to family, friends, the youth group, etc… and have always gotten good reviews.

For entertaining purposes, you can make an easy taco bar with these by whipping up a batch of my 5 Minute Guacamole and Cilantro Lime Rice.  Add some shredded cheese, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, olives, green onions or whatever your family likes and you’re done.  I like to serve it with White Queso, chips and tortillas so folks can make nachos if the prefer.

I don’t know about you, but I love a recipe that feeds my family several times without making us feel like we’re eating leftovers.  Because this chicken is so flavorful, you can use the leftovers in quesadillas, burrito bowls, enchiladas, burritos, taco salads, wraps etc…  Also, you can make a big batch of chicken taco meat to freeze for super fast meals later on.

For more simple, family friendly recipes, visit me, Jennifer, at Imitation by Design.

Recipe (serves 12)
2-3 lb Chicken breasts (I use a bag of frozen chicken breasts.)
1/2 lg Onion, chopped
2 Cans of Rotel
1 can Mexicorn
1 pkg Taco seasoning
1 Lime, juiced
1 Handful cilantro, chopped

 Directions:

1. Combine chicken, onion, taco seasoning, Mexicorn and Rotel in slow cooker.  Cook 6 hours on low.
2. Remove from pot and shred.  Return to slow cooker and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve on warm tortillas with all of your favorite fixin’s!

Jennifer is a wife to Alan and mom to two busy little boys.  She works part time in their family business (Martin’s) and spends the rest of her time at home with her boys.  When she has a free minute, she blogs her family’s favorite recipes in her own virtual cookbook, Imitation by Design.

 

Meal Planning March

Encouraging You With Cooking & Meal Planning Ideas

Cooking and meal planning can become overwhelming. 3 meals a day plus snacks, 7 days a week, about 30 days a month, 365 days a year, that’s about 1100 meals a year. Sure we eat out for some of them and other times we may be invited into someones home, but the reality is that we prepare most of those meals ourselves.

Whether your single and cooking for yourself and a few close friends, or your a mom to many the fact remains, that’s a lot of meals to plan for. For some cooking is a joy, meal planning is natural and grocery shopping is met with anticipation. For others it is met with dread and the overall task seems daunting. Whether you are an old hat at cooking, planning and prep or just need a little boost, we want to encourage you in this effort by providing a month of encouraging posts, recipes, tips and ideas to help you along.

Balsamic Glazed Steak over Spinach & Mushroom Fettucine Alfredo

Pasta with Sauce

• 1 T Butter
• 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 C Spinach Leaves, trimmed
• 1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
• 8 – 10 oz.Thin Egg Noodles, or Fettucine

Steak

• 2-3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Sirloin Steak strip, (or flank steak) salt/pepper, seared to preference, slice thinly.

Glaze

• 1-2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 T. Sugar
• 1/2 C. Balsamic Vinegar

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a large skillet drizzle olive oil, heat pan. Add steak and sear apx. 8 minutes on one side, flip and sear apx. 4 minutes on the other, or until desired preference. Remove steak from skillet, let rest. In the mean time, add 1 T. olive oil, sugar and vinegar, heat over medium low heat, reducing mixture, about 10 minutes. 

In a saucepan melt butter with olive oil,  add minced garlic and lightly saute until tender, do not scorch.  Stir in the spinach and tomatoes just until spinach wilts, remove from heat.

Drain pasta. Stir alfredo sauce into pasta, add the spinach and tomatoes. 

Slice steak thinly, lay steak slices over pasta, drizzle with glaze.

 Serve with a side of crusty bread and a salad. 

I love to cook. I enjoy preparing a meal for my family or friends. I am not one, however, who loves meal planning. I don’t plan by week or month. I plan by keeping a well stocked kitchen. By having what I need on hand, I am able to choose my meals each day based upon what suits my taste or the amount of time I have to prep. I recently did a blog series “Meal Planning When you Don’t Like to Plan.” I then turned the series into a Free downloadable eBook. It’s filled with tips, ideas and recipes. You can find the eBook on my blog, Great Peace Academy.

~This post was written by team member Renee’ Brown. You can read more of her writings on her homeschooling and family blog Great Peace Academy.

