Housewife or Homemaker: Which Am I? - Clarissa R. West

So, they are defined as essentially the same thing, but in modern times, the word housewife has somehow become offensive and so they replaced it ... PracticalTips&BiblicalEncouragementforWomenwhodesiretocultivateameaningfullifeathomewhilecountingblessings,seekingjoy,&findingstrengthinJesus. 27 Jan 33 shares Share Tweet Pin {Thissitemaycontainaffiliatelinksandcollectcookies. Pleasereadmyfulldisclosure andprivacypolicyformoreinfo.} {Thissitemaycontainaffiliatelinksandcollectcookies. Pleasereadmyfulldisclosure andprivacypolicyformoreinfo.} Withmyrecenthomesteading research,IwascomparingwordsthatIhadheard(andused)allofmylife butcouldn’trememberreadingtheir(proper)definitionsinthedictionary.Yousee,Iwasonthehuntforthe“perfect”nameforourfuturefamilyfarm. Ifoundmyselfonarabbittrailfollowingwordslikefarm,homestead,farmstead,housewife,andsoon.Anditgotmethinking. Iuseboththewordshousewifeandhomemakertodescribemyself andthinkofthemdifferently.Iwasn’tsureifIwasusingthemhowtheywereoriginallyintendedtobeused,soIstudiedfurther. First,let’slookatwhatImeanbythewordshousewifeandhomemaker. Tome,housewifeequalsamarriedwomanwhostayshomeratherthanworkoutsideofthehome.Herfirstjob/workIStomanageherhousehold.Inadditiontobeingadevotedwifewhostrivestobeagodlywife,sheseekstobeawisestewardofherhousehold.Thismaylookdifferentineverymarriage.Housewiferyisaduty.  Ithinkofahomemakerassomeonewhodesirestomakeherhouseahomeforherfamily,whethersheworksoutsideofthehomeornot.Shefeelsitisherresponsibilitytocreateawarm&secureatmosphereforherhusbandandchildren.Shewantstokeepitclean,ofcourse…butmoreimportantly,shewantstokeepitcomfortableandwelcoming.Homemakingisacalling.  So,HousewifeorHomemaker:WhichAmI? Ifeelstronglyaboutbothroles.Tobehonest,Iamprobablybetteratbeingahousewifethanbeingahomemaker.Iamfiercelydevotedtomyhusband(andchildren),butnotasgentleandwarmasI’dliketobe(asIshouldbe!). Icanmanageourfinances,supplementourincome,writeupbudgets,sourcethecheapesthealthyfoods,sticktoaroutine,give&enforcechoresandsoon.Icanevenorganizeandpurgeourhomefrequently(andenjoydoingit),but,Istruggletokeepourhomehomey,relaxed,andpeaceful. Mymomwassowonderfulatbeingahomemaker. Shedefinitely madeourhouseahomethatwasfilledwithlove,laughter,andliving! IknowIamprobablyoverlycriticalofmyself,butIconstantlyfeellikeIamfallingshortoftheexpectationsImadeformyself.Iwantmykidstohave(andfeel)whatIdid. WhatIstilldo,whenIremembermychildhood.Ourhomewasthemostcomforting,comfortable,andsecureplaceofmychildhood. Icanonlyhopethatmychildrenwillgrowupandrememberourhomeasawarm,comfortable,andasafehaven(please,Lord,letisbeso).LikeIsaid,perhapsIamoverthinkingitsinceIfeeltheweightoftheresponsibilityonmyshoulders. Anyway,backtothepurposeofthispost.Iwantedtosharethedefinitionsofthewordshousewifeandhomemaker. HOUSEWIFE,nounhous’wife.Themistressofafamily. 1.Afemaleeconomist;agoodmanager. 2.Oneskilledinfemalebusiness. (alternately,Dictionary.comhasthistosayaboutthewordhousewife:“SometimesOffensive.amarriedwomanwhomanagesherown household,especiallyasherprincipaloccupation.”) Ithoughtthisgavefurtherunderstandingofherrole: HOUSEWIFERY,nounhous’wifery.Thebusinessofthemistressofafamily;femalebusinessintheeconomyofafamily;femalemanagementofdomesticconcerns. Interestingly,thewordhomemakerisnotinWebster’s1828Dictionary.But,IfounditonDictionary.com. 1. apersonwhomanagesthehouseholdofhisorherownfamily, especiallyasaprincipaloccupation.  