Church Bells and a Respectful Appearance

I love the sound of church bells on a Sunday Morning. It is like the whole town is awakened and being called to think about God and to come together to worship. It is a somber moment when those bells ring. I can hear them from my house.




For some reason, many people stopped dressing up for church. It used to be that we put on our best clothes and our biggest smiles and walked gratefully to the church building. We did this out of respect. We dressed up to show it was an important event and it meant something more than just being casual at home.



Ladies used to wear hats and gloves to church. The gloves were often a pretty white and were crocheted. You can still find gloves like this at The Victorian Trading company. But we should be able to buy them from our local stores. Why are they so hard to find?

I have a box of gloves we found in the attic of one of our investment properties we bought several years ago. This box has gloves of different colors and fabrics and were well worn. There were also letters and postcards inside, dated from the 1940's. It is a treasure!


Imagine the family getting their Bibles and heading down the street to the local church. What a precious sight! 


Blessings,
Mrs. White

Puttering Around the Home

My Father is back home with us again. Both my parents live with us, but Mother is in another state caring for my sister who has been in and out of the hospital. Mom and Dad have been gone for several weeks. Dad came back to get some things settled and take a break. It is nice to have some life back in their section of our house!

Dad is normally working around the property or puttering in the garage. He always has a project to do. He is 70 years old, but as busy as ever. I visited with him yesterday. I sat and sewed while we caught up on the family news.

Today, it is very quiet. I did some housework this morning and am now puttering around the house. I want to bake cookies. I am not sure if I have the energy, but I will try to do it later. I am so worn out lately. There has been a lot of stress and worry in this house. I need to bring back some cheer and rainbows! Maybe cookies will be just the thing?

The other day, some of my children went around the property and picked flowers. They put them in a pretty vase on the dining room table. It looks lovely. I think the most important thing, to remain cheerful at home, is to do your regular chores and just talk and enjoy being together.

I think I will play a game of cards with the children later this afternoon. In the south, our family used to play cards every night, and drink Dr. Pepper. Those were fun summer evenings and created happy memories.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,
Mrs. White

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I Remember Mama - Lessons from a Norwegian Family in 1910

This past Mother's day, I watched an old black- and- white movie, "I Remember Mama," starring Irene Dunne.  There are so many wonderful lessons you can glean from this movie. I'll share a little with you here:

1. The story is about a Norwegian Family, living in San Fransisco in 1910. There are 3 girls and 1 boy, along with Mama and Dad.

2. They are so careful with their money. Each week, Mama counts out the income and creates a pile for each expense, some for Elizabeth's shoes, some for the electric bill, etc. When the son asks if it is possible for him to attend high school, everyone in the family comes up with a sacrificial plan to provide the extra money to pay for this. Then Dad offers to give up his tobacco. I love how everyone works hard to contribute to the needs of the entire family.

3. I loved watching Mother go about her household duties and solving problems with dignity.

4. Here's a bit of trivia: Aunt Trina was played by Ellen Corby, who, 24 years later, became the famous and beloved Grandma Walton!


This movie was made in 1948, and was inspired by a book by Kathryn Forbes, "Mama's Bank Account," written about her grandmother. I own a copy of this book and love it! Later, there was a TV Show, sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee. My Mother loved to watch that program.

There are so many heartwarming scenes in this movie. I hope you can find a way to watch it!

Blessings,
Mrs. White

The Sewing Hour

There is a time, in a homemaker's day, called The Sewing Hour. It is when she sits quietly in the parlor and works on the sewing. Perhaps she is mending the family wardrobe? Or maybe she is hand-sewing a hem on a new garment? I am often working on an apron. There was a time when I would crochet a baby afghan, or sew a toddler quilt while praying or singing hymns.  This is a precious time of quiet devotion.

I urge you, dear ones, to use this time to listen to a godly, inspiring, convicting sermon. When the hour has past, you will put down your sewing and your heart will be full. Even though you may hold back tears (because of the sermon), you will get up and minister to your family!

Blessings,
Mrs. White

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