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| Library of Congress: A snowy afternoon in Vermont, 1940 |
Most housewives used to rise very early in the morning. They would do the wash and then go out into the fresh air, in the quiet of the day, to hang the clothes on the line. This was a peaceful work. This was a time when they could pray, praise the Lord for his goodness, and enjoy some little moments of solitude.
A Homemaker would spend time in the kitchen, making a homemade breakfast, standing near the kitchen window doing dishes and making home a pretty place to be.
Sweeping, washing floors, dusting furniture, folding laundry, and making home pleasant and comfortable brought joy to grateful hearts.
Mother would read the Bible and pray. She would do mostly the same things each day. The routine brought stability and comfort to the family. Most everyone had the same kind of home - an ordinary home - where Mother was home and she took care of housekeeping.
This quiet life was like living out in the country during a winter holiday. It was like the days when there were horses and buggies, and traveling was not common before automobiles became the normal mode of transportation. Staying at home, tending the home, caring for the family, and helping others was ordinary.
This type of life is what the current generation is missing. They are starving for something they have never personally experienced. They are used to technology, multi-tasking, entitlement, self- absorption, and the frantic pace of the constant bombardment of modern advertising.
An ordinary life at home is one of the greatest needs of our time. We need mothers who will peacefully tend the home and genuinely love to be there. They need to be brave and patient. They need tender hearts and self-less spirits. The keeper of these ordinary homes are best found among those who are on their knees in prayer, and in those who find their greatest joy in reading the Holy Scriptures.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
The Way it Was - Caring for the Family at Home - A Comforting Sick Room.
Contentment with our - Standard of Living.
A Godly Mother is the Hostess at - The Mission House.
- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -
Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book -Mother's Book of Home Economics . Paperback, 312 pages.
36 comments:
I think you are right. It is lovely to see you posting on your blog again. :)
I so love your writing.
I really needed to read this today. Thank you!
Blessings and glad to visit your place!
Home is beautiful and I'm so happy to be here.
Summer's on her way,
d
Although I don't have a job, I am in a season when my family requires that I be away from home frequently. I miss the days of just being home and tending to needs there. I hope sometime soon I'll be able to come home and stay there more.
Blessings,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
I love this post. I have felt lately that the Lord is trying to remind me of this. My first love of home has gotten lost in the shuffle of life!
Please keep writing along these lines! I love to read your heartfelt posts.
Blessings,
Debbie
Thank you for posting this! I sent it on to my daughter-in-law,who is a new mother at home.
Becky
Wonderful!
I have such a strong desire to be more and more home focused. I'm finding this to be more difficult as my children get older and get involved in pursuing their own dreams---but I think anything is possible when we are intentionally striving for it. Thanks for the encouragement today!
I couldn't agree with you more, families raising children now are so so busy!
I crave my at home time and routine - I truly think it keeps me sane :)
SO needed this encouragement today. Wouldn't it be wonderful to visit with other like-minded Christian ladies? (blogs are good, but real hugs, even tears, are better.) Seems our culture, even in our churches, makes it difficult to support each other. Most daily I sense I am alone. Thankful that He is beside me, Deedy
What you say is so very true! Being a homemaker has been and still is, a great joy to me. Even though I am nearly 70 now and my children are raising their own children, I still find joy in keeping a neat, loving, orderly home for me and my husband. Unfortunately I see so many younger women today finding no excitement or joy in staying home, and seek something else. I am sorry to say that my daughters-in-law fall into this category. I have tried hard to provide an example for them, but I am often met with comments like: "Nobody does that anymore", or "that's too old fashioned, get with the times", or "we like to have money to spend". I tell them that no things or material goods can bring happiness - it can only come from within, from a sense of family, faith, purpose, and values. Having a closet full of new clothes, another car, fancy vacations, a big (and often unaffordable) home cannot take the place of inner peace and happiness. I feel that I am doing what God would have me do. The world cannot offer me any of this! I often think the world would sure be a better place if more women took the job of being a mother and homemaker a little more seriously.
Well said!
Beautiful, precious words, my friend! Home is the sweetest place of all to be...I am SO grateful to have the blessed privilege of being a wife and mother and doing the very things you spoke about. It is the highest, noblest of all womanly callings. Thank you for this lovely post!