So,theyaredefinedasessentiallythesamething,butinmoderntimes,thewordhousewifehassomehowbecomeoffensiveandsotheyreplaceditwiththewordhomemaker andmadeitgender-neutral. Istillfeelthatahomemaker(akamakerofthehome),canbedefinedassomeonewholiterallymakesthehouseahome.Regardless,Iconsidereithertermanhonor,privilege,responsibility,role,andoccupationthatIenteredintothedayIsaidmymarriagevows. WhatdoestheBiblesayaboutahousewifeorhomemaker?  “Theagedwomenlikewise,thattheybeinbehaviourasbecomethholiness,notfalseaccusers,notgiventomuchwine,teachersofgoodthings; Thattheymayteachtheyoungwomentobesober,tolovetheirhusbands,tolovetheirchildren, Tobediscreet,chaste,keepersathome,good,obedienttotheirownhusbands,thatthewordofGodbenotblasphemed.”Titus2:3-5 Ialsobelievethedescriptionofthe“Proverbs31Woman”encompassesbothahousewifeandahomemaker.Theduties&expectationsofthehousewifeandthecalling&qualitiesofthehomemaker. Inthefuture,IplantosharemoreofmystudyofChapter31ofProverbsasitpertainstoboththehousewifeandhomemaker. IhavebeenamazedatthechangethathastakenplacewithinmyownheartasI’vesoughttolearnmoreaboutthiswomanofvirtue! FinalThoughts Every(married)woman should strive tobea devotedandgodlyhousewifeandhomemaker.Thisdoesnottakeanextrasmart,educated,orespeciallytalentedwoman–justonewhodesirestobethewomanGodwantshertobeanddoesherbestwithwhatshe’sbeengiven. (Asmart,educated,&talentedwomanisnotabovethepositionofhousewifeandhomemaker.) Everyadultwomanwhoismarriediscapableoftheseattributes.TheBiblesaystoaskforwisdomanditwillbegiven,soIbelievethateverywomanwillgrowintothewisehousewifeanddiscerninghomemakerGoddesiresofher. Itisoftenapainful(andslow)growingprocess,asIcantestifyto,butsoworthit.I’monalife-longjourneyasawife,mother,woman,andchildofGod. Iambeingrefinedinthefire,moldedbyGod’shand.Sharingmythoughts“outloud”throughmywriting ismywayofthinkingthroughandabsorbingwhatIlearn. Pleaseshareyourthoughtsonthematterwithme! 33 shares Share Tweet Pin «FreeToDreamAgainYouNeedARockingChairInYourKitchen»Comments LOVE!!<3 Reply Wownicepostireallylikeitverymucheveryhumancansharethispost. Reply Mymotherraisedsevenkids,backinthe1960’s.Shedidn’thavetimeforatitle….HousewifevsHomemaker,weobviouslyhavetoomuchtimeonourhands. Reply Iusebothterms,tobehonestitdependswhoItalktoandthevibesaroundthemandiftheyaskmeIwouldsayhomemakerespseicallytofulltimeworkingwomenwhohasstrongopinonsaboutcertainthingswhenisayhomemakertheyseemmorerelaxandcoolaboutit,whenisayhousewifetheyseemshocked.NowwhenItalktoolderormentheyseemtobemoreopenmindedtobothterms… AnywaysIlikeyourpageandhowyouexplainthose. Reply Thankyouforyourbraveryinsharingthiswithus.YourunderstandingoftheapplicationintheBibleisinterestinglyenoughparalleledinmanytexts.Peopleneedtoapplycontexttocommunicationswithdifferingaudiencesandthisvarietyornuancebothempowersusinourecosystembutsotoolimitsus.Growinggracefullyawayfromboredomisbetterforourbrainsandthebraveryofsharingyoursideofthingshereisawesomesomythankstoyou Reply Thatwasbeautiful.Thankyouforsharingyourthoughts.🙂 Reply Iwishsomeonehadtoldmethisyearsago.Iwouldhaveseenbeingahomemakerandhousewifealotdifferently.Morepositively. Reply LeaveaReplyCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*Comment*Name* Email* Website Δ supportClarissa *YourdownloadlinkwillbeemailedtoyouandyouwillbesubscribedtoourNewsletterfromClarissaRWest.comifyouaren’talready.Besuretocheckyourspam/promotionsfolder.Ifyouhaveanyissuesfeelfreetoemailme!* RecentArticles HomeschoolResourcesMyChildrenUseToTeachThemselves GiftinGrief ChristianFather’sDayGifts|FREEScripturePrintable I’veBeenSocialDistancingForOverADecade–ThisIsWhatI’veLearned ClarissaR.WestisaparticipantintheAmazonServicesLLCAssociatesProgram.AsanAmazonAssociate,Iearnfromqualifyingpurchases. *YouwillbesubscribedtoourNewsletter.Besuretocheckyourspam/promotionsfolder.* helpkeepthiscontentfreebyleavingatip 33 shares