You Can Stay Home–The Heart of the Matter
Scroll down to see our 5-part series on saving and earning money at home!
As a closing thought on our series about finding ways to stay home, I want to undergird the entire topic with the most important thing of all.
Wherever you are on your journey, I want you to stop…and listen to the promises of our Lord, and then put away with me human wisdom, and believe what the God we serve says.
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly….Blessed is the man who trusts in You!” Psalm 84:11,12
Do we trust Him? Really? Then we must live like it! Do we believe that God established a good order in the family, and that He desires a mother to be home, nurturing her husband and children? Then, beloved, we can believe He will make a way for that if we are faithful!
“Therefore I say to you, ‘do not worry about about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?…now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and gone tomorrow, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?…but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 8:25-
Can you just hear Him? “O you of little faith”! He is still speaking to us. We’ve got to get out from behind our “I can’t afford to do what He’s called me to do” excuses, and either believe what He tells us, or stop claiming to be followers of Christ.
I’m going to say something that will step on some toes, but I think it needs to be said. Every now and then I encounter a young woman–maybe an acquaintance, and she’s gushing about her busy life, and all the activities, etc., and then she says something like, “Oh, you’re so lucky you get to stay home. I would if I could!” The problem is, I know a little about her lifestyle; and I know that she chooses to work outside the home for a number of reasons besides putting food on the table.
I have far more respect for the woman who says, “I think it’s great that you stay home, but I prefer to be able to buy things that I want, and to live the lifestyle I’m accustomed to, without sacrificing monetary comfort.”
Of course I never hear that, but let’s be honest if we’re going to speak on the subject at all!
Don’t think I’m being insensitive to those women who truly feel they are trapped in a job outside the home, and long to be a keeper at home; I have said many times, that I know there are some rare circumstances that find a woman in a less than desirable position; again, I’m addressing a trend…a flippancy among our culture that has convinced women (and men), that her family will thrive just as well without her, if she would rather pursue other interests.
I hope to encourage you, if you are that woman who longs to be home. Our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He desires to bless you in unforeseen ways if you are willing to step out in faith and believe that He is able!
God bless!
Related posts:
frugal living/saving money | Word Warrior | 
September 19, 2007 10:26 am
Kelly, I truly enjoyed your ‘You Can Stay Home’ series. I think you’ve covered about every doubt and fear a woman who longs to be home has. There are countless objections I encounter if I *actually dare to tell* I want to be a full-time homemaker, and reading blogs such as yours is so encouraging.
I mentioned a friend of mine (homemaker) to a fellow soccer mom (who works outside the home)this weekend. The soccer mom suggested my friend do something; and I mentioned that she wouldn’t have the funds to do so. About 10 min. later she asked me if my friend worked and I said, “no.” She looked puzzled and asked, “Why not?” I answered that she wants to stay home with her kids. And this woman said “Yeah, but I’d like to have milk to go on my fruit loops; know what I mean?”
As if that is the issue. I informed her that my friend has milk for her fruit loops, food on the table, etc…. house and 2 cars. It baffles me that people think b/c you don’t have a few thousand dollars for elaborate things, that you ought to be working to get it! Then, of course, she walks around telling others, “I gotta work!” As she buys her kids name brand clothing because they HAVE to have it and even takes her 10 and 12 yo to get their eyebrows waxed. ROFL!
I know it’s not every case, as we must give the disclaimers, but far and away, in most cases the heart of the matter is truly “me-ism” or image-making.
The other time this person has looked at me as if I had 2 heads was when I mentioned something about my husband quitting one of his endevours so that he could enjoy life and not be run ragged for the possibility of more $. She said, “But that’s what everybody does.” As if to say, that’s just what life is like nowadays. People don’t seem to recognize a choice. (In the times of “pro-choice” nonetheless.)
Okay, I’ll stop babbling! SORRY!
Thank you for this topic. It’s been wonderful, Kelly.
AMEN!!!!!
You have done such a nice job with this series, and your this really sums it all up! I have many friends who make these comments about staying home, but they are unwilling to give up their current lifestyle. As you said, it is the heart.
Staying home and losing that paycheck you have been comfortable takes faith! But God is big, and He will make a way if we trust him! I am really enjoying your blog!
I think I am up too late..I am noticing all my typos in my previous post! Good night!
I was lucky enough to have a career (as a writer) where I made pretty good money and could stay at home with my four kids. As time went on, the writing career faded into the background, and I had to find ways to make ends meet. So began the frugality game in my life. I do have a very part time job (just 15 hours a week), right near my home, and my kids are adults, or getting close (the youngest is 17). But having little ones at home gave me so much joy that I can’t imagine how much is lost putting career ahead of family. I agree, it’s tough, but two can live as cheaply as one. You just have to get your priorities straight. Frankly, if you want and have kids…why would you want someone else to raise them?
I like Bran’s stories! Ugh…waxing a child’s eyebrows???? UGH!!!