Last week I wrote a couple of posts about keeping order in our homes. These fundamental guidelines change with times and seasons. I had different “rules” when the children were little than when they grew older.
Also, I don’t like to give plans for other households as I believe each one will manage their homes uniquely to their personality. Plus, as I shared last week, I believe the Holy Spirit is the greatest guide in showing us how He wants us to effectively run our homes.
However, I will give you a few tips that I have found helpful over the years. My children are now all out of the home, married with their own children. But we still have young people living in our home (Above Rubies helpers) and visitors continually staying and coming and going. Do I have the same values for visitors? I’ll share that with you in another post.
I believe in getting up at a decent hour, not sleeping in! You can’t manage a home effectively if you sleep in. The best part of the day is gone before you even start. Wake up time will be a different time in every home and at the different seasons and ages of your children. That means children need to be up by a certain time also. And that means getting to bed at a reasonable hour the night before.
Currently I like to get into the kitchen about 7.30 am. I read and pray before this of course. I expect everyone living in the home to have breakfast before 8.00 am when we commence Family Devotions together. I revolve my day around PRIORITIES. Family Devotions, both morning and evening, are the highest priority in my day. Therefore, I plan the order of my day around them. That’s why everyone must be up in time. No sleeping in. I hate sleeping in myself but allow our young people to sleep in on the weekends.
After Family Devotions, we begin the day. Mothers with children will make sure basic chores are completed such as cleaning the kitchen and getting laundry going and then begin homeschooling.
Lunch time comes and we allow an hour for lunch and clean up. Larger families will most probably need longer to prepare, eat, and clean up.
For me, after lunch, it’s back to the office to keep writing and keep Above Rubies going. Mothers may continue homeschooling, although usually they can all be finished by lunchtime. The afternoon is a wonderful time for projects, gardening, research, creative ideas, errands, visiting someone in need and so on. And rest time for little ones.
I like to be in the kitchen again no later than 5.00 to prepare for the evening meal. This is a huge priority for me. I know that Family Devotions won’t work unless I prepare for it. It is such a blessing to have the evening meal ready for when your husband comes home so you can all eat together and at the end of the meal, enjoy time reading God’s Word and praying together. These things don’t happen unless you make them happen.
And tomorrow I will tell you a load of practical things—things I like and things I don’t like.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell