Keeping the Home When You are Chronically Ill

Keeping the home is a basic role that is assigned to women listed in Titus 2. It would be good for us to study this book together one day. Perhaps we will. However, one thing I am to do as my role as wife to my husband is manage our home. This presents a bit of trouble when one is chronically ill. So how do we work this out?

I decided that I would list some tips because I know many people suffer with chronic illness. Many with invisible illness which makes this more difficult all together. I do hope you find these helpful. Also please know I do not have this all together. We do the best we can as we learn and grow in grace and humble submission to our Lord.

1-No Guilt-First do not beat yourself up. Adding pressure to yourself when you are already dealing with some sort of illness will not do anything for you or your family. It will make things worse. Only do what you can in the strength given to you. God knows your heart. Do communicate with your husband about it and come up with realistic goals.

2-Communicate-I listed this above but it will save your marriage, especially if your illness is invisible, COMMUNICATE! No one knows you are sick if you do not look it. It is hard for them to understand. Communicate what you can and cannot do.

3-Be Realistic-When you make your realistic goals stick with them the best you can. Be humble and accept help as needed. Also if no one offers do not be afraid to ask for it.

4-Delegate-Assign extra jobs to the children. If your house is like mine they do not have much to do in the first place. It will help them build responsibility. Plus it is only for a season in our household. It is good for them and gives them a sense of accomplishment.

5-Understand Priorities-Being a manager of your home means being keeper of it. It means keeping a watchful eye over it. During this time your house may not be the most clean and that is ok. Keep priorities in order. The most important thing is the people in your life not the cleanliness of your house. Don't use the only strength you have to clean when it leaves none left to cuddle with your children.

6-Expectations-Let go of your expectations of how you would like things done. When you release a task to someone else trust them to do it and do not criticize how they did it. Be thankful for their help.

7-Pray! Pray! Pray! The most powerful weapon anyone of us has in watching over our household is to pray for those members in it. Use your down time to pray faithfully and continually.

8-Simplify. Keep meals simple. Keep school simple. Keep everything simple. The more simple the easier things will be.

9-Boundaries-Do not be afraid to enforce strong boundaries. It is okay to say no to things that will take your strength away from what should be first. Only commit to what you know you can handle and stick to it.

I hope you will find these helpful. I know I have. I am learning and working on them. Grace is a very important thing to extend and accept during this time.