Make your home a Haven {The week's wrap-up}

Earlier this week I had mentioned some goals that I had on making our home a haven. Today I thought I would report a little on how our week went.

 It has been a good week. Parts of it have felt a little disorganized because I have been in the process of doing some home improvement projects and still working on putting up food for the winter. However it has made me realize even more that the real haven is in our attitudes, how our heart is rather than how our house is.

When I am joyful, gentle, patient and loving with my family then our home feels like a haven even if the house is a bit in shambles because I am painting walls. However if our house looks immaculate but I am not patient but rather irritable (which then of course causes discord throughout the family) then our home will NOT feel like a haven.

  God has been so good to help me with my attitude this week! The week wasn't perfect but by God's grace it was good!

 Here are some of the simple pleasures that we enjoyed:

~ Playing in piles of leaves.

~ Pirates on the deck.

~ Oatmeal and fruit- a nice morning comfort food.

 ~Candles, games and a yummy treat. Thanks to the others that are doing the Making a home a haven for reminding me how fun candles can be. My kids truly love them. They make a normal night seem very special.

~Welsh Rarebit, a fun thing to try to end up our study of Wales. It is simple to make, simply mix grated cheese, a little milk and a bit of mustard. Spread it on bread and put it into broil until it bubbles and melts. Then top with tomato slices and broil a little more.

~Watching the kids create to give to others.

~Enjoying a fun historical reenactment together at the library.

~Lots of hard but productive work.

~ Smiles, hugs and stories.

~Bible reading that really speaks to me!

These are some scriptures that have come to my attention this week and I have found them very helpful in my goal of making my home a haven.

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;" Phil. 2:3

That has been our memory verse this week and it sure is a helpful one to remember as we try to have a happy home! This morning I was reading in 1 Corinthians and read the 13th chapter. I thought I would share these verses:

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." verses 4-7

  One thing that has been really good this week has been my resolution to really truly listen and give people my full attention when they speak. I think everybody likes to be heard and it has helped the kids' attitudes to be better. We are working to stop people from interrupting, rather slowing down and fully hearing what everybody has to say in their own turn.

How has your week gone?