 

Choosing to Prioritize our Husbands

Making Active Choices About our Marriage

Women make choices every day. We choose what to make for dinner, what clothes to dress the children in, what tasks on the do-do list will be completed and what we will prioritize as important on any given day. Some choices are easy and others are more difficult. Some are made for us by happenstance while others are deliberate and with consideration. When we made the choice to become brides, we made a deliberate choice to marry a man.

Then we set off in life and many of the choices we make there after fall into the happenstance category. Over time and after children, our decisions become less and less deliberate and more and more rote, when it comes to the day in and day out of taking care of the home and family. Over time, sadly, our marriage can begin to take a back seat to our children. Choosing to prioritize our marriage must be an active choice. We must not allow Satan to have a stronghold but rather we must allow our husbands to be our heads, and lead and guide us and we, as wives should love them submissively. Recently Melissa from Maidservants of Christ came face to face with the reality of making active decisions about her marriage. Below is a snippet of her article, be sure to click through to see more and read her entire article.

What’s Best For Him

Written by Melissa from Maidservants of Christ

I love my husband desperately.  This became clearer than ever when he made a recent business trip overseas. Finding out that six days was going to turn into ten, I cried bitter tears.  It was foolish, but I couldn’t help it.  I need him that much.  The days leading up to his return found me thinking of what I could do to make his homecoming great. Cleaning my bedroom was a monumental task. (Ask Helene; she helped). I made sure the sweet tea had the massive amount of sugar he loves.  When he finally arrived at eleven at night, I went to the car to greet him in the subfreezing temperatures.  I love my husband, and I wanted home to be a place of peace and happiness for him.

Then I realized something. My goal should be a peaceful and happy home for him every day, not just when he’s gone.  Not only that, but there are more things…- See more at: Maidservants of Christ

Melissa lives in Tennessee and is the mother of 3 children. She and her co-blogger Helene blog regularly at Maidservants of Christ. Their goal is to speak the truth in love to those who read their blog. They aren’t afraid to tackle the tough stuff but do so with compassion and love. While your visiting be sure to subscribe to get all of their great articles right in your inbox.

 

~This article written by team member Renee Brown

 

Creating a Winter Beverage Station & Instant Hospitality

In 1 Timothy 5:10, we read about how the widow who was worthy to be helped needed to be “well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.”  Showing hospitality is listed with showing kindness and bringing up children so clearly it’s an important quality that we can all be working on.

In another example, Romans 12:13 includes “seeking to show hospitality” in a long list of Christian attributes. Showing hospitality by extending your home to others is an excellent way to really connect on a personal level and to show how much you care.

You can show hospitality in many ways, but I’m going to share a quick idea that also keeps with our monthly organization theme and will have you ready to serve last minute guests.

This simple Warm Beverage Station was definitely Pinterest inspired.  You can do a quick “hot chocolate bar” search and you’ll see all kinds of ideas for how to organize one and what kind of goodies to include.  The best thing about it is that you can leave it set up all winter to be enjoyed by family and friends.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to set up a beverage station. I used a tiered basket that I’ve had for years and a set of $8 canning jars, dressed up with a little ribbon.  You can make this as simple or elaborate as you want.  However, I’ve found that most people prefer the basic mix-ins like marshmallows and creamers.

I included Russian tea, hot chocolate and coffee in mine, but you could add cider and other flavored teas.  If you have a Keurig, it would be super simple to add all kinds of beverages.

If you want to expand this idea of being ready for last minute guests, keep a ready to serve pie or cookies in the freezer.  You could also keep a roll of cookie dough in the fridge at all times, but that would be dangerous at my house.  🙂

To read more about how I set up my beverage station and get an amazing, highly addictive Russian Tea Mix recipe visit my blog, Imitation by Design.

Jennifer is a wife to Alan and mommy to 2 young boys.  She stays at home most of the time, but also helps with the family business.  She is a member of the R:16 team and blogs about her favorite recipes at Imitation by Design. 

 

Get Ready for the New Year with Freezer Cooking!

The focus this month at R16:16 has been getting organized for the new year.  What better way to get off to a good start than to fill your freezer with healthy meals?

