The Conviction...

I've recently been convicted by the Holy Spirit that I need to be home with my children instead of working outside of my home. The Lord showed me that I am giving the best of myself to my employer and my children and husband are stuck with the leftovers - tired, cranky, & lazy.

I'm uneasy with the knowledge that I'll go above and beyond at work, but at home, I just want peace and quiet. Which means that tending to my children has become a chore instead of a blessing.

The following verse from the Bible (NIV) speaks to me:

1 Thessalonians 2:6-8

6We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

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Wow! To me this is just such an eye opener! I need to stop looking for praise from men in the form of being important to an employer.

Feel the difference between the words 'burden' and 'gentle.' I don't want my own children to be a burden to me! I want to be that example of a gentle mother caring for her children. I want to share more than the same address with my kids - I want to share my life with them, because they are the most important people in the world to me.

Next step.........action plan

If you've transitioned from work to home, let me know how you did it! I will post some of my challenges soon, which include carrying the family medical insurance (at least until February when my husband will become eligible), scaling down our lifestyle, and too much debt.