Glad To Come Home

I saw this quote last night and it has resonated greatly with me.
It’s easy to think, “Why wouldn’t he come home?  It’s his home!”

But is he glad to come home?

Am I creating a dwelling place of refuge and peace?

A shelter to seek solace?

A place to hang his sword and shield when he’s done battling the world?

And in the busyness of life with small homeschooling children, chores to be done, correction to be given, training to be had, laundry to be conquered, meals to be prepared (and edible), love to be shared, hugs and popsicles to be given all around, bills to be paid, errands to be run and the occasional few minutes of hiding in bathrooms seeking my own refuge and shelter, we forget to create that for them.

At least I know I do.

And it doesn’t just happen.

It takes work, a concentrated effort.

But I want my husand to be glad he came home, not come home simply out of obligation or duty.

So I made a list of the things I can do, specifically for my own household. I encourage you to do the same!

OPERATION GLAD TO COME HOME:

1. I will run my house; I will not let it run me. For me that requires actually sticking to the schedules, chore charts, and master menus I spent hours writing. The Lord creates the peace in our house, but I have to either maintain it or hold the door open for it when it leaves at my first clothes-are-on-the-floor meltdown.
2. I will stop everything that I am doing the moment he walks in the door. I will turn my focus toward helping him brush off the world he’s been entrenched in all.day.long.
3. I will learn to let go of unreasonable expectations of myself. I cannot let go of the ones I hold for others until I first let them go for myself.
4. I will create more moments of living, rather than enduring, so my cup of joy will overflow. And I will now be a source of joy for my family, rather than causing those around me to get sucked into a web of stress.

This list isn’t simply a list to usher me right into comdemnation when I fail. It’s a list designed to give me vision, direction and help me remember my purpose.

First we have to remember:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Ladies, we have an amazing opportunity to be a vessel of peace, mercy and a reflection of the Father’s love to our husbands.

I encourage you this week to prayerfully consider what would be on your own list.

What would make your husband glad to come home?

Will you share part or all of your list here with us? It’s a great opportunity for us to encourage one another, glean ideas from each other and remind ourselves that we can only do this through Him.

Praying for our marriages,

Barb