Wise or Foolish?

This morning I've camped out on one verse that causes me to evaluate my home.  "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs 14:1.  So I'm asking myself these simple 2 questions.  What does it look like to build up my home?  What does it mean to tear it down?


Build up - use wisdom:
*seeking the Lord in everything that I do
*Kind and gentle words
*training my children in Biblical truths
*Using my time wisely
*Feeding my family healthy meals/snacks
*Sticking to our budget
*gift of time to my husband and children daily


Tear down - using foolishness:
*doing whatever feels natural at the moment instead of being disciplined to do what needs to be done
*hurtful words
*neglecting to manage my precious time wisely
*not being consistent in my training and discipline with the kids
*throwing in a quick unhealthy frozen meal each night
*Spending carelessly
*not being home to care for my family on a consistent basis

We have many, many choices in a day to choose wisdom or foolishness.  This concept is part of the message I heard on Sunday that has stuck with me all week.  "What are we doing that adds eternal value in the little things we choose?"  Questions that get down to our time management include:

Spend time with the Lord or spend time checking email and facebook online?

Read a book to my kids or catch up in my home office after already spending the afternoon working?

Continue to give up eating out on a regular basis to sponsor children in third world countries?

Make dinner for my family or immerse myself into a fictional novel only to have time to throw a frozen pizza in the oven? 

Talk to my husband or drown myself into a TV drama?

As we grow stronger in the Lord we become more aware of things that take our precious time in directions that do not honor the Lord or grow the Kingdom.  I don’t know about you, but I want to spend time making an eternal difference in the people I connect with daily (especially my family) instead of worrying about things that will fade away.  

Will you join me in making wise decisions to build up your home?  It's not always easy for me.  Some days are great wise days and some days (like a few this week even) are foolish days I wasted away.  I know its unrealistic to think I'll always make wise decisions but I sure want to make more wise than foolish ones!