Homemaker vs.Career—Sin or Suggestion?

Rebekah asked a very good and probing question…do the passages in I Tim. 5:14 and Titus 2 teach us that working outside the home is a sin? I wanted to get your opinions before I answered. PLEASE read these passages before you reply…and make your reply in reference to the verses.

“I have a question….

You said in a comment you left someone, that you don’t believe that the Scriptures say it’s a sin to not be a homemaker. Reading this left me with some concern, and with a question that I hope you will answer when you find the time.

Before I ask the question, I would like to point out some things from the 2 above mentioned passages (I Timothy 5:14, Titus 2:2-4). These passages teach that if these women are not homemakers, then the Word of God will be blasphemed. As Christians, it is clearly a sin to do anything that would cause God or His Word to be blasphemed, reviled, put down, etc. Therefore, this passage is teaching clearly that it is a sin to not be a homemaker. Secondly, in these passages, women are admonished or commanded to be homemakers. They are not given this possibility, or told that this would be the wisest plan for them. Rather, they are commanded. If we disobey the Lord’s commands, then we are in sin.

We have to keep our hermenuetic(method of interpreting Scripture) the same, no matter what passage we come to. I think it’s pretty clear in these passages that not being a homemaker is a sin(because it’s directly disobeying a command, and not being a homemaker would bring dishonor to God’s Word, His name, etc.).

Therefore, my question is this: how can you rectify what you said about not thinking the Scriptures say that it’s a sin to work outside the home, with the fact of what the above passages are teaching?”

I Am, Therefore, What I Think

Working Women–Another Problem

Just one more problem with women working outside the sphere of home and family:

We’ve discussed it before, a while back, but I think it is needful to revisit problems and keep fresh on our minds the “traps” of the working world as it involves wives and mothers…it’s just not always as simple as it seems…

April (with little ones being left at daycare) gets a new job. Great! More money. “better hours”, things are good.

During her two weeks of training (as a delivery personel), she rides with “John”, who is also married.

What? For 8 hours a day, for two weeks, two married people are going to spend exclusive time together in a car?

“Oh, that’s silly”, you say. “They’re mature adults…how ridiculous to think there is any danger!”

Oh, did I mention that “John” is divorced? Yes, he left his first wife for a woman whom he “got to know” at work.

Rare, you say? Not enough reason to question the ethics of women working outside the home?

What of the drastically, almost nauseating peak in the divorce rate over the last 50 years? Is it related? Is it normal for men and women to spend most of their day with other men and women who are not their spouses?

“Hello, Mr. Smith. How can I help you today, Mr. Smith?” chirps the well-dressed, perfumed secretary with a smile.

Mr. Smith returns home late in the evening to find that his wife has had a bad day, he steps over a few strewn toys, and she doesn’t even realize that the baby spat up on her blouse just before he arrived. He wakes up in the morning to find his wife also has morning breath…and boy does she look old without make-up!

Back at work…”Mr. Smith, I got all those accounts filed and your reports are on your desk. Could I get you a cup of coffee?” A paid help-meet who doesn’t have to live with most of Mr. Smith’s weaknesses…dangerous territory.

I know I may be painting a slightly exaggerated picture, but not much. How long could this be healthy for a marriage?

“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands (it doesn’t read “your boss”)…

“A man cannot serve two masters..either he loves the one and despises the other, or hates the one and loves the other…”

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

These verses aren’t specifically related to women in the workforce. But do they hold principles we would do well to consider?

Your turn…

You Can Stay Home-Part 5: Earning Money

We’ve really only explored the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ways we can save money at home. I hope this series has encouraged you in your efforts to be resourceful.

I wanted to mention a few ideas to get you thinking about possible ways to earn a little extra money. The same principle applies here as to saving: a little adds up to a lot. So don’t neglect the day of small things!

