Peace Be Upon This House

Snowy Landscape at Mrs. White's Vermont Home.

I was reading about how the apostles sang a hymn after the Lord's supper. (1)  The thought was so precious to me that it gave me a comforting sense of peace. In another passage of Scripture, I read the beautiful words, "Peace be unto you." (2) We are all in desperate need of peace. We need a rested spirit; a contented feeling that all is well. . .  We need peace.

In the home, and in the world around us, there is stress and anxiety. We are often kept on high alert because of conflict, trials, and fear.   We are frequently troubled by the actions of others.  This can strain our nerves and make us irritable.

Despite all this difficulty, how can we maintain peace in the home?

We ought to think about the peacemakers.  These are people who create a happy environment.  They provide a place of rest.  This allows one to have a time for quiet of the mind.  Many homemakers are doing this type of work each day.  They continually work on creating an atmosphere of a real and genuine home, where one feels welcomed and safe.

Here are some ideas for helping to calm the nerves and settle into a happy rest at home:

1.  To quiet the stressful noise of outside traffic, or the clatter of the noise indoors, it is soothing to turn on a little fan.   It blocks the disrupting and sudden sounds around us.  The noise of the motor is usually steady and pleasant.  I often have a fan going, at certain times of the day. This helps bring peace to our weary nerves.

2. Stop and listen to the rustle of the leaves from the wind.  Hear the singing of the birds.  Just rest and enjoy the lovely sounds of nature.  This is similar to stopping to smell the roses.  We look at the beauty around us and it gives us rest. Don't think about your worries - just stop to enjoy the beautiful vision outdoors.

3. To stop the whirlwind of the stress around us, consider how many people try to get away from it all by taking a vacation. They get away from the telephone, the stress of the office, and the city traffic.  We can do this (to a degree) in our minds.  We can think about walking along a bubbling brook, seeing and hearing the rushing water as it goes along the rocks and land.  Or we can find literal ways of resting our minds. This can be as easy at taking the stairs rather than the elevator when in an office building. We can enjoy the walk across the parking lot to get to the grocery store.  These extra steps bring quiet and rest to our minds.

4. Minimize the amount of news you are exposed to.  We ought to guard the quiet of our minds, much like we guard the peace of little children.  We do not need to know everything.  Our children need not worry about the troubles in life.  Quiet news and peaceful happenings bring cheer. Let us bring cheer to our homes and not spread distressing troubles.

5. Don't be in a rush.  It is not healthy to multitask and always be in a flurry of activity.  This keeps us too busy to live!   When little troubles come, our nerves will not be able to handle anything else if we are too busy.  Live a quiet, steady, peaceful life, and you will be ready to calmly face what comes, with the help of the dear Lord (who is with us through it all). 

6. Learn to sing the old time hymns, such as "Amazing Grace." Oh, how much we need the old paths of joyful worship from the heart.  When we sing hymns, from the heart, we are comforted and blessed with a quiet sense of joy.

7. Find ways to get along with those in your household. Be a peacemaker.  Remember the human frailty of us all. Practice patience and understanding.  Give them a gracious love that bears childish days and difficult moods.  My favorite hymn, in these moments, is "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."  It goes on to say, "And the things of earth will go strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace."  This is precious peace!

8. Each time you walk in the door, quietly say these sweet words, "Peace be upon this house." 

May our homes be little lighthouses of godliness and joy.  One of the greatest missions of a homemaker is to have peace in her home.

Blessings

Mrs. White

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*   1 - Mark 14:26           2 - John 20:19   

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 From the Archives -

Be happy, even through tears, - Domestic Happiness. 

What many of us crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.  

Financial reality - Retirement Planning for the Poor.

Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."

Find stories of home life, with photographs of my home, in this encouraging book. 

 Paperback, 200 pages. 

Contact Page.

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Waiting For the Door to be Opened

 

 Library of Congress: 1913 - Mrs. Frank Vanderlip and her children.

 

It is wonderful to be a peaceful and graceful lady.  It is good to have trusted family members to take care of you.  Many mothers teach their sons to open doors for girls.  They grow up knowing that it is good to protect and take care of the women of the family.  

My two grown sons have always opened doors for me.  When they were little, I taught them by waiting by the door and looking kindly at them, saying, "Will you open the door for Mother?"  It was not long before they were both grown. They were both much taller and stronger than I am.  It was not difficult for them to take care of their Mother by opening doors and carrying heavy items for me.  It was a precious way of showing honor and love for me. 

Over this last year, I have had to make several trips to stores alone. It wore me out, but was essential work. I am not a strong person and simply do not have the energy or strength to do a great deal of labor or lift heavy grocery bags.  Whenever possible, one of my grown sons will do the shopping with me so I have the necessary help. 

