Tuesday, December 24, 2013

A Genteel Christmas Gathering

The Morning Walk

I have been up since early this morning, preparing for a Christmas gathering. The rest of my children will be coming home tomorrow.  We live in a rural area in Northern Vermont and the snowy landscape is lovely. There is a quietness at our Estate that is like a retreat.  The children are coming home from the city.  They are coming back to the old homestead for a happy time of eating and visiting.

Lately I cannot keep up with the messes my family makes. I have full charge of the care of my 15 month old grandbaby, along with my regular housekeeping duties.  Sometimes the men in our house are helpful with the cooking and cleaning but they don't "love" the house the way a Mother does.   My two boys, at 16 and 21 are "The Uncles" to grandbaby.  They help me with his care.  I am weary and slow-stepped. 

I have a great many plans for today to prepare for tomorrow's gathering. I want to bake and cook.  I want to make special treats for the children to take back home with them.  Things like homemade fudge, sugar cookies and muffins will go into little tins for them.   But I will do this in a very slow and steady way.  I turned on an old sermon on my kitchen Radio by the late Evangelist, Dr. John R. Rice.  It is "The Christian and His Bible."  This is such a tremendous source of Spiritual nourishment, it makes the work in the kitchen a joy to the heart.

Soon baby will be awake and my focus will shift almost entirely to his care. He will play in his highchair while I make batters and doughs.  We will sing together and see all the snow out the parlour window.  Then one of the Uncles will take him out to play before his afternoon nap.  There will be times of quiet and times of hustle, as we prepare for a happy Christmas gathering.

Yet, I know that nothing will make this family time wonderful without a loving, humble attitude.  Whether all gets done or not, is not the goal. It is the process of creating and of homemaking that will bring delight to our home. It is the happy smile and the effort that counts.  It is the thought and the love that will make it all worthwhile.

 I may, at times, be in the midst of cleaning a mess, or burning one batch of cookies, as I go along, but the sweet kindness that I spread, like rainbows in the middle of rain, is what will cheer the hearts of all.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives:

Recovering from the world - Lingering by the Hearth.

We dearly Need this - Homemaking Propaganda.

A Summer Visit to our Property - Tour of the Estate Grounds.



Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 






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13 comments:

becky said...

Have a wonderful time with all your family together.
Love. Becky

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

I needed your words this morning. Thank you.
God bless you,
Mrs. Lane

Joyfulmomof6 said...

This is so true. It is the PROCESS not the end product. I was just telling my oldest (18) last night as we were out running errands how my mother used to start worrying and panicking about Christmas in October! There were lots of expectations and Italian traditions (such as huge, expensive seafood meals on Christmas Eve, than another whole huge expensive meal the next day, too) that made it difficult to be around her. She didn't like help either because everything had to be "a certain way". The whole focus was on making a "show" of it because of what my grandparents and aunt's family expected...I wish she would have just sat down with us and played and served cheese and crackers instead!
Because of this, I have always purposed to keep the focus on the people instead of the product. I remember one Christmas when my oldest were small just spending Christmas day coloring with them all day. I cherish that memory.
And having a child with autism really makes you boil things down to necessity as well instead of my "best laid plans".
Always a delight to read your blog and be inspired along the narrow path. Merry Christmas!

Cay Gibson said...

I love this and am enjoying your books immensely. Merry Christmas!

Mama Said No said...

Wonderful post, and so needed this day by homemakers. God bless you, Mrs. White, and all your family. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Illinois Lori said...

Hello Mrs. White! As always, you are a voice of wisdom and reason in a world gone awry...may the Father bless you and your family this Christmas! Loving you in Christ, Lori :-)

Living on Less Money Blog said...

This was my favorite of what you wrote:" Yet, I know that nothing will make this family time wonderful without a loving, humble attitude. Whether all gets done or not, is not the goal."

I needed this reminder!

Claire said...

What a lovely post. Truly, the kindness is what we remember.

Deborah Montgomery said...

Merry Christmas Mrs. White. Thank you for your peaceful words.

Leah said...

Thank you Mrs. White. Reading your posts always encourages me in my motherhood. Bless you!

Deanna said...

Dear Mrs. White,

Hope your Christmas day went super well. Mine was very pleasant and I needed this so badly. With New Years on the way, I pray the year be a healthy prosperous one!

Your day sounds wonderful. The time will pass and baby will be grown so quickly. My granddaughter that I babysit will be turning 7 soon. Unbelievable.

The Grandchildren bring such joy and blessings.
God bless,
d

Jill said...

I received your book, For the Love of Christian Homemaking, for Christmas and I love it so much. I know it will be a treasure I come back to over and over!

Cathy said...

I always loved having a baby or toddler in the high chair, keeping me company while I'm in the kitchen. Now we have a kitchen with an island, so sometimes there are two or three little grandchildren sitting there. I keep some little baskets of small toy animals in the kitchen, for them to play with while they sit there. Bless you and yours.