Hiring children/ Honoring husbands

Dear Sisters,

• Hi! I hope you are enjoying your summer so much. I am "beating the heat". Presently we have a June gloom, which means I have a little time before the heat sets in to get some serious work done. So I've been hiring my two younger kids. This is one of the ways I taught my older boys to work when they were younger. I hired them. Not only did they learn how to work, but I got so much done in the process; plus I taught them the things I wanted them to learn during the summer. I guess you could call them good old-fashioned "Mother's Helpers".

So far Gabe and Abbie have cleaned out my pantry; organized and cleaned out a hall closet turning it into a linen closet; weeded my back patio up to the clothesline; weeded four other areas; stripped an old chair; built three water troughs around three fruit trees; cut out new fabric and reupholstered an old chair; washed some windows; varnished two bamboo lawn chairs; washed a rug; washed the car; organized another room; cleaned the garage; organized another hall closet; weeded three flower beds; painted the front fence; spray painted a wicker couch white; spray painted a metal lawn chair; painted an old picnic table; and painted the door to my kitchen and the small door to the garage. Wow! I could have never done this on my own.

How much do I pay them? Approximately $5 an hour. If the job is really hard, I give them a little "bonus". They love that. I budget for this important work each year. Yesterday I heard my husband say to them that they were worth every cent. He is just so pleased to see things sprucing up around here.

I know that as soon as the heat sets in, we'll all be so glad this work is behind us. Especially me. Abbie is working for camp. Gabe is working for a set of drums. We've all got goals, and I don't have to push anyone to work. In fact, Gabe keeps coming to me for the next job. He did most of the work mentioned above, and he's only eleven years old. But I learned long ago that my kids were capable of more than I could imagine, so I've learned to harvest all that energy and train them in the process.

I know I will run out of jobs by the time the heat sets in, which will be just right, as I'll be out of money by then, too. ~Smile~ But my house will be ready for the summer, and then I can have fun with my kids. I just love to see my husband's face each day when he comes home, and the kids show them their work for the day.

Abbie has also been working occasionally at my friend's day care this summer. I go with her and train her as she works. It's been such a wonderful learning experience for her to take care of the babies, feed them, change them, and comfort them. It's amazing what comes back to you as soon as you have a baby in your arms - I'm really enjoying the training of my daughter in this vital area. She is also babysitting weekly for a friend who works from her house on her computer. So Abbie works as a Mother's Helper and takes care of her baby while also cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, and cooking whenever needed. Both women pay Abbie $5 an hour. It is so neat to see Abbie working; the ladies excited about her work; and her ability to earn all the money she needs for camp, which is $325.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Notice the word is "child". I started training my children when they were very young in helping me around the house. My husband had them work with him outside on the land and on the cars. Now that they are older that training is coming to fruition. Quincy (21 years old)) is working two jobs to pay for his schooling in Jerusalem for the upcoming fall semester. And Brady (17) is working full time with full benefits to pay for his schooling for the next semester. They're both certified welders, and they both do all the maintenance on their cars. My husband puts it this way, "We could give them a fish every day, and they'd be indebted to us daily for another fish; or we could teach them to fish for themselves for a lifetime and give them a means of support." My husband loves fishing, so he's fond of this famous quote. We've chosen to teach them to fish; and while it's often been hard, it is also so rewarding.

The other thing that is so important is that I free my husband up to help others when I take on some of his tasks as well. We see this in Proverbs 31 passage. The husband is in the gates as a leader, and his wife's work surrounds his important role. She is definitely his crown.

The more I study God's Word, the more I understand the role of a wife and mother. It's just so much more richer than I ever imagined. It's about bringing honor to a husband with the help he couldn't do without otherwise, which in turn helps our children once they are married and so on. It's a wise woman building her house. It's a very hidden role, but so honoring in itself. As I work around the house fixing it up and organizing it, saving money, cooking, managing, raising children, and researching so many topics to increase my skills, I pray to bring honor to Art. Which is why I wanted to pay off our house last October, and why I am now building up his retirement. I just see him so blessed as he shares with others, and so relieved as well. Inside peace and outside encouragement. The goal is to see Art totally enriched by wise actions as described in Proverbs 31, so that he might be of help to others "in the gate". I find so many are listening to him now that he is debt free, especially at work. He's been able to talk to a lot of people about God's Word.

Submisson is bringing honor to Art, as the church brings honor to Christ. The wife is the picture of the church. So if Art is not honored in something, then it s not going to be good for our marriage or otherwise. Incredible wisdom taught in the Bible. As I have learned this and keep practicing to put Art as my top priority under Christ, my marriage has never been better. Divine discipline and "sweetness of lips has indeed increased my learning". I am just so thankful to the LORD. His Word is priceless.

"Every wise woman builds her house." Proverbs 14:1

Is it all work and no play over here? Not at all. I really try to work when Art works and enjoy myself with him when he comes home. That is the goal each day. So when he's off work - I am, too. We love to do things together in the evening. Last night we went shopping together. The night before that we went out for a coffee and a chat. Little fun things because it's lighter longer in the summer. When it gets hot, we'll go to the beach and have a picnic in the evening there. Or other outside events.

The summer is such a special time. I have so much more time to get things done in the day, because we are off school. Then we can enjoy our evenings. It's really a harvest of many sorts. I am always praying to form wiser habits over the summer that will carry me better into the next school year. I am also organizing to ready myself for the school year that I might have a more profitable upcoming school year. Each year really does get better and better.

"Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house. Your children like olive plants all around your table." Psalm 128:3

I'm also harvesting all the fruits that are available. Today we went apricot picking. I bagged up lots of apricots for the freezer. Later on, we'll make some jam. Next week, we'll go peach picking. I'll do the same with the peaches as I did the apricots. I'll also keep my eyes open all summer for great deals on produce and such, so that I can freeze when I'm able to or make jam. We have tomatoes growing in the garden, and I'm trying three tomato plants out in pots. I've also started some geraniums in my garden window in the kitchen, which I hope to plant once they've got roots.

The summer's just begun! But I've harvested so much time already. I am so very thankful. I still have plans to organize my freezer and get a better system going there, but I'm saving that for a hot day. Abbie is making a pair of pyjamas, so I've been helping her with those. We want to make a skirt together next. Then I want to organize my recipes in an old wooden filing cabinet to make it easier to retrieve them during the school year. I have so many new recipes and tips that I want to try. There's also more time to spend at the air conditioned library when the heat really sets in. Oh, so many things to look forward to!

Well, I better get back to work. I've got another bucket of apricots to take care of. Summer is definitely a time of harvest in more ways than I ever thought possible. It's His Precious Word and asking Him to work that Word in me that helps me to realize the possibilities. I pray that I won't miss out on a thing, and that I will be a help and not a hindrance. It makes every season just so special. Summer is just that without exception.

Love,

Laineh