 This past week I remembered a lesson about opening the door for a lady.  The day was chilly with drizzly rain.  I wanted to stop at a large furniture store just to look around and to dream.  One of my grown sons (in his 20's) was with me.  Instead of waiting a few minutes in the car, I was the first to get out and walked quickly to the building. I was in a great hurry to get out of the cold and wind.  The door was heavy as I reached it.  I did not remember to have patience enough to wait and be taken care of.  My son came to the rescue and opened the heavy door for me.  I had forgotten that I was not alone and that there was help.  

This reminded me of the protection of the Lord.  How often do I boldly rush into some idea or decision without waiting for His guidance and help?   How often do I ignore the help that is available and wear out my strength and my nerves?  How often do I hurry out of some discomfort to get a result, on my own, without consulting the Lord for direction?

The simple act of a lady waiting for a gentleman to open her door produces great patience and a sense of peacefulness.  It produces the beautiful virtue of meekness.  There is a precious lesson in waiting for a door to be open, with a heart of trust and faith in those who were given to protect her. 

 May this also remind us that waiting on God to open doors for us, in this life, is how we learn to serve Him and not go our own way.   This is how we learn to follow His leading.  We are not to be brash or bold.  A lady should cultivate the art of a meek and quiet spirit.  This is a contented heart who is not in a hurry or a rush to do everything on my own.  With a graceful sense of dignity, she yields to wait for the door to be opened.  For it is not my will (or my plans) that I want to do, but the will of my Heavenly Father.

 Blessings

Mrs. White

 From the Archives -

Overcoming Worries and Troubles - Reviving the Prayer Journal.

Inspired by D.L. Moody's Mother - Poverty in the 1800's.

Practical Help - Pacing Oneself to Keep House.

Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."

Find stories of home life, with photographs of my home, in this encouraging book. 

 Paperback, 200 pages. 

An Invitation - Just click on this link to Subscribe to The Legacy of Home  and have it delivered directly to your email. (Be sure to check your email to verify your subscription request, so it will go through.)

Church in the Living Room

 

Mrs. White's notebook for sermon notes.

There are times, in our lives, when we are not able to attend church in person.  We may miss the pews, the song books, the minister, and the people.  The church building, itself, is such a wonderful place to be able to go and hear the prayers and listen to the sermon in person.  There is such a sense of beauty and holiness in a regular routine of church attendance.

The last few months, we have been having church in the living room.  This has become a very precious habit of attending our home church each Sunday morning.  We watch America's pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley, and are greatly comforted by his sermons.  We may not be able to go anywhere right now, for whatever the reason - the weather, sickness, etc., but we can attend a special service at home.

We have been having a daily Bible time for more than 4 years now, my husband and I.  It has made an enormous difference in our lives.  Now we have added a weekly church time, together, in the living room.

My husband will call me, at the appointed time, to say that the sermon is all set up and ready for us.  I will get my notebook and a pen. Then I will happily walk downstairs to the living room. I have a "journal notebook" which was a gift from In Touch Ministry.  It has a ribbon marker and is perfect for taking notes while watching the sermon.  

Just before each sermon, I write the date, the day of the week (Sunday) and the name of the message.  I then proceed to take notes throughout the message.  This has created a record of our "attendance" and faithfulness in doing church at home.  We can also see, at a glance, the messages we have already watched, reflect on key points, and be encouraged when looking over the notes.  It is easier to remember the lessons when one writes them down.  It has been such a blessing to actually see that we have been doing church every single week for months now!  It has helped us both very much.

We all need a steady diet of church attendance.  We need spiritual nourishment.  Our marriages need a regular dose of encouragement. Doing Bible time and Church, together in the home, is a wonderful way to strengthen our faith and stabilize our walk with the Lord.

blessings,

Mrs. White

From the Archives - 

 

Practical Help - The Secret to a Happy Home. 

Finances - Poor and Pretty Living. 

Our Testimony of - Reading through the Bible with Mister. (and a Free Gift for you.)

Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking.  Paperback, 274 pages.










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Keeper of the House

 

A Bedroom in Mrs. White's Vermont Home

I have not been able to do as much housework as I would like.  I want to keep the house and be a good homemaker.  But time and energy are limited.  The rooms are neat, but the vacuuming and the floor washing have been neglected.  I am grateful to at least accomplish one or two important matters each day.

In the midst of all the work, and worries from the world around us, I like to do a little neat decorating that brings happiness to us all. I try to do these no matter how tired I get.  Have you ever looked at the kitchen table and thought it would be nice to put out a fresh tablecloth? But that extra bit of energy takes a great deal of effort!  In most cases, I would do it anyway. It doesn't take long to make things look cheerful.  Perhaps it is only 10 minutes of effort, here and there, throughout the day, to add that extra touch of happiness in homemaking. 

