The Homekeeper Challenge 2008!!

Yup ladies- that's right! I challenge you to make the decision to really find out what it means to be the keeper of your home and fully dive into this divine role God has given you!

So how does the Homekeeper Challenge work? Well, first of all you need to find out what being a homekeeper is really all about. Here is the definition I found in the Mama Kenz Dictionary:

homekeeper- a woman who loves Jesus above all things and believes He has Biblically instructed her to love and submit to her husband, putting his pursuits above her own; love, care for and train up her children through home instruction (homeschooling) and life experience; make her home a peaceful and healthy environment to raise her family by means of cleaning, wholesome cooking, organization and decoration; be hospitable; and truly take on her home as her ministry and the strongest outreach tool she possesses. She recognizes that the role she fulfills is not menial, but rather one that requires skill, intelligence and creativity.

There are many wonderful resources you can access for more detailed information about what it means to be a homekeeper. My personal recommendation is for you to get your hands on a copy of Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God by Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey. This book has literally changed my life, and therefore the life of my family, by showing me a clear picture of how God designed the life of a wife and mother to look. You can also check out Stacy McDonald's blog, Your Sacred Calling, or Jennie Chancey's site, Ladies Against Feminism, for more wonderful inspiration and instruction. The Prairie Muffin Manifesto is also a fabulous source to look at- it really breaks down what being a keeper of your home truly encompasses. There are many other blogs out there that have wonderful tips, information and life examples about what this homekeeper role is all about- I encourage you to search for them and share them with the rest of us! In fact, one of those such blogs may even be your own!

So, now that you know what a homekeeper is, the next step of the Challenge is figuring out what that looks like for you and your family. God has created us all equal and no two homes or homekeepers look the same! Although there are certain principles for us all to follow (such as those listed in my homekeeper definition) the ways they are acted out in our homes will differ greatly. While some homekeepers (HKs) may thrive on gardening others may enjoy sewing. Some HKs will have one system of organization for their homes while others will have very different ideas of what it means to keep their home neat and orderly. This is where the fun begins- as you start (or continue) on your journey of being the best HK you can be, you can share with the rest of us the clever ideas you have put into place in your home!

The Homekeeper Challenge is all about encouraging you to fully dive into your God given role, documenting your journey and sharing with the rest of us what you learn along the way! To be a part of the Homekeeper Challenge 2008 you simply try to be the best homekeeper you can and then blog about it at least once a week! After you have done your homekeeping post for the week you simply head on over here to Mama Kenz Studio where you can place your blog on a Mr.Linky for other homekeepers on the challenge to check out! Make sure you link back to the that Mama Kenz Studio Homekeeper Challenge post of the week so that other HKs who read your post can join the Challenge too! A great way to link back would be to use this little banner:
So how do you sign up? Well, just copy the little Challenge button on the top of this post and place it somewhere on your blog. Then come back here and add your Blog to the Challenge Mr. Linky! After that, you are ready to start posting about your Homekeeper Challenge! I so look forward to reading your posts, encouraging one another and seeing where this Challenge takes us throughout the rest of the year! God bless Ladies! Let's get keepin'!

Oh, and by the way- if you get involved you just might win some stuff! So, make sure you stay tuned!