I can’t begin to tell you what a blessing freezer cooking has been to family since our second child was born.  It frees up time for us to spend together and cuts down on the number of last minute dinners from a sack.  As a mom, it makes me feel better about how I take care of my family.

Family Friendly Freezer Meals are a great way to plan for the new year.

There are three basic ways to stock your freezer.  The first way is to make extra batches of what you’re preparing that night for dinner to freeze for another night.  This works well with soups, meats and chili.  The second is to have a big cooking day and assemble a whole bunch of meals.  This would be great to do with a friend.  The third is prepping crockpot meals that you can just thaw and pour into a crockpot.  These are super fast, but solve the “What’s for dinner?” crisis that we all have from time to time.  I like to do a combination of all three.

To read the rest of my freezer cooking post and see some of my favorite tried and true freezer recipes like General Tso’s Crockpot Chicken and Baked Ravioli, visit me at Imitation by Design.  You can also follow me on Facebook or Pinterest.

 

To Toss or Not to Toss

Finding Life More Abundantly

Have you ever entered your home after a long, hard day and felt almost certain that soon you would be receiving an open invitation to be featured in the next episode of Hoarders? Do you have an overabundance of “stuff” and an extreme lack of storage? Are you continually acquiring new possessions but never purging those possessions you no longer need? These are definitely “first world” problems that we might very easily brush off as non-issues. Don’t be quite so hasty to jump to such a conclusion.

The sad truth is, our things can own us instead of us owning them. In Matthew 6:24 our dear Lord and Savior gives us a sober warning.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Merriam-Webster defines mammon as material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing influence. Could it be that we are slaves to our own possessions? Do they monopolize our time, our desires, or our income? Might it be possible, upon further self inspection, that we are giving more time and affection to mammon than to our family and our God? These are seriously frightening questions that demand honest answers.

As each new year approaches, we often reflect upon our lives by engaging in serious soul searching. We become retrospective in an attempt to answer difficult questions and improve ourselves and our lives. In so doing, if we find ourselves a slave to mammon, we must actively pursue freedom for the entanglements of its slavery. You may say,

“Yes! I am tired of this self imposed bondage. It sounds great, but I’m overwhelmed, and I just don’t know where to start.”

As in all things, simplification can be achieved by adopting a set of guidelines and setting both short and long term goals. Be realistic when putting a time frame in place. Laura Ingalls Wilder once said,

“The trouble with organizing a thing is that pretty soon folks get to paying more attention to the organization than to what they’re organized for.”

We must not be so enslaved to the process that we defeat the original purpose of obtaining a decluttered and simplified life. As for the guidelines, when analyzing our possessions, we must ask ourselves the following questions to determine what we keep, toss, or share.

3 Considerations When Determining Needful Possessions

•  Do I need this or do I just want it?

Again, we live in a society that is steeped in materialism and immediate gratification. We are assured we can “have it our way” and deserve nothing less than luxury. More is more in our “have your cake and eat it too” world.  This is so true that many times we have difficulty differentiating between our wants and needs. We are assured in Philippians 4:19 that our God will meet every need we may have and Matthew 6:33 tells us that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, all these things will be added unto us. We read these verses over and over but do we really understand what constitutes a need as opposed to a want?

1 Timothy 6:8 tells us we should be content with food and clothing. Well, that really helps narrow down the needs list, doesn’t it? Am I suggesting you forfeit everything that does not make the food/clothing cut? Certainly not! I am merely suggesting that we get some real perspective when it comes to our possessions.

How To Prioritize Needful Things

As a rule of thumb, the less excess baggage we have, the easier it will be to get and remain organized.

• Use your family size and lifestyle as a guide to the appropriate amount of linens, dinnerware, wardrobe, and pantry items you NEED.
• Also, be aware of the amount of sentimental items you are holding onto. Take photographs of your children’s schoolwork, artwork, and crafts and keep only the most precious items. Always keep in mind, it is the memory attached to the item that has value, not necessarily the item itself.

 

•  Is it a blessing or a curse?

