Ways to Bless Your Home

Hello, friends!  I apologize for not posting yesterday, but I am spending the week at my parents house {with them, my sister, and my cute nephew} and honestly, it just slipped my mind.  So, to make up for it, I thought I'd post today... Forgive me?

If you couldn't tell from the post I wrote at the end of last week about work/life balance for bloggers, I am in the process of trying to invest more time and effort into this blog without sacrificing my family or neglecting my home.  Now, some people may say that a homemaker, if doing her job correctly, shouldn't blog at all.  It's a thought I've wrestled with many times.  But, I truly feel that God is going to use this blog.  Somehow.  Some way.

One thing I mentioned in that work/life balance post was being full present when you're not working.  In thinking about this over the weekend, I thought about ways to not only be fully present, but taking it one step further: blessing my home, which in turn, blesses my family.  Here are some areas of "home blessing" that I would like to practice:

FAITH

I need to be a wife and mother who prays for and with her family.  This, more than anything else, will be what makes a difference in the atmosphere of my home.  But, I've also got to commit to reading God's word, too.  After all, this life is too challenging if you try to tackle it without the Bible {a.k.a. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth}.

Note: If you're like me and could use some help in the I-want-to-be-in-the-Word-but-I'm-having-a-hard-time-fitting-it-in department, check out this post called "4 Pratical Ways of Receiving Scripture Daily", written by Latoya, from A Peaceful Crib.

FAMILY

The most important way I can bless my home is to focus on directly blessing my family.  This includes spending quality AND quantity time with them, teach my son the Truth of the gospel, and setting an example for healthy living.  It means respecting my husband and nurturing my son.  It also means learning to control my emotions, thus becoming an anchor for my family when those life storms come.  Because, they WILL come.

FINANCES

Dough.  Paper. Moolah.  Money...It's a necessary evil, isn't it?  But, a big way in which I can bless my home is to be a good steward of what God has blessed us with.  This certainly includes creating {and, more importantly, sticking to} a budget and being resourceful.  But, for me, it also includes looking for ways to supplement my family's income. 

Another way to financially bless my home is through giving.  Yes, it primarily blesses others, but it also indirectly blesses my home and my family.  Personally, my family and I give to our local church, but we are also looking for ministries where we can give more.  {By the way, giving can be more than just finances.  Many ministries could benefit by a gift of time.}

FEATHERING

This next area of "home blessing" is my personal favorite and by far, the easiest for me implement.  However, it should never come before faith, family, or finances.  But, it is impactful enough to be considered a way to bless your home.  Even the simple act of lighting a scented candle in my home goes a long way towards making my family feel relaxed.

Other ways I try to bless my home through "feathering the nest" is to eliminate as much clutter as I possibly can and to keep things as clean as I can.  {Side note: my standard for cleanliness is "liveably clean" - not spotless; just clean enough to live healthy and comfortably.}  Also, decorating and organizing {my two favorite hobbies} greatly contribute to the atmosphere I'm attempting to create within the four walls of our humble little abode.

For those of us {yes, this includes me} who get stumped on how to "feather our nest", I would recommend focusing on the senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound.  For example: the scent of cookies baking in the oven, the sight and warmth of a roaring fire in the fireplace, and the sounds of worshipful music in the background all lend themselves to feeling at home.

**************************************************

I've heard it said, many times, that the woman sets the tone for the atmosphere of her home.  I believe that this statement is very true; especially for those of us who are full-time homemakers.  We are the ones who determine what our children will think of when they think of home as an adult.  We dictate how our husbands feel about clocking out for the day: is he excited to come home or does he try to delay it by working late or hanging out with friends? {Not that all men who work late are delaying their trip home.  There are many other reasons a husband may work late...}

So, if it is up to you to set the tone, what kind of tone are you setting?  I pray that we all are setting a warm and welcoming tone.  One where husbands are respected and served.  Where children are nurtured and taught.  One where guests leave feeling as if they've had an encounter with Jesus.

What are some ways you bless your home?

P.S. 

  
A HUGE "Thank You" to Lauren from MercyINK and Richella from Imparting Grace for featuring this post on their weekly link up parties.  If you write about anything related to heart or home and wish to join the Heart + Home Gathering at mercyINK, click HERE.  On a related note, if you have written a blog post about making your home a place of grace, join the Grace at Home linky party HERE.

Blessings,

* FACEBOOK * PINTEREST *

Linked To:
Anti-procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia
Titus 2sday at Time-Warp Wife
Teach Me Tuesdays at Growing Home
Titus 2 Tuesdays Cornerstone Confessions
Heart + Home Gathering at MercyINK blog
Women Living Well Wednesdays at Women Living Well Ministries
Homemaking Link Up at Raising Homemakers
Works for Me Wednesdays at We Are THAT Family
Grace at Home Thursdays at Imparting Grace
Thrive at Home Thursdays at Jenni Mullinix Blog