Every house needs a keeper.  Someone has to do that little work to keep things clean and pleasant.  Someone has to do the shopping, plan the meals, do the laundry, make the beds, and keep things nice.  It is such an honor and a privilege to be the keeper of the house.

Whenever I have some especially difficult work to do, I find a nice old fashioned sermon to play on the kitchen radio. It is easier to work when hearing a precious message.  Today, I heard Dr. Harold Sightler preach, "What Are They Among So Many." I believe he was around 80 years old at the time of this sermon.  It is powerful and encouraging.  This helped strengthen me to do the work of making a homemade batch of pizza for the freezer.  I always keep out a few of the pizzas for the day's lunch when I make this.  I love to hear old fashioned sermons and old gospel music as I work. It brings me a sense of peace and joy.

We had a great deal of snow today.  The roads are quiet and peaceful.  There are no crowds in our rural, mountain village.  The wood pellet stove is keeping the parlour cozy.  One would not even imagine there is trouble in the world by just enjoying the happiness of home life.  This is what I hope to provide for all my family and guests - a place of refuge!

The little duties of keeping house are what keep our minds busy.  The morning work of making beds, sweeping the kitchen floor, and cleaning the breakfast dishes, can bring peace if we remember to do it all for God's glory.  We do our work for the dear Lord. We trust Him for all things.  Remembering this, as we work, creates a precious bond, in our hearts, to our Father in Heaven.   Nothing needs to be done in a hurry, for that would only cause stress and panic. Why should we worry?  It is better to schedule the chores throughout the day in order to do it calmly. We must not let the problems of the outside world affect our mood.  If mother is calm and cheerful in her work, the entire household will benefit.  

I have not been able to keep up with correspondence or blogging.  Our internet is not dependable. It has been limited for months.   But slowly I will get caught up, as time and energy allow.  I hope you are all healthy and well.  Thank you for being here.

Blessings

Mrs. White

 From the Archives -

Old Time Living - A Louisa May Alcott Winter. 

Financial Struggles - A New England Winter on a Small Income. 

A Mother's Greatest Use of Time - A Humble Parlour as a School of Theology.

Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking.  Paperback, 274 pages.










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Cheering Up the Home

 

Mrs. White's New Coaster With a Winter Scene.

As soon as we saw the first snow, here in Vermont, I wanted to do special things to cheer up the home.   My husband set up the Christmas lights on our garage and front porches.  He set out our little 6 - foot tree, on a stand, in the center of the front grounds.  These Christmas decorations help brighten the mood and make me smile.

One afternoon,  I had to go to the pharmacy.  I wandered around the aisles of Christmas displays as I waited for the prescription to be ready.  I had just a few dollars and hoped to find something special.  I found a beautiful coaster with a charming winter scene (see the above photograph).  It was only $3.00.  This sits on a tea table in my room.  It brings me a bit of joy.

With all the worry and stress going on around us, I am focusing on the home instead of on the news. I am busy with the family and homemaking and trying to bring peace and stability to our lives, despite the fear of our times.  Right now, it is the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  There are many precious days ahead.  

I have been looking at photo albums and treasures from parents and grandparents. They have lived through many rough days, just as we are living through ours.  But the heritage of home, making a cheerful and restful place for the family, has always been the priority throughout the generations. 

I am planning little gift ideas for our 12 grandchildren. I am thinking about the Christmas fudge and cookies I will make to give to the families of my grown children.  I will listen to old gospel music, precious sermons, and wonderful, old fashioned Christmas music on my kitchen CD- player.

 

The Christmas Tree - after it was just set up for the season on our front grounds.

After my husband set up the lights and the tree, I had to go out on an errand. It was not yet nightfall when I left.  Some of my errands are stressful as shopping and banking are full of reminders of a virus we cannot see.  These are tiring days, but the work must go on.  After I finished the shopping, the sun began to set.  The Vermont landscape was so peaceful.  As I drove along, I remembered the Christmas lights at home. I had hoped my husband would have them all turned on for me to see when I returned.  Soon I was driving towards our house.  I was delighted to see the lights.  It was so cheerful and fun and happy to see something so beautiful despite what is going on in the world around us.

Every day, if we could only find some way of cheering up our surroundings, bringing laughter and joy into our home, and helping to boost morale as we trudge through this life.  It is certainly an adventure.  Despite all the trials and troubles, we can create moments of happiness.  Mother and Dad are often the ones to make the home a memorable and wonderful place to be.  We can do this no matter what is going on in the world. We can protect the home and guard our families, bringing them joy and blessings, with the help of our dear Lord.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Training Children - Nobody Wants to Clean a Messy House.

Frugal Wisdom - Why The High Cost of Food?

Family Life - The Secret to a Happy Home.

Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking.  Paperback, 274 pages.










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