Build Your House

Have you ever been working on something when someone or something continuously keeps interrupting or stunting your progress? As a mom, this happens to me daily, sometimes hourly. This morning I took the clothes out of the dryer, placed them in a laundry basket, and carried them into the living room to fold while Hannah was playing. I sat in the floor with the basket, surrounded by toys and baby clothes and began to fold. I started placing the clothes in the basket as I folded them, only to turn around and realize Hannah was pulling them all out! What a little booger! All those toys to play with, yet every time I tried folding something she would just pull it right out of the basket. It's frustrating when you are trying to accomplish something, but something inevitably happens that works against you. 

We can all tell stories about when someone else has interfered with our success, but I would venture to guess that there have been times when you have sabotaged your own success, too. I can say that confidently because it's true for me! An embarrassing example is a time I tried making brownies from a box mix. It was late at night, and I had a chocolate craving. I remembered we had brownie mix, so I grabbed it out of the pantry and dumped it into a bowl. Now, I've been known to not read instructions carefully enough. I'm also known for rushing through things and taking short cuts. I briefly looked at the back of the box for the ingredients to add to the mix and threw everything in the bowl and started mixing. For a moment I thought "maybe I should double check the box and reread the instructions". I had a feeling that I misread the amount of oil or number of eggs, but I ignored the thought, mixed everything up, and threw it in the oven. They were the worst brownies I've ever made because I put twice the amount of oil that I was supposed to. Ugh! How frustrating. If I had just listened to my own self that wouldn't have happened.

Isn't that so true in life? We cut corners, refuse to listen to sound advice, choose instant gratification over long term goals. The diet we started fails because we start cheating. We lose friendships because we refuse to forgive. It looks different in everyone's life. What does it look like in yours? 

Proverbs 14:1 says "The wise woman builds her home, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands." 

None of us want to sabotage our own happiness and joy, but it DOES happen. I'll be honest with you. I struggle with this every day. I choose a poor attitude, frustration, jealousy, and much more over peace, joy, and patience. Being a stay at home mom is really hard. I often times get so envious that Nathan has so much time to himself. I know he's working, but he is still ALONE. There's not a tiny human whining at him all day. He can go to the bathroom without someone watching. He can take a shower whenever he wants. By choosing to be angry, bitter, jealous....it tears down my own home. It causes distance and hardship in our relationship. It makes it difficult to find joy in every day tasks. It's not productive. This is my public apology, Nathan. I am so sorry that I choose to tear our own home down so often because of my own selfish desires and feelings. You work hard to provide for our family, and you love Hannah and I every day through your words and actions. 

What ways do you tear your own home down? Don't let this be a condemning truth. Wise women can have foolish moments. A wise woman is not someone who never makes mistakes. A wise woman is someone who recognizes mistakes and chooses to remedy them. 

Don't be tricked! You CAN build your home. God gives us the freedom to choose to build or tear down. Let's BUILD!