Working on my "Feminine Appeal"

Just wanted to share a little bit on a book that me, my sister, and a friend of mine are working though called "Feminine Appeal:Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother" by Carolyn Mahaney. We meet once a week and talk about the chapter we read that week and share our areas of weakness and some strengths as well. This book has challenged me. To some degree, I knew the importance of being a good wife and mom. But as the author challenges us from the Word of God using Titus 2:3-5
3Likewise, 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. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to 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.
I quickly realized...I don't know much. So many times I don't really grasp that this calling of being a wife and mom IS a HIGH calling. Even though I don't consider myself to be close to being a Feminist...Feminist thinking has crept into our culture so much...even church, that as a whole... women have neglected their highest calling. One thing she points out is since the Feminist Movement and women started leaving the homes, there seems to be a rise in the unhappiness that women feel. To tell it plainly, women are more unhappy nowbecause they are assuming a role they should not, and are neglecting the role that God designed them for. Why is it so many women are dealing with depression and running to self-help books and conferences. Could this be part of it? I think so.Yes, they may be married and may even have children, but are they really laying down their lives for their family? In Genesis it talks about how Eve was created to be the Adam's help meet. Did you read that? That was one of the main reason's God created us, to help our husbands. Is our daily life reflecting that. After God, are they truly the next priority?
Then there is the high, and at times difficult calling to Motherhood. As a new mom, Carolyn Mahaney's insights have been amazing to me. They have helped so much.
One aspect that I know Adam really appreciates is being a manager of the home. By nature, I do not love to clean. I like things to be clean, but I am not a huge neat freak. But things are changing. I realize it's very important to my husband, but also, it's a good testimony. Until I read her chapter on being a keeper of the home, I didn't realize the impact of having a god-honoring home. So I went to the library and got some books on cleaning and organizing. It's been a good help.
I could go on and on, but I just wanted to share with you some things I am learning. I think all of us have been nicely challenged by this book. I highly recommend it. You will be a better person, a better woman of God if you obey what God says.