12/13/12

Our Priorities as Christian Women

I don't know about you, but my best thinking happens when I cook alone in the kitchen.  Quiet and alone with my thoughts, things tend to come together better and more easily.  Tonight, while in the kitchen together whipping up baked ziti for dinner, I started thinking.  There's a whole string of thoughts that have been on my mind for quite some time and I just wasn't sure how to make them fit into a blog post.  While stirring my sauce it hit me, some women just have their priorities wrong.

{Source}
Our modern day society tells us so many trivial things are important.  Big houses, multiple cars, name brand food and clothing to name a few.  Not even going into the desire for technology to be omnipresent.  Society is wrong, leading us like a cow to slaughter.  It's caused us to tame our husbands, neglect our children, and mock the ideas of homemaking.  Where has it gotten us?  We are training up a generation that is unintelligent, materialistic, and lazy.  We are forsaking the passing down of traditions, and our young women can't bake pies, much less care for a home.

I believe a huge reason this has happened, is because we have forgotten what our priorities are.  We've forgotten and lost sight of what is important.  Here is an example on how I feel many women view their priorities...

Children.
Husband.
Career.
Church.
Home.

This creates a very unbalanced life, a life in which nothing is where it should be.  Children are being shuffled around and put into so many activities they are constantly busy.  Husbands are neglected, disrespected, and snapped at.  Career is so important it overwhelms and overtakes time and energy that is limited.  Church becomes more of an idol and popularity contest than it is about serving the Lord and reaching out to those in need.  Lastly, our homes are thrust to the bottom of the pile.  An empty, stressed environment that is no longer sacred and inviting.  I believe having such priorities sets women up to be unfulfilled, sour, and unhappy.  So here is how I think our priorities should look...

God.  Jesus said that our greatest commandment above all others was to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. (Matthew 22:35-38)  Our relationship with God is the foundation of our life.  He is our rock on which we build our lives.  We want to be like the wise man and build our lives on the rock, not in the sand where it will be washed away.  (Matthew 7:24-27)

Husband.  It is so important to always remember your husband as your best friend.  Constantly cultivating your marriage, helping him, respecting him is so important.  I also believe if you have children this makes a lasting impression on them.

Children.  Today's society almost always tries to put children as a priority over our husbands, but that is not how God meant it to be.  A strong marriage is one of the best things and examples you could ever give your child.

Home.  Today most people scoff even at the idea of homemaking, much less having it as a top priority in their lives.  The fact of the matter is making a house a home is more than just paint and furniture.  It's about children knowing where there mom is.  Knowing when they get home, she'll be there to listen to what happened at school.  Husbands will know when they come home from work food will be ready.  It's creating a haven, a safe, comfy place for everyone to rest in.  It's about making memories, and keeping the peace.

Church.  Church is low on this list of priorities which probably makes some women wonder if it's right.  I believe that it's in the right place though.  Church is a gathering together of believers to grow in Christ.  I think all to often church becomes an idol, and women can become too involved.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have priorities.  The way we live our lives, treat our families, and care for our homes all speak volumes into what we find important.  It's never to late to take a stand, and pull our lives back from the rat race they've become.  I chose to live simply, love fully, and have no regrets, how about you?

8 comments:

aimymichelle said...

i think its important for women to stay at home. but i am not sure most women think about that nowdays.

Whitney @Reviving Homemaking said...

This is excellent! While I believe everyone has to determine what is right for his/her life in regard to priorities, I'm excited to read support for ones that are similar to my own. There are so many observations that you have made that I have also witnessed and consequently decided to live differently in my own life. Thank you for this encouragement today. Keep on and stay strong in your resolve to live your life according to your priorities, even if that does go against the grain in society. :)

theatypicalhousewife said...

Thank you so much for the positive feedback! I have to admit I was a little unsure if I should write this post. I didn't want it to step on any toes or hurt anyone's feelings. However, I was hoping maybe it would help someone who was trying to figure out where their life was headed. It's so great to know fellow bloggers who also believe in a life lived a bit differently from the rest of the world!

theatypicalhousewife said...

It definitely doesn't seem to be something a lot of women agree with nowadays. I only know a few ladies in real life who've actually chose to stay at home and train up their children. It's become a real rarity these days. Not so sure it's a good thing either!

Heather CubeFarm said...

Very interesting. God recently convicted me of the same thing this week! In bed with a soaring fever and unable to do anything BUT pray, God spoke to my heart and reordered my priorities again. (And I thought I'd been doing better on this front... whew! God certainly has a way of disciplining those who He loves, doesn't He?)
Found you through the Titus Tuesdays hop. Looking forward to perusing the rest of your site now :)
Merry Christmas!!

Becky Hernandez said...

Since we were newly married, my husband has stood firm on this exact list of priorities. He has always said that a church is only as strong as the families in it. You cannot have strong churches without families that have the right perspective and priorities. And, always, he has said that after God, the spouse is next. You are so right. We have a culture that constantly bombards us with putting children first, but this is not God's way. Stay the course. God has not changed, even if our society has.

theatypicalhousewife said...

Hah, I know exactly how it feels to think you're succeeding but then realizing otherwise! I hope you're feeling better and thanks for stopping by! Merry Christmas!

theatypicalhousewife said...

It's so wonderful to hear that you've held fast to these priorities! It takes a lot of wisdom to realize what is truly important especially in a society so off base at times. Thank you so much for stopping by and hoping you have a very Merry Christmas!