The Working Wife Success Stories

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A wonderful example of radiating happiness and having joy in life.

I loved this post from G.

(Sondra's note: Although G uses the word "childlike" throughout this post, this things are more closely related to Radiant Happiness - so I posted this here. Whatever! It's a great post!)

I used to know two beautiful sisters, young, talented, vivacious women. One was childlike, the other not. The childlike one was generally believed to be more interesting, to have better social skills, and she was certainly easier to get along with. Her only problem was beating the men off with a stick!! I am not naturally childlike, but at the time I was around this one particular girl, I naturally picked up some of her funnier catch-phrases that she used in her childlikeness, and they have always worked for me! When I try to think how to be childlike, I often consider to myself, "Now, how would _____ have handled this? Or what would she have said?" It's always worked for me, even before FW, although knowing some of the theory behind WHY it works, allows me to try childlikeness in places I wouldn't have thought it appropriate before -- it just flat works!

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(Someone posted, asking for more specific examples of this girl's childlike tendencies. G. responded with the following message.)

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Oh, gosh, where should I start? Well, for one thing, when anyone said anything she didn't like, she would pout her lips and say, "OH! You big awful thing! You're a big awful man, that's what you are!" Men love this. They absolutely love it. I don't know why. But I have used it over the years, over and over, with all different men, and the results have been consistently good.

Then there was the way she would greet a person. She would RUN up to them with a huge smile on her face which clearly expressed how much she was glad to see them. When I shared an apartment with her for a while, I loved this greeting. And I can see why a man would want to come home to it night after night. (That's a hint for us, ladies!) And then there was the way she would act when you gave her a present. She acted like it was the single best present in the whole wide world, even if it was just a cheap potted plant or a second-hand teacup (two actual examples of things I gave her, and ten years later, still remember how much she appreciated. Her sister, on the other hand, who was dignified and reserved, I can not remember anything I ever gave her, although I'm sure I did, because we were all such good friends.)

Another example of this girl's childlikeness was her treatment of handicapped and disadvantaged people. She honestly couldn't tell the difference between them and others with more normal lives, and believe me, they loved her for it.

And one more example of her childlikeness which was so refreshing was the way she saw the world around her. She saw every little thing, like a fountain in a park, or a pink clover in the middle of a bunch of white ones, or some unusual potatoes at the farmers' market, as something uniquely beautiful that God Himself had put there just for her enjoyment that day, and accordingly, she enjoyed it to the fullest. I remember one day, she asked me if I noticed that the air was full of sparkles. And when I tried looking, it WAS! It was sunbeams interacting with traffic emissions, but it was very pretty. So we just sat right down and enjoyed those sparkles. Childlikeness like this adds so much to your own enjoyment of life, as well as adding to your appeal as a "fascinating" woman.

And again, the difference between this girl and her sister is informative. Her sister was poetic, too. She noticed all the same things. But she wrote them down as poetry and hid the poetry under her bed. She was a gracious, ladylike, hospitable, friendly person. But she lacked the magical childlikeness of her sister. Love, G

Bullet

Attitude is everything!

Kelly wrote this exceptional essay.

Do you know what the difference is between a homemaker and a housewife? Attitude! Do you face each day with a feeling of dread or do you go about your duties with a song in your heart? Do you feel burdened with your responsibilities to your husband or children, or do you consider it your service to your Lord and count it an honor?

I once read a quote that stated that attitude is 10% circumstance and 90% decision. Every morning when I get out of bed, I have a decision to make. I can take time to meet with my Heavenly Father and ask for His help in creating in me a joyful heart, or I can get out of bed depressed, overworked, and overwhelmed and decide to do it all in my own strength. If that is the case, I am guaranteed failure!

To some people, even the very word housewife evokes images of dull, boring and frumpy women who are “trapped” in a hopeless situation. They are stuck and their attitude reflects it. Their home is not their haven; it is their prison and they resent it Many times, they even resent the very people God has placed in their lives to love and care for. The feminist movement is built on this attitude. They tell women, “You deserve so much more than this. This is way below your intelligence level. You need a real job where you make a difference.” They plant seeds of doubt in a woman’s mind and make her job seem dull and mundane with no chance to use her education, skills, or creativity. They push this poison on unsuspecting women by very subtle means. Magazines, talk shows, soap operas are just a few of their “modes of transportation”. Unfortunately, many women have bought into this philosophy. Just like Eve, they see the glamorous life as portrayed in these sources as a nice shiny apple they would like to have. Once they have bought into this lie, discontement is quick to spring up. Nothing about their homes brings them joy anymore. Their responsibilities seem overwhelming and never-ending. They begin to seek more and more opportunities tobe out of the home. At this stage, creativity dies. They are no longer creating a haven, but merely existing. The joy, the contentment, and the love of simple things-these are all gone. Many times depression and resentment set in. What a miserable way to live!

In contrast, the homemaker finds joy in her chosen profession-creating a home. She finds joy in serving her family and goes the extra mile. She doesn’t just meet their basic needs; she finds ways to make them feel special and loved. They know that next to her Lord, they are the most important people in her life. She takes her job seriously, and feels satisfied in a job well done. She truly loves being at home and arranges her schedule to reflect this truth. She doesn’t want to escape by needless shopping, visiting or running “errands”. She organizes her week to be away from home as little as possible. She understands that in order to get past the basic housekeeping obligations and to truly enjoy the creative aspects of homemaking, she must be at home. This is the type of atmosphere where creativity flourishes. From a beautifully set table to a carefully cooked meal, she is always looking for ways to bring a spirit of celebration to everyday life. Her husband and children don’t feel like a burden or an obligation. They feel special, they feel loved. This woman has chosen God’s best for her life and her attitude reflects it.

Unfortunately, things aren’t always so cut and dry. As homemakers, we may have days or even weeks where we feel more like housewives. Our attitude and overall disposition will reflect this fact. The good news is that God has promised us in His Word, “I can do all things through Christ which strenghteneth me” Philippians 4:13. This means God has the strength to turn those down days around. We just have to commit our ways to Him. He wants us to be victorious. What a wonderful and empowering promise! Here is one more promise to claim when you feel your attitude slipping. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.” Colossians 3:17

Happy Homemaking!

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