Such a great cookbook for new moms pinching pennies or for large families

Family Feasts for $75 a Week: A Penny-wise Mom Shares Her Recipe for Cutting Hundreds from Your Monthly Food Bill

I have used and kept on hand her "cream of anything mix" for using in my Macaroni and cheese.  Her big biscuits are my FAVORITE--crispy and pillowy soft at the same time.  Her Ethiopian sloppy Joe is a savory spicy delicious way to incorporate Ethiopian taste in our everyday cooking.    But her charts for comparing food prices are wonderful as is the list of seasonal foods to help optimize and budgeting your shopping. 

The Mystery of the Word--Housekeeping.

So is housekeeping fixing the roof?  Does that mean women shouldn't keep chickens, but stay in the house?  Does it mean a woman shouldn't telecommute or be active in business at home?  What about hiring servants?  What does it mean to keep house today in our culture?

I am pondering this question. I am not a theologian or scholar, but a mom seeking truth.

Women of old took their place in the house, but from Proverbs 31, we see that this "household management" is a broad stroke.  I want to break down a few phrases--using our Timothy & Titus verses as a lense--so that we can see its scope:

1) She's loving her husband:

 ¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

    her husband also, and he praises her:

Her husband is not doing without.  Her role meets his needs, maybe not every want, but the things of value he does not have to be in want of because of her.  She does him right.

2) She's loving her children:

¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”  
 
So, the godly woman watches over to teach and to provide. 

And, her work at home nurtures the relationships closest to her.  At the end of the day the relationships are the only thing going to heaven, "make friends for heaven" like the wise servant in the parable.

3) Her housekeeping is entrepreneurial in nature:

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
 ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Here I see her enter the public sphere of business.  She is making money through trade, sales, and investments.


4) Her housekeeping extends beyond her immediate family:

15 and portions for her female servants.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.

The sphere of her household includes outreach to the poor.  She shows hospitality-an open heart to the needy. 
She also has hired help in the house that she manages.   
 
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Proverbs 31 is an important passage because it broadens the idea of "keeping house".  The household described here is not one mom and her kids at home.   We know from other passages of Scripture that Christian are encouraged to care for their own widows, if they can.  So this household is larger than the typical middle class suburban set-up.  It includes the immediate family, servants and widows at least.  

This passage is key to showing women that business and women are not mutually exclusive from a Biblical perspective.   Women may pursue adding to the family's income with a clear conscience.  However, I think as 21st Century women, we need to be extremely mindful and careful about HOW we do this.  And in the end the heart of a woman, whether it is bent towards her home, or not, will show itself.  A clear guideline I find for myself is 

Nurturing family relationships must not be compromised in an attempt to "help out" financially in a two parent home. 

 If a husband or child is neglected in order to "help out" financially, this would be a red flag for me.

However this passage opens up alot of questions for me.  How can I measure if a child's or husband's (sometimes more clear :-)) needs are met?  What standard do I use?  What part do servants play in the home?  What are the essential functions for mom to personally fulfill?  How much of her role is managing others in the daily tasks?