I just read a great letter written by Laine of Laine's Letters. You can read this letter here... http://http//www.lainesletters.com/letters/callingolderwomen.html

It is about the role older women can play in encouraging younger women in their calling as wives and mothers. It is so sad that in this day and age many women just do not possess the skills necessary to run a home properly. They just don't know how to cook, clean, bake or even care for their children. This is through no fault of their own . I have had such a heart for these poor women who have received no training in these areas. Imagine starting a new job and your boss just says "o.k go to it". No instruction on what you are supposed to do, no training at all. How well do you suppose you would do? It would be scary and overwhelming and you would just fumble along trying your best but not really succeeding.

Many women have taught themselves homemaking skills but it is a long hard road when you do it that way. I can remember when I was first married trying to make some chocolate cut out cookies. They came out grey which should have been my first indication that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong....but I proudly offered one to my hubby and he ate it with a smile on his face! They were truly awful and rock hard! He was so sweet and kind. This is also the same man who wore one of the ugliest scarves ever made because I had knit it for him. Fortunately those days are mostly behind me though I still cannot make decent gravy, which strangely also turns out grey ~smile~

I think it is so important that we who have more experience come along side these women and help them to find their way and encourage them. Share your knowledge with a younger woman that may be struggling or with a teen who will one day have a home of her own. I am sure we all know someone who would welcome this kind of help.

We can help by having a day when women can all get together and bake or make casseroles. Invite someone to go shopping with you and include a stop at the grocery store there you may find opportunities to talk about produce selection, cleaning supplies, meat selection, menu planning. Just be careful it doesn't come across as a school field trip! ~smile~ . Some other ways would be to invite these ladies to help prepare meals for church events or ask them to help cleaning the church. You could start a playgroup at your church which is the perfect place to get together for fellowship but also a natural place to discuss childcare issues etc. in a group. Perhaps start a book study on one of many wonderful books out there for wives and have a format where questions about daily life are encouraged.

There are so many ways to reach out to younger ladies in love and respect and help them along in their journey! I hope we can all follow the example set out for us in Titus 2:3-5......

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God."

Blessings,

Liisa