Building Up

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs 14:1

Each morning when I wake up I am faced with a choice. Am I going to "build up" or "tear down" my house today? Sounds dramatic but this is indeed what happens slowly over time. Every decision, action, attitude and word from me impacts the recipients in my house (my husband, children and friends) in a positive or negative way.

How do I build up my house? I need to meaningfully speak words of love and encouragement to my children -- even when I do not feel like it, and especially when they act in a way that does not deserve this special attention. When I do have those less-than-perfect moments I need to seek forgiveness and in doing so will serve as model for my little ones to follow when they are capable.

The image of a woman "tearing down her house with her own hands" haunts me. This horrible destruction is not at all what I want for my family, but it is so often the easier road to take when I am tired or just don't feel like being nice.

How does "building up my house" look to me? My husband and children should feel respected, encouraged, loved and supported since they will have been given the foundation of a strong and loving house. A house that, when being built up a little bit each day, will be able to weather the difficult and turbulent storms of life and not crumble to the ground.

What's the recipe? Each day I need to sprinkle a little patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, self-control and above all LOVE on my children and husband through my actions and words.

The encouraging thing to me is that this building happens over time and, through God's grace, even the worst days when I am "tearing down" more than "building up", things are not demolished beyond repair. That is a beautiful, beautiful thing.