 

I must ask if my possessions make my life easier or more complicated. One word. Kitchen gadgets! Take a quick mental inventory of all the wonderful supplemental kitchen aids you own. Now, how many do you actually use, how often do you use them, and how difficult is it to use them? Breadmakers, Panini presses, gourmet coffee machines, and the like allure us with the promise of a much more fulfilling life. However, once the novelty wears off, they tend to become space hogging dust collectors. The same can be said of toys, electronic devices, exercise equipment, and much, much more. Honestly, if these things do not add to your quality of life, they detract from it. We know that Jesus came to give us an abundant life. (John 10:10) If our possessions hinder this abundant life, they have no place in our homes.

• Does someone else need this more than I do?

I have no doubt that each of us has been tremendously blessed in our lives. We must bear in mind that with blessings come responsibilities. When John the Baptizer was asked by the people to whom he preached,

 Luke 3:11

 

“What shall we do then?” He answered, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him that has none, and he who has food, let him do likewise.” (Luke 3:11)

We have a great example of the first century church doing this very thing.

Acts 2:44

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”

So, how do we measure up on this sharing thing? Quick question. How many coats, pairs of shoes, blankets,__________(you fill in the blank) do you and your loved ones own? How many of these rarely find their way out the closet in which they reside? Is it reasonable to think our multiples might be much more needed and appreciated by someone else? We are fully aware that it is more blessed to give than to receive but do we ever consider it may be more blessed to give than to keep? After all,

Luke 6:38

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

We know “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15) Keep what is needed, toss that which clutters and robs you of an abundant life, and share so you can bless and be blessed beyond measure. Let us purpose to live by these rules in the new year and always. The whole concept can be summed up in a simple phrase.

“Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.”

 by Morihei Ueshiba, athlete

~ This post is written by Team Member Shanna Mathis Anderson

*quote from goodquotes.com

* all *quote from goodquotes.comverses taken from NKJV

 

Elevating Homemaking to its Rightful Place

Home is where Hearts are Shaped for Eternity

I washed the dishes with a huff and a sigh, feeling grumpy and anxious about all the other (more important) things I needed to do.

The look on my face must have given me away because my husband asked, “Do you even like being a homemaker?”

My heart sank.

I felt crushed. But it was obvious that my displeasure had been clearly visible for quite some time.

The sad part was, I did like being a homemaker, but had fallen into the trap of busy and piled so much on my plate that I no longer found much joy in anything, only stress and worry.

Preparing meals had become an after thought and inconvenience; why did people have to get hungry?!

Cleaning was something that also made me crazy. I had deadlines to meet!

If the kid’s bedtime dragged on too long I began to feel antsy.

There was just so much to do and not enough time to do it.

My husband’s question was a wake up call of sorts. I began to reflect on how I was spending my time, and more importantly, how I was thinking.

I’d forgotten that homemaking is holy and that home is a mission field.

Besides weeding out the things that were keeping me unnecessarily busy, I needed to renew the view I had of myself as a homemaker. The tasks at hand in this time of life were of no less value than those trekking across the world as missionaries.

Homemaking is holy.

Every dish washed is an act of service to God and to our family.

Our daily sacrifice of self is a fragrant aroma, pleasing to the Lord.

Home is where hearts are shaped for eternity and a dedicated mother can change the world.

The homemaker who focuses on cultivating a warm and loving place for her family, is not only raising future generations, but impacting those around her. The love and faithfulness she has for her family shines a light for Christ.

So, why am I telling you this embarrassing story?

I’m telling you because I want to remind you of the value of homemaking. If you’re finding that homemaking is merely a back seat project in your life and really more of an annoyance than anything, perhaps it’s time to rethink things a little.

I’m not suggesting you do everything yourself or that you can only cook and clean all day long, I just want to encourage you to make room for homemaking. View your position as a homemaker as the valuable role it is.

Elevate homemaking to it’s rightful place, a holy place, an act of worship and obedience. 

Give yourself to homemaking and it just might bring you the joy and satisfaction you’ve been seeking.

This guest post is written by Stacy. She is the wife of a preacher and homeschool mom of three kids. She blogs at A Delightful Home where she shares tips on natural living with God at the center.

 

Preparing the Home for Winter

Consider Your Winter Time Ways

It would seem that winter is coming early this year. Many of the states have been hit with ice, sleet and snow and many more have experienced lower than normal temperatures. This may mean that we could be in for a long and cold winter season.

Job 37:6 (KJV)

 

 “For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.”

