As we get older we’re often tempted to think that our time has passed, that all opportunities are gone, that we’re no longer useful to community.  But this is far from the truth.  Too many people ignore the older folk and miss a wealth of knowledge, history and experience, that is just yearning to be shared.

In verse 12 of Proverbs 31 the last part states ‘all the days of her life’.  All the days of her life. ALL the days of her life.  If you feel sometimes that you have passed your ‘use-by date’ think again. While you are still breathing, while you can still communicate with others, God has a role for you.  YOU are important still to the others around you and you still have opportunity to give meaning to the lives of others.

I’ve just seen this clip and had to share it with you.  I want to be able to do this when I’m her age. I love to sing and it’s only just now (in my 50s) that I feel my voice has matured enough to be strong and appreciated and as a result I am now singing in my church and loving it. And those who hear me let me know they appreciate it too.

I was chatting to a consultant a couple of weeks ago about contribution to society through our respective businesses. I told him how I’ve helped thousands of women (worldwide, not just here in Australia) return home to work and be there for their families.

When you think about it, how many less children would there be out on the streets exposed to all the dangers that are out there if there was a parent at home? How many families wouldn’t have to wait in line for childcare and pay exhorbitant prices because their mothers are working in and at home? How many children would benefit from seeing a work ethic demonstrated in their home because a parent is there working (I’ve helped a few men to do what I do too).  I’ve seen this in my own children.  And my eldest is already running her own business at home caring for her young son.  She’s grown up seeing mum do this so it was natural she should too – and her business is quite a different one to my own.

While not all women are cut out to work at home, and some would go stir-crazy because they need to be elsewhere some of the time, I feel overall that the economy and society would benefit hugely from a parent, in most cases the mother, were at home during the schooling lives of their children. How much different our society might be.

There is value in women finding a way to work at/from home, instead of being out in the workforce.  When at all possible, I believe mothers should be home for their families. That’s not to say they don’t have to work. I’ve been running a fulltime business in my home for most of those 17 years using skills I developed in the corporate world from 20+ years in the workforce peviously.

In Proverbs 31 we know that the woman/mother is working in the home and in verse 18 we are told ‘She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.’   It goes on to tell us about the various things she does for both community (the poor and needy) and her famly at home.

If you are contemplating having a family I encourage you to look and see what it is you could be doing at home, contributing financially to the family household.  And if you’re stuck for ideas, my previous post The Things That I Do will give you some suggestions for working at home.