I was just scrubbing my dimly-lit kitchen tonight. It was so pleasant in there. Yet I am tired and worn out from a long day. As I cleaned, a calmness came over me. I was listening to Clair De Lune on CD. It made me think of being a Kitchen Martyr. (gentle smiles) I worked and slaved in the kitchen, but enjoyed it tremendously because the music comforted and soothed me. When I was finished, I looked around at the pleasant rooms - my kitchen and my parlour. Everything was put back "to rights," and looked lovely. All the work was worth it.
I read somewhere that housewives in the 1960's spent an average of 4 hours a day cleaning their homes, compared to 2 hours a day for modern housewives. I was amazed. I realize that mothers are often ill, or they are very busy, but if we could fit in more housework in our days, we would really enjoy the effort and the result.
I will leave you with this thought from Mathew Henry - "It is the duty of those who have the charge of families to look well to the ways of their household. The affectation of state and the love of ease make many families neglected." The love of ease, is something I am constantly fighting against!
Blessings
Mrs. White
(From Nana's computer)
For mothers of little ones, I always took naps when my babies did. I cleaned while they played nearby. They always giggled when I vacuumed! For more on this, see "Keeping House with Small Children."
Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. Paperback, 274 pages.
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6 comments:
I work full-time, so housework can be tricky to fit it, but I try to do a few tasks everyday. It's so nice to have a pleasant home!
Cxx
You and me both Mrs. White!!!
Love it. Thank you for the inspiration!
I like Don Aslett's books- Clutter's Last Stand and Is There Life After Housework?:A Revolutionary Approach to Cutting Your Cleaning Time 75%. I had 6 children-2 still are at home,the youngest is 18. We had one bathroom for 16 years. The past 11 years we have had 2 bathrooms(one master-bedroom bathroom). I am so thankful I don't have 3 bathrooms to clean. I grew up in a house with the bedrooms upstairs but I prefer a house with everything on one-level. My dream house would have no carpet(no more vacuuming-my granddaughters are afraid of the vacuum), no tv to dust,...
Wow! Four hours a day! I spend that much time in my yard/vegetable this time of year just to keep on top of things. I catch up on the house during the winter months. That is really an amazing fact!
Yesterday I told Brenna (2) that she needed to stay on my bed because I had to go work in the kitchen. I immediately felt convicted---I don't HAVE to work in there, I GET to work in there! It's been a long time since I've thought that way and it was such a blessing. (I'm reading Passionate Housewives Desperate for God for the third time and it's really encouraging me.) Anyway, I am going to set some housework goals and see if I can get myself up to that 2 hours...and eventually 4. My kids do a lot of the housework right now---there's a lot of them to share the load---and there's nothing wrong with that. Still, I was really blessed when I read something you wrote about how a mother didn't require much of her kids, other than their own personal space, because she loved to keep house for her family. I have that desire...just need to change old ways! Anyway, now I'm rambling and I've got two kiddos waiting patiently here to ask me stuff...oh, make that three! So, talk soon!
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