| A SUPPORTING WIFE By Helen De Bruin Just recently I have been telling you a lot about our business and what we have had to do in order to move our business home. I realise that I may have overwhelmed those of you who can't relate to this, due to their very different family situation. I'm afraid I haven't made myself clear on why I have been telling you all of this. You see, this whole exercise has impressed upon me the importance of a supporting wife. No matter what our husbands do for a living, we are there to support them, encourage them, help them. What we do, say, how we act etc around their business partners, workmates, colleagues and clients will reflect on them. Because in our situation our business will be on our house block, I feel that we, as a family, can and most probably will be on `show' for the local community, as well as those travelling from afar. We will be mixing our private lives with our business lives on the one spot! I have been wondering what I can do, to be a blessing and encouragement to Andre. I have been in prayer to the Lord, asking Him to keep us `blameless' in the world's eyes - even while we are on our home territory! After all, customers will be calling around our house to drop off and pick up their jobs. What will they see? Will our children be playing outside in the garden happily? Will they be behaving themselves, or will they be rowdy and in the middle of sibling conflict? Will our home always be neat and tidy and cozy if and when Andre decides to bring a customer indoors for either coffee or the bathroom? Will I always answer the phone in an efficient manner? After all, I want my husband to succeed and continue with his good reputation. Will the customers judge us for what we are doing (or not doing) as a homeschooling family (as I know that our choice to homeschool will soon be discovered by whoever calls). We may, on occasion, be responsible for the receiving of goods and materials. How will these drivers see us? What will their impressions of us be? Most importantly, will we be a good witness for Christ? I pray so�. Sisters, it is my desire for the heart of my husband to safely trust in me, so that he shall have no need of spoil. For I know that somebody will be watching, sometime, somehow. I pray that I, as a wife and mother will be instrumental in impressing on others my love for the Lord by what I do. It is my desire for my husband `�to be known in the gates, when he sitteth amongst the elders of the land�' |