The Idle Housewife

This morning I was reading from Proverbs 31, a passage from the Bible that basically describes the perfect wife. It's a great example that I do my best to live up to. 

Here is a part that stood out to me today:

"Who can find a capable wife? She is far more precious than jewels." (Prov. 31:10; HCSB)

According to Merriam Webster, "Capable" means "having attributes (as physical or mental power) required for performance or accomplishment."

I want to be a capable wife, a capable mother, and a capable woman.

I'm competent (adequate) in many areas, but not necessarily capable (accomplished). I'm capable in some areas: I keep the diapers washed and folded, I do meal planning and strive to feed my family healthy home-cooked meals, and I homeschool my children (at this stage this means we read Bible stories, read story books, color, play games, and look at nature when we play outside). 

But I am not a capable wife. Look, if you dare, at these examples:

My bedroom doesn't look so bad, until you go to the other side of the bed.    

Our pretty white door going into our office/junk room keeps most people from seeing what's really happening:

But there's no excuse for the state of our hallway:

So how do I become a capable housewife?

I believe the answer is in verse 27: "She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle." (Prov. 31:27; HCSB)

"Idle" means, "shiftless, lazy." I didn't really know what "Shiftless" meant, so I looked that word up too: "Lacking in ambition or incentive."

To sum all that up, the woman who watches over the activities of her household and is not lazy and does not lack ambition or incentive is a capable woman.

To sum it all up in a more personal way, I am not a capable wife. I am lazy. I lack ambition and incentive. I do not watch over the activities of my household in an effective manner.

Starting today I choose to become a more capable wife (there's my ambition).

If I can work hard and care for my home and family (even the parts no one ever sees like diaper changing and closet cleaning and emotion-controlling), then perhaps this will happen: "Her sons rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: 'Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!'" (Prov. 31:28-29; HCSB) (there's my incentive).

Today I will stay away from my books and the computer (after I'm done writing this!) until I have completed my day's work. Perhaps Satan's going to throw me a curve ball and make everything go wrong. Mini emergencies will happen, distractions and trials will get in my way. But at the very least, I choose to have a prayerful heart and a diligent mind as I seek to serve my family and my God. We are "more than conquerors" (Rom. 8:37).

Goodbye idleness.



Comment if you plan to join me. :)