Technically, the winter season is still a few weeks away. With us focusing our blog posts this month on homemaking and organizing for the new year I thought it might be a good idea to talk about preparing our homes for winter.

Proverbs 31:21

“She is not afraid of the

snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet”.

While we may not literally clothe our families in scarlet we can prepare our households in such a way as to not be afraid of the snow.

10 Ways to Prepare your Homes for Winter

1. It’s time to pull out the extra quilts, afghans, throw and wraps. Add a layer or 2 to your beds, set out a basket of convenient throws, drape them lovingly over the back of a chair or couch. Doing this provides a bit of extra warmth when needed and makes the home look cozy and a comfortable place to be on a cold winter day.
2. Add a little light to the home by adding a few extra lamps here or there.Winter can seem dark and dreary if we let it, but we also can counter the winter blues with some winter glow.  As evening begins to set in, turn them on for a nice warm glow.
3. Stock your pantry with necessary items to prepare warm and comforting foods, like soup, stew, chili, potpies, loaded baked potatoes. Rotate through these regularly to bring that extra bit of comfort to your family on a cold night. 
4. Gather your supplies for piping hot drinks. Whether it’s a steaming mug of cocoa or a hot cup of tea nothing says warmth like holding that cup in your hands after a day of playing or working in the snow.
5. Add a little extra warmth to your bathroom. You can buy a heat lamp or towel warmer to accomplish this. Just a little something extra to help your family feel loved and cherished in the chilly season.
6. Check your family winter gear, especially if you have children.  Do gloves, hats, boots socks still fit? Does your growing pre-teen need a new winter coat or snow suit. Stores are notorious for eliminating winter gear by January so now is the time to buy.
7. Add some candle light to your dinner table or coffee table in the evenings. There is nothing quite as comforting as the flicker of fire light when surrounded by your loved ones.
8. Stock up on warm fuzzy socks. It’s time to keep those toes warm.
9. This is the season for colds, flus, and other yucks! So go get extra boxes of tissue. Make sure you have some honey on hand. Buy some fresh lemons, juice them and store the juice in the freezer, this way you are prepared to add it to a hot cup of tea when the need arises. Do you have a humidifier that can help with a congested nose or chest. Oh and while your stocking up don’t forget the Vick’s Vapor Rub. Rub it on the feet and cover with those warm fuzzy socks.
10. Prepare some stock. Whether beef or chicken preparing your own from the leftover bones has a tremendous amount of nutrients. It’s not a coincidence that so many cultures have recipes for chicken stew ya’ll.

Just a little preparation on our parts can help us to have a warm and comfy house for our family during the cold season.

Now for those times when we may find that we need to shelter in place. When a snow or ice storm has come through and we find that we have lost power. Are you prepared to be without that convenience for more than a day? Here are some tips for preparing for severe weather with the potential for power loss.

• Stock up on candles, matches or lighters,  batteries, flashlights. Check old flashlights to see if they are working, replace batteries if needed. Do it now when it isn’t necessary so that you are prepared in the event of a black out.
• Alternate yet safe source of heat.(wood burning fireplace, propane heater, battery operated heater, generator).
• Water. This is a basic need. Even in the city, if the city services are without power for too long you could lose your water source. I live in the country, no power = no water.

* Keep extra containers full of water. Either buy them and store in an out of way place BEFORE the impending storm when everyone else is out buying water.

* Fill kettles, pitchers, large mixing bowls with water. If you know a storm is coming with potential for power loss, fill your crockpot full of water and turn it on to keep the water warm. If you lose power the water will stay warm for several hours making for warm water to wash hands or dishes with.

* Fill the bathtub full of water, keep a bucket nearby and then use that water to flush toilets.

• Make sure your vehicles are in good working order, have the oil, checked and changed if needed. Make sure fluids are topped off. Check the tire pressure. Keep it filled with gas as much as possible, and keep an extra supply in your shed or garage. Make sure the spare has air and is ready in the event of a flat.
• Keep a bag of cat litter in the trunk, this can be poured behind a tire that is spinning on ice or snow to add traction. If you have a small vehicle consider adding extra weight to the trunk also consider keeping chains for tires.
• Place a couple of blankets, water bottles and snacks (granola bars, nuts, raisins, trail mix, etc.) in the trunk of your car, make sure you have an emergency kit with flares or reflectors.
• In the event of prolonged outage your back porch can keep your food cold and safe when your fridge cannot. I recommend putting items into a cooler and leaving the cooler in a safe place where animals can’t reach it.
• Double up beds. Let the children share beds for a night or two, shared body warmth can help in a cold house with little heat.

