A Family Announcement and a New Series ~ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Sometimes it seems that news has to simmer a little before it can bubble out an announcement. Our plans have been simmering for what feels like forever, but I finally get to bubble out the news.

Our family is building a house!

No builder. No general contractor. We’re doing it ourselves! J

We are subbing out the big work. Obviously, we can’t pour cement for a basement, and my husband is neither plumber nor electrician nor HVAC guy. {Sorry, HVAC guy’s wife who I know is reading this but shall remain nameless. I don’t know what to call your skilled and talented husband who shall provide us with years of blessed air conditioning.}

But we designed the house, prepared the plans, found the subs. We’ll also be doing all the finishing work once the drywall is in place. {Actually, my husband is still thinking about doing the insulation and drywall himself! Prayers for wisdom would be appreciated.}

This has been my husband’s dream for a long time, and, even though I’ve waited seven years since we bought our lot, what wife could refuse when her husband asks her to draw out her home? It’s also the only way we can afford a bigger house.

So, when it’s all done, we’ll double our living space, plus have a full basement that can be finished in the future. We’ll have four bathtubs, five toilets, eight bathroom sinks, two refrigerator/freezers in the kitchen, and two dishwashers. Can I say it now? Yippee!!!!

Yeah, we’ve been thinking about what is helpful in a house for a big family. J

But what does this mean for you?

Well, as we’ve been preparing for each stage, I’ve been mulling over how the different parts of home-building relate to building and strengthening the spiritual and relational aspects of a family.

“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” ~ Proverbs 14:1

As my family works through each stage of building our home, I’m going to relate it to an aspect of our home-building as wives and mothers. It will be an intermittent series, since home-building proceeds in fits and spurts depending on subs and materials.

Our lot is in an established subdivision, and once had a house on it that was struck by lightning. No one was hurt, but the house had to be demolished due to water damage. The owners decided not to rebuild but to sell the lot.

So, when we bought the lot, we were blessed with a mini-barn.

The problem was that it sat in the very middle of the backyard.

It was still useful, but it needed to be pushed to the side.

As wives {and mothers}, what do we need to push out of the way so we can build our homes in the proper place?

It’s not necessarily something bad or wrong or sinful. It may, in fact, be something useful and spiritual. It doesn’t need to be eliminated, but it needs to be pushed to the perimeter, at least for a time.

Shopping.

Social media.

Scrapbooking.

Chat time.

Movies.

Manicures.

Excess ministry.

Continuing education.

Blogging.

Crafting/sewing.

I enjoy many of these activities myself, a few with my girls. That’s family togetherness, right? J

But once or twice, as I was brainstorming a blog series or checking Facebook one more time, my husband has called to me to come away from the computer and be with the family.

What have we allowed front and center that just doesn’t belong there? Only you know.

Climb in that bobcat, and push it to the side. Create a building space for the family home.

What do you need to push to the perimeter of your life to make space for building your home?

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