Obviously, many home business are started out of a need to earn extra income. Our skin product business got started one Christmas when I was searching for recipes to make homemade gifts. The more I found, the more I kept thinking that not only would they make great gifts, but a lot of people would be willing to buy them! So in a few months, I had collected and tested recipes, gathered supplies, and began marketing our products. People love them! That was three years ago, and the business continues to grow.

If you would like more information on how we make money selling these products (and how you can start a similar business), I sell an e-book explaining everything ($7.95). Just click HERE to learn more!

Another fun idea to earn extra money especially around the holidays, is to take some of our homemade gift ideas from yesterday, and set up a booth at a local craft show. We’ve done this before, and are always pleased with the results.

A friend of mine set up a homemade baked goods stand one Christmas at our local town show, and she kept receiving orders from local merchants….they now have their own little baked-goods business!

The Internet provides opportunities for stay-at-home moms like never before. If you are willing to learn, the ideas are virtually endless. There are e-books, affiliate programs (selling other people’s stuff for a commission), and all sorts of opportunities along those lines.

By the way, I just created an affiliate link for my e-book, and I pay you 50% of the profits. If you have a web page or blog, you can sign up and earn money–it costs nothing, and once you’re signed up, you do nothing, except get paid! If you are interested in that, click HERE. Then let me know so I can send you an ad button to link to (or you can copy and paste the one here on my side bar)!

E-bay is an easy place to start. Everyone has things lying around the house they could get rid of. Why not earn some extra money while you’re at it? It’s much easier than a yard sale!

The very first thing I sold on E-bay was an old Shakespeare book that I bought at a yard sale for .50. I didn’t even have a digital camera yet, so no pictures or anything. The book sold for $27.00! Needless to say, I was hooked! Of course it doesn’t always go that well, but you never know! One time I sold 12 very old accompaniment cassette tapes for $100! I was jumping up and down!

Of course there are still the old-fashioned methods of yard sales, and consignment shops. Don’t forget those!

What is it you enjoy doing? Ask yourself if your interests could be turned into a profit. A word of caution, though:

Don’t let a home business consume you and therefore destroy the very reason you’re at home! Be very careful, and of course your husband should be the “President” and overseer, for your protection.

What are your money-making ideas?

A Bonus Read….No Need of Spoil

You CAN stay home! Part 4-Homemade Gifts

I want to spend the last part of our series on saving money talking about ways to save during the holidays, and ways to earn extra income.

With the holidays quickly approaching, there are so many ways to save if you just prepare a little ahead. Most people find themselves scrounging (or charging) because of the extra expenses during the holidays. We have been forced, by necessity, in the past years, to get really creative during the Christmas season, and now finding ways to save money is just as much a fun habit as a need.

Making homemade Christmas gifts are one of the best, and most meaningful things we’ve done. And before you pass it off thinking that you are not creative enough, bear with me; most of the crafts/gifts we’ve found to make are easy, and can be made by anyone. And better than saving money, most people far prefer a thoughtful, homemade gift to one they may not even need or use.

I would encourage you to begin now by browsing the Internet, magazines, and books for ideas and inspiration. I’m going to provide a list of ideas to get you thinking, and then, stay tuned for a (dirt-cheap) e-book I’m working on that will have detailed instructions and pictures of seven of our favorite homemade gifts.

Also, I encourage you to visit the blog and website of my very talented friend, Kathy…she has some really great gift ideas to share throughout her sites!

Her blog is: http://highergroundtoday.blogspot.com/
And her website is: http://teachinggoodthings.com/

Here is a list of ideas to help you get started thinking about making your own gifts for Christmas:

• Wrapping paper: one year, we were so “needy”, that I was determined not to buy any wrapping paper. So, I began requesting paper bags at the grocery story. I wrapped all of our gifts with the bags, and then decorated them with raffia, dried leaves, stamps, and scraps of fabric cut into shapes. I got more compliments that year on the packaging–people love homemade stuff! (Of course now so many people give gifts in gift bags, that most people have hundreds of these from last year–that’s OK too, just not as original!

