Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Titus 2 Series (Part 3) - Keepers at Home (Guest post!)

This guest post is by Lori Alexander at Always Learning!  It is an honor to have her share with us on this subject!
 
 
 
Poor Laine. She doesn't eat out or take vacations because her husband doesn't make much money and she wants to pay off her home. She may never be able to enjoy sitting on a beautiful beach and looking out on a magnificent ocean with her husband like the couple above. She decided staying home, raising her babies, showing hospitality to others, lending a helping hand or ear, and making a warm, loving home was more important than going out and getting a job so she could go out to eat and take amazing vacations. 
 
Some women have commented on my posts about Laine and how simply she has to live since she has hardly any money. These women are happy they worked outside of the home so they have money to spoil their children, grandchildren, travel, eat out, etc. I am glad they have that choice if they want but even before I had children, I had decided I would rather live in a little trailer and be able to stay home with my children than work outside the home allowing someone else to raise my children.
 
Sure, it is very nice to eat out and go on vacations, but I have learned to live without these things the past few years due to my health and I am okay. My favorite thing to do is to prepare nourishing food for my family and have them all over to my home anyways. Yes, we can afford to go out to eat and go on vacations now, but I still love being home. 
 
If you have read the series on Laine, you see that all of her needs are met. She has a roof over her head, clothes on her body, and plenty of food. She has long talks over coffee with her husband in the morning and long baths with candlelight with him in the evening. Her husband and children adore her. Her children are growing up to walk in Truth.  

When did we come to the point thinking that this was not enough and had to leave our homes for hours a day to make more money? Vacations and eating out are more important than being home full-time with our children? For me, they are not but for others, they must be. 

We so easily forget our purpose here. It is short, so very short. We are here to make disciples of all the nations and most of you have little people in your home or even teenagers right now that you need to concentrate your energies on in making disciples. This life isn't about our pleasures but seeking God and His ways. He, my dear friends, wants mothers at home.  

Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
2 Timothy 3:4 
 
 
Here is the link for Laine ~ 
 

14 comments:

  1. As always, Lori, I couldn't agree more with you and Laine!

    Before I got married and had children, I practiced law in Los Angeles. I earned a very good salary, ate out most of the time, and could buy nice things, go on vacations, etc.

    The trade-off I made (i.e. I now stay at home with my kids; my college professor husband makes maybe half of what I used to make) has been completely worth it!

    God led me on a path of downward mobility, and the benefits have been far greater than anything I "gave up." God is good, and his blessings are better than what we can come up with ourselves.

    Thank you, Lori, and Far Above Rubies (new blog for me -- I'll check it out!).

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    1. You're welcome, Gently Led! It is always worth it to do things God's ways.

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  2. Kind of a false dichotomy presented here. I have vacations, dinners out and stay home with my children. The key is having a husband who is a good provider so that you and your children can have more than the bare necessities.

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    1. This is true but many women are married to men who don't make much money, like Laine, but make enough for all the essentials. The key is to learn to be content with what your husband provides.

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  3. Well, not every one income family is poor! There are husband's who make A LOT of money. This ASSUMPTION that one income families can't eat or go on vacations is awful. I know MANY one income families who go on vacations.

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    1. There are also many families who don't make enough for eating out and vacations...MANY! If you are blessed to be able, that is great but if not, godliness with contentment is great gain. The post was referring to Laine whose husband never made more than $30,000 a year, she is raising four children, and she completely paid off the debt to her home in California since they understand that debt is not a good thing. They live a wonderful life without eating out and vacations.

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  4. My neighbor just started working and she has young kids. She is buying expensive medicine for her son, who has epilepsy.

    My friend just started working, she has a young child. She is paying for her elderly mother's hospital care.

    I think the author of this blog is wealthy, and would work to earn extras. Not all women are like that.

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    1. There is a big difference between a wife who has to work and one who chooses to work. You give a good example of one who has to work. By throwing that out there are you trying to discount the 50%+ of Mother's who do not have to work, but choose to do so so they can have a bigger house, nicer car, better vacations and a bigger pension. The point of the post is do not sacrifice your children on the alter of pleasure and abundance? Be poorer if that is what it takes to raise great godly children for the Lord.

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    2. The post is about Laine who is not wealthy. Read my comment to the person above for the specifics about Laine. She made MANY sacrifices to be able to stay home and raise her children. She is a godly, wonderful wife and mother and her family praises her.

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  5. Same here left medical practice as a surgeon now watching my daughter's delight in wearing the clothes I sew! For the glory of Christ Jesus!

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    1. What an amazing sacrifice, Ren, but any sacrifice we make for the Lord and eternal purposes is ALWAYS worth it.

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  6. It sounds like some commenters are missing the message. The writer is not saying you cannot eat out or have nice vacations. The niceties an fun things of life are to be enjoyed by Christians as gifts from the Lord. But to the point of the message. It is unwise to create for oneself and one's family extra wealth and resources by having a Mom work, and in turn not be able to provide the same benefits to her children as a stay at home Mom.

    If you have the resources without a Mother working... Enjoy! and share it with others. If you do not have the extra resources, prioritize the lives of your children and eternal values that will bring up disciplines for Jesus. To work for extras, but lose out on the lives and souls of one's children is more than just a shame, it has eternal consequences.

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  7. Haha I AM 16 and I even understand what this post is saying!!!!! If YOU READ IT CAREFULLY you would understand that it doesn't say that taking vacation is bad or neither is eating out. It's obvious but if you took it wrongly then sorry. I think we should focus on preparing our lives for eternity and if we are so inlove with God, most of this earthly things will seem repulsive to us and we won't feel the need to do them. We will feel the need to find the time to do as much heavenly and godly things as possible. After all the path is narrow right? So please read the post again and ask for understanding before jumping into conclusion. -your sister in Christ and my blog is simpletruth12@blogspot.com Blessings to all!

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Love hearing from you.