Proverbs 31:27, 28 – She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
My pastor’s wife always told me, “Make those first few minutes when your husband comes home a sweet time for him.” Home is more of a feeling than a place; I can be in my “house” and it not really be “home.” What does home mean to each of us? Does it mean safety, love, laughter, and peacefulness?
We must go the extra mile to create a warm, loving atmosphere for our families. We all have rough days—days when we are on edge or when we just cannot keep up with the housework no matter how much we try! These days are going to happen, but we should do our best every day to make our homes an environment of laughter and warmth. Those first few minutes at home are so important in creating that sweet environment for our families.
Here are a few tips that I have picked up from other wives, along with a few of my own. I encourage each reader to take this list and adapt it to her home. Some of us may need to work outside of the home, and when we get home our husbands are already home themselves. However, we can still make it a special time for our husbands in those first few minutes after a long day.
– As soon as he walks in the door, encourage each child to hug his dad and show that he is excited that Dad is home!
– If he arrives home at dinner time, strive to have dinner ready or at least have it already cooking.
– Straighten up the house before he gets home.
– Freshen up! Mrs. Hyles used to talk about putting on a fresh dress and taking a shower before her husband got home. Although I do not personally go to that extent, I do try to make sure I look nice and do not smell like bleach and dirty diapers! It only takes about five minutes to comb my hair, touch up my make up, and spray on a little perfume. I feel better, and this also makes him feel special. Those who are not home when their husbands get home can still freshen up a little before they arrive home.
– Make the first few words said when he walks through the door something pleasant! I cannot stress this one enough. Nagging him about all of the things that need to be done as soon as he walks in the door is never a good idea. Wait for the right time to discuss these things.
– Make the first few minutes of the day a pleasant time. My husband gets up at 3 A.M. every morning. Now, I am no Martha Stewart, and I may not wake up and make him eggs, bacon, and homemade bread every morning! However, if I do wake up at the same time, I do my best to make that a fun, silly, and sweet time about which he can think through the rest of his day. I also do my best to make sure the house is clean when I go to bed the night before, so when he wakes up to get ready, the house is in order.
– Make the last few moments of the day a sweet time for everyone in the home. Take the time to read the children a bedtime story, to kiss them good night, to snuggle, to pray with them, and to say “I love you” before going to sleep.
– Moms need to make the first few moments after picking up the children a pleasant time. Sometimes things might have happened at school that need to be immediately addressed; but if possible, make that first conversation a joyful one!
Others have told me that when my husband is away from home, it is annoying how much he talks about wanting to go home! It may be annoying for them, but it makes my heart happy! It is the biggest encouragement to me to know my husband loves his home so much so that when he is away, he looks forward to returning home. I hope this little list is a help to other families, and I encourage each of us to pray and ask the Lord to show us what we can add to our routines to create our own “Home Sweet Home!”
by Elizabeth Myers