• Gifts in a jar: There are hundreds of these recipes available…layer the ingredients to cookies, soup, drinks, etc., in a quart-sized mason jar, and decorate the top with raffia, fabric, ribbon and homemade tags. One year I did a “gifts-in-a-jar assortment basket”, placing three of four different jars in a basket; add tea towels, wooden spoons, crackers, or other complimentary accessories.

• Gift Baskets: There are all sorts of creative ways to create a gift basket gift. Choose a theme, and go with it. One year, I made a set of homemade, personalized note cards, using dried ferns and flowers out of our yard. I tied ribbon around the set, and then added a sheet of mailing labels with the recipent’s name and address, a small set of stamps, a pen, address book, etc. (Another trick: Buy a set of 40 note cards/envelopes, and then divide them into 4 sets of 10.)

*Create a gift basket around a baking theme…homemade brownie mix, pancake mix, etc. Include the recipe on a cute card, stick some wooden spoons, measuring cups, etc.–Presentation is key with gift baskets!

*What about a chocolate-lover’s basket? (This would be a dream gift for me!)

*Of course, as with anything else homemade, be careful not to end up spending more than you normally would…look for sales throughout the year on things that would work. The more items you can find packaged together to split up for several baskets, the better you will come out. And of course, watch for really cheap, but new-looking baskets at yard sales and thrift stores!

• Homemade jams and butters…these work well in baskets too, and if you are blessed to have a blueberry or strawberry farm near you, and you can freeze them in the summer, these make excellent gifts. (Or you can always just buy frozen ones at the grocery store.) Find a simple recipes and fill 1/2 pint jars with the homemade jam, decorating with tags, ribbon and fabric.

*(To make fruit butter, simply mash the berries of your choice, and combine half berries, half softened butter together. Add a little confectioner’s sugar if desired. You can also make honey butter this way. Equal parts honey, butter and sugar.) Refrigerate.

*These jams and butters make great gifts with a loaf of homemade bread.

• Blue jean purses. If you have teens on your Christmas list, these gifts are cute. Save up your children’s old blue jeans; cut them off straight across, just below the pockets, at the top of the legs. Turn inside out, and sew across the bottom. Turn right side out, and attach a ribbon for the strap. You can add appliques, ribbon, buttons, etc. for decoration. Really cheap–really easy–really cute!

• Dried/pressed Flowers. There are lots of cute things to be done with dried flowers. As I mentioned earlier, you can use pressed flowers for note card sets. (We make most all of the cards we send using pressed flowers. We collect flowers/ferns/leaves during the year, stick them between paper towels in a heavy book, and, voila!)

*I’ve also printed off a family’s last name on decorative paper, and then arranged each member’s name around that, with birthdates, and a bible verse somewhere. Then decorate with dried leaves, etc., and frame.

*When someone gives you a bouquet of flowers, right before they start to die, remove them from water, tie a ribbon around them, and hang them upside down in a dry, cool place. They make lovely decorations, and you can wrap a linen cloth around them, and tie with a ribbon for a gift. Miniature carnations and statice are great flowers for drying.

• Candles. We have made lots of homemade candles using only materials we had on hand. It takes a little trial and error, but its worth it. Use cardboard cartons such as the square orange juice cartons or small oatmeal containers for the molds. Pour melted wax from old, burned-down candles into these, and wrap the end of a wick (I use old ones from tapers, etc.) around a pencil, center it over the candle and rest the pencil on the container until hardened. A well will form in the middle as the wax dries, so you will need to save a little wax to pour back in the well.

*One year we made the square-orange juice container candles, and after peeling off the cardboard, “painted” a dried, fall-colored leaf on each side using wax (with a regular, small paint brush). Then tied raffia around the top. They were BEAUTIFUL! We’ve also made some coffee bean candles, but these are a bit more tricky!

So get those creative juices flowing and challenge yourself to see how many homemade gifts you can make this year (especially using things you already have around the house!)

PLEASE comment with your favorite homemade gift idea!