You Have Everything You Need for Homemaking

I took Matt’s aunt into the Whitefish urgent care to have them look at what we thought was her sprained ankle, and I rolled her out in a wheelchair, after x-rays revealed tibia and fibula fractures. They took the x-rays and then brought a full cart full of casting supplies into the room where we were waiting. Then they left. My sense of humor had me imagining the doctor and nurse giggling together conspiratorially in the hall.

“Let’s let them sweat that out for a few minutes before we go in and tell them the x-ray results,” they whisper to each other, while Joan and I are left staring round-eyed at each other in the exam room. 

Wheelchair bound. That phrase had Matt and I mentally scrambling and prompted a trip to the medical equipment store. Then we had a volley of conversation, thinking of all of the adjustments we would need to make in our own schedules over the next few weeks.  We knew when we woke up the next day that we would be waiting to hear from the orthopedic surgeon about next steps. But after 34 years of marriage, we know how to hyperventilate together really well. You learn to share the paper sack and work not to stress-snap at each other. 

The next day I woke up, and the immediate first thought I had came directly from the Holy Spirit. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. I meditated on that verse for a few minutes before getting up. This new day, with broken bones and ice packs and ibuprofen, was made by the Lord. I chose to be glad in it. Everyone knows a joyful nurse changes everything, so I rejoiced over the day ahead.  

Before Joan was awake, I spent more time with the Lord. Opening my devotional book, the day’s reading was Jesus’ declaration that he did not come to be served but to serve. Those are some marching orders and a lofty principle with which to push a wheelchair. Jesus came to serve mankind. Why would he expect any less from me? 

Here’s the order I’m bluntly putting before you this morning, if you want to be able to manage all that is challenging about caring for your family: Memorize Scripture. (And if you tell me you have a hard time memorizing Scripture, I’ll say, “Okay. Try harder.”) Scripture tells us how to do this job of building our homes. Without it, you’re either left to your own understanding about homemaking or left with words from the world, such as “this sucks,” to define your challenges. 

In 2 Peter 1, we read the astounding statement that we have been granted everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Christ and the incredible promises he has made for us. Everything we need for homemaking is in these promises, so we had better know them by heart. How is the Spirit of God supposed to bring what we need to our minds at just the right moment if we haven’t stored up any of his great and precious promises in our hearts? We can’t make dinner and do laundry and change diapers with a Bible in our hand all day long. We need God’s word hidden inside of us, so that it can be the living water bubbling up in our minds as we go about homemaking. 

I’m on social media and see regular posts about decluttering and organizing your pantry and how to keep your house tidy and how to make every recipe known to mankind using a sourdough starter. That’s all helpful advice in homemaking, but first you need Scripture in your heart, allowing truth to inform every thought, every decision, every action you take in your home. Let me tell you, most of our conversations in our house right now are about support for an injured woman. Support in the shower. Support at the commode. Support to get around the house. She is crippled for a time, and she needs assistance. And we are, in a way, crippled as homemakers, in our limited perspective and sinful natures. We need unlimited, sturdy support. So, purposefully and aggressively memorize Scripture. It’s a grab bar that will hold your weight throughout the day.