A Proverbs Wife is Honored for all her hands have done!

I have chickens. Lots of chickens.
Taking care of chickens is super easy for me because I love animals.
Just kidding.
I have 7 hens and a rooster that are outside. Then I have about 40ish (I think, I haven't counted) mixed chicks, 90 cockerels that will be butchered, and 8 ducks - all in the room we have dubbed "the chicken room." In. Side. My. House.
They smell. They are noisy. They cost a bit to feed. I have to worry about their survival. I have to clean out the brooders - there is a tri-level brooder, and two floor level brooders - refill water and food all day, get up in the night to make sure they aren't too warm or too cold, and then a couple times a week I have to clean EVERYTHING. Which means rinse out the duck's brooder and take the cloth bedding out and wash it and scoop out the bird poop and wash the feeders and waterers and wipe down the table and change out the plastic linings and sweep the floor and I've had to change light bulbs and every day the ducks have to be taken to the bathtub to swim....
Did I mention I'm incubating another 31 eggs too? That means that I have to check the temp and humidity on that and turn the eggs three times a day and candle them for growth and check their air cells and when they hatch - well, then the process of taking care of new chicks will start all over again. Did I mention that for the first two weeks you have to go through every chick and check it's butt to make sure it's butt is clean? And I have to protect my outdoor flock and make sure they are safe from predators as well.
So yeah.. it's super easy because I love animals.
No, not really. It is extremely difficult and takes up a large portion of my time. It's just not really all that fun.
Believe it or not though, this post is not about why you *shouldn't* have chickens!
I know so many women who don't homeschool because they don't have time or patience. I just don't think that's a good excuse. Likewise, I don't believe for a second that you should look at something in terms of how much work it will take when deciding whether or not you should do it. I'm not saying that you should dive into everything without thinking about it.  But obviously, if you are choosing not to do something out of laziness then you are probably making a poor choice.


She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.




It really is awesome if you think about it. The Lord does not expect a wife to sit around all day being helpless - and there is no excuse for her not to be a hard worker just like her husband! It doesn't simply encompass "being a mommy." We are called to do so much more than that. The Lord can put desires in your heart if you want Him to. I have felt convicted to be more in control of my family's needs. I enjoy my chickens, and ducks, and all of that. But more than anything, the Lord wants me to grow spiritually by learning how to provide for us. We have eggs every day, that have not been sprayed with harsh chemicals. By the end of Spring we will have plenty of free range, clean, healthy chicken for the rest of the year. It's worth the effort and hard work to reap the rewards.

It may not even be cost efficient for us once we factor in feed costs and everything. But that's not really my concern. I know that the Lord wants this busy work to take place and He will provide the funds for me to do it.

I am not saying "the Lord wants everyone to raise chickens!" Although, it's probably a good idea for anyone who is even remotely capable. 
Rather, I think it's really important for spiritual growth, as a wife, to put out effort and not be afraid of hard work. 
I homeschool. I make food from scratch whenever I can. I learn to make things. I raise animals for food. I am gardening (even though I am TERRIBLE at it and don't even remotely enjoy it!!). I build things from scraps. I repurpose things. I've learned to sew and knit. I'm learning to card raw wool and spin in into thread. I am not doing it to be "cool" or different (cause all the cool kids spin wool into thread). I know that the Lord wants me to be unafraid to get my hands dirty and do a little work! 

Challenge yourself this week! Take time to pray about new skills the Lord wants to reveal to you so that you can engage in hard work of your hands. Learn to make homemade bread. Plant some seeds for spring. Pick up some chicks from the feed store. Take on a DIY project in the yard. Or just pray for a conviction and open your heart to the truth. Let me know how it goes!






 



Comments

  1. I love what you said! Homeworking is a process for me and I'm learning to apply skills at home, and enjoy it. Thanks for the inspiration, looking forward for other posts :)

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