Monday, October 15, 2012

The Duties of Home

Magpie Lane, Oxford, Illustration from the 'History of Oxford' Engraved by J. Bluck (Fl.1791-1831)


In hospitals, "housekeeping" comes in each morning and cleans the rooms. Trash is removed, the floor is swept, the room is disinfected and everything is put back to "rights."   These same tasks are duties that must be done in the home.  However, sadly, housework today is often neglected because our mentality of "freedom," catering to our moods, and the idea that chores are to be done on a flexible schedule (in other words: when one feels like it).

Honestly, I fight with this attitude myself. It is a daily battle.  But we must do our sweeping and our washing and our cleaning and our cooking, all at routine, expected times. This brings order in the home. It brings stability, and it keeps things pleasant and clean.

The best way to do this, is to make it a habit. There should be morning duties. There should be afternoon tasks, and evening work. This is a highly valuable job and it should be done with pride, despite our lazy moods.   I am as much to blame as anyone else!    Underneath it all, I have the mindset of an entitled, pampered, slacker. (gentle smiles)  This is why I often have to set a "mood" to clean and keep house.

I have to turn on a sermon, or old gospel music, on my kitchen radio. I have to light candles, fluff pillows, and straighten the drapes before I can start anything.   Once I commence my work, I love it!  I love to vacuum carpets, polish furniture, shine mirrors and do dishes by the back window.  The hard part, for most of us, is just putting down the cup of tea, setting aside a good book, and getting out of a comfortable parlour chair to do the chores.


Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Please be one of these! - A Wife Who Does Not Complain.

Is It True? - Only Rich People Have Clean Houses.

For Those Very Sad Times - Trouble with Teenagers.







Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking." Paperback, 200 pages. 







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





11 comments:

Anonymous said...

*sigh* Right once again, Mrs. White. Here I go.... Thanks for the gentle kick in the [skirt]. ~smile~

God Bless you this day,
Mrs. Skutt

Dolores said...

You are so right Mrs. White! I really needed this post today.

Dianna said...

Thank you so much for this post. It is just what I needed this morning.

susan.cramer said...

What do you think I'm here reading your blog for? You're my inspiration this morning (and a lot of mornings) :)

Cathy said...

So true--it's so much nicer keeping house when you've made a habit of doing things. You can enjoy it more, instead of trying to escape the responsibilities of the housework.

Elle said...

I need to get the cd player out so I can move it from room to room and play the gospel music. That might make it easier for me too.

Thank you for the push! My floors thank you too LOL.

Anonymous said...

You are SO RIGHT! I just looked around at a pile of clutter, poured a cup of coffee and turned on the computer! LOL, time to get to work! Thanks for the friendly shove, Dee

Melanie said...

This is just what I needed to hear. Thank you for sharing your wisdom in your gentle and kind way. It is always nice when a motivating "boot in the behind" feels more like a warm hug.

Becoming a Woman of Excellence said...

I am one of the many women, who have no choice (of my own) but to leave our home, each and every morning, to also help in providing.

But each and every morning before I go, I turn around and take a last glance at our little home and what I have to leave, with deep sorrow within my soul. And so I leave to go to work, but my heart is left at home....

And every awaking minute, of every single day, I pray to God, if I could only be one of those women, who are greatly privileged, to share His vision, of a godly homemaker...

April said...

I found your blog a few months ago, and I read through probably 90% of your posts over a couple of weeks. Now when I get to feeling slack in the evenings after work I ask myself, "What would Mrs. White think?" Then I get up and take care of whatever task I was avoiding. :) Thank you for your posts to inspire me to look at housework as something beautiful.

Lifetime said...

Good points Mrs. White!