When planning for winter, best judgment should always apply. If you feel that you can’t prepare your home for an emergency situation make sure you have alternate shelter arrangements. Whether it ‘s an arrangement with friends, neighbors or family you need to have a plan in place in the event of a winter emergency.

You might also want to consider talking with your congregation and elders about providing a shelter for members or even community during any weather related emergency. Having a congregational plan in place can help in the long run when an emergency hits and the building becomes an unexpected shelter. Remember that we are a family, members together of the body of Christ, so rely on each other, share in all things and be an encouragement in times of need. 

Planning ahead is important. This is especially so when dealing with the cold of winter and needing a safe and warm shelter. As homemakers, we can consider our ways, plan ahead and be ready for when the frosty stuff comes knocking at the door.

~~This post written by team member: Renee Brown

 

 

Keeping the Home Part I

For the Glory of the Lord

It’s the final month of the year. As the year winds down and we head into the new year, I know for many it is the busiest time of all. So this month on R16:16 we want to share with you some ideas, tips and suggestions for busy wives and moms which might be helpful to you in your role as a keeper of the home. We want to help make your burden a little lighter and strengthen your resolve to stand firm in the roles He has placed you in. We see some of these roles detailed in Titus.

Titus 2:4-5 (KJV)

“that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

Titus 2:4-5 (NKJV)

“that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

We see that the older women should teach the younger women to be sober, love their own husbands and children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers or homemakers good and obedient. Whew! That is quite a list isn’t it. But for what purpose are we to do these things?

Consider Your Ways

What are your reasons for maintaining a household that is kept tidy, neat or even perfectly clean?

Let’s look at some possible reasons:

• You want to ensure the safest/cleanest environment to your husband and children to help ensure their health and well-being.
• You are a neat-freak, a perfectionist, and you just have to have order around you at all times.
• You’re husband is like the above mentioned neat-freak.
• You want your home to look like the ones you see in those fancy home & family magazines, blogs and pinterest photos.
• Your friends might think less of you if you have dust on the shelves.
• You want everything to be in just the right place, at all times in case a friend stops by, or the UPS guy drops off a package.
• You are a family who entertains a lot, so whenever you have guests over you all jump right in and get it done making sure every nook, cranny and corner is clean and in order.
• You must be in control, and be a perfect homemaker because it is the role that God has assigned you and if you aren’t perfect in it, you are a failure.
• You need to be that mom that has it all together, so your kids friends will want to hang out at your house.

The reality is most of us don’t have the time or energy to keep a perfect house at all times. It’s not easy especially if we do it alone. We try, I know many women who try to keep it all just perfectly. But ladies, we are not perfect and when we try to be, we fail. Then we feel guilty about our failure and determine we will do it even better next week or next month or next year. Then the cycle repeats all over again.

We have missed the point. Yes, the Lord has given us the role of being keepers of the home. He has placed us in the role of wife, mother, and homemaker and we should be striving to do those things and to do them well. But the purpose isn’t to look like the fake pictures in a magazine, or to be the most popular mom or the best party thrower. The purpose should always be: “that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

When we stop trying because we are tired, overwhelmed or over stressed. When we lose it with our children because in their young-ness they forgot to take out the trash. When we snap at our husbands because he didn’t fold the towels right. When we get angry that the deacon asked us to host yet another youth devo. Then we are not glorifying the Father.

Our purpose is to honor him in obedience so that the Word of God be not blasphemed. These words, this list of roles, IS THE WORD OF GOD. If we shirk our responsibilities, if we seek to perform them for any other reason than His, then we do not obey His word and therefore, blaspheme the role He has designed for us.

Be sure to see Part II of Keeping the Home Tomorrow. May you be blessed in your God given roles.

This post written by team member: Renee Brown. You can read more of Renee’s writings on her blog Great Peace Academy.