I agree that it is great to see you posting on your blog again. God bless. My youngest is graduating and I am now working outside the home part time. My hubby hasn't had a job in almost 6 years. I am enjoying my job a lot as I enjoyed my many, many years at home taking care of my little ones and homeschooling. That season is over and a new one has started. I hope one day to be a stay at home wife and a grandmom and be involved in my grandchildren's lives... but for now... since no on is even courting... and we need the money... I work.
So true. It's comforting to just read about a typical day of a homemaker. I totally agree that this generation mostly is missing out on the stability of a mom at home. I am so grateful to God for placing me back in this role that I dearly love, with my son and his family after my husband went to be with the Lord. This situation allows me to minister in women's ministry at the church he pastor's and also to be a constant for the busy family of a Pastor. My two granddaughters are little ladies and their parents are bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of our Lord. I am so blessed.
Beautifully stated. Thank you.
Much love,
Marybeth
Thank you. I am pleased to read your post today. I miss your thoughts and writing. It is so rare to read words like yours.
How beautiful and I so long for like minded friends that uphold these things. I also pray I would stop feeling that pull of other things that rob this beauty.
How precious this was to read! Such a precious gift being a keeper at home is.
I have lived most of my life like this. Although, it has not been without cost to myself.
This is beautiful... there is such a drive for women to get OUT of the house... have a career, do what a man can do, etc.... and yet, God's plan really is best... and making a home for the family is a blessing to others... and also to the woman. Thank you.
Thank you for always providing a source of encouragement to be home, doing what the Lord has required of us. In our humble homes we worship by taking care of our family and leading them in God's ways. America needs more Christian women at home!
This was a lovely post. It was nice to read in both the post and the comments that there are other woman like me who appreciate being able to be at home. I find that there is a certain comfort to be found in accomplishing the everyday routines of homemaking.
My favorite thing about hanging laundry outside is the connection it gives me to the weather. It really matters to me if the sun shines or if there is a passing shower, so I notice it more. We have lost that connection today, by and large, and I love my garden for the same reason. Thanks for your words, found today at Faith Filled Fridays.
Love this post! It was a wonderful birthday present! My favorite work is hanging the clean laundry outside or inside during rainy or wintery weather. I have been a house wife for many years. Getting up early, getting started early, is so essential to a well run home. Having those extra early hours to read God's Word and get something accomplished makes all the difference, especially now that life is so much busier. I used to struggle with getting it all done each day when I was younger. I realized that I needed to put in a full days work.:) Sleeping in until 7:30 or so was not going to cut it. Thanks for posting again. Are you still sending the newsletter? ~ Diane
Such true words here. And it does take courage. It is not easy, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be working again, have good benefits. Hopefully, my sacrifice will bare fruit in the legacy of my family. Thank you for writing.
Mrs White, thank you so much for sharing this. While I am a young wife with no children and am currently in the workforce full-time, your writing always reminds me that I desire to stay home with my future children one day. You always put things in perspective - there is no need for the latest and greatest and fanciest of things; simple love, care and joy go a long, long way!
Thanks again, and may God bless you.
~Rachel
What a beautiful post! Enjoyed it so much and agree with your sentiments! Being at home is where I am the happiest! Many hugs :)
Amen!! Just what I'm striving for this summer now that things are slowing down a bit. Thank you for the gentle reminders of the good life! :)
Thank you! I can see from your comments women just eat this up! We do want to be home and do as the word teaches us. Just pray others will follow!
Roxy
Miss you!
Your post was a breath of fresh air. My favorite show is Little House on the Prairie. I love the simplicity of that life, God never far from their thoughts, no blaring lights and noise to "drown Him out".
I have been convicted more and more that even in the hustle and bustle of the 21st Century, I too can live a life of simplicity.
Thank you for the beautiful words you shared painting wonderful images to be grasped here and now.
I agree with you! The quiet ordinary life is what we this generation needs. My children are grown but I enjoy my grandchildren . I have tea with my 3 granddaughters . They read Psalms 23 while we eat treats and sip our tea. :) Your writing is always comforting & with such gentleness. Thank you.
This is so encouraging. I'm thankful for your posts. 💕
"...an ordinary home - where Mother was home and she took care of housekeeping."
Yes.
It used to be ordinary. Today it is extraordinary. I hope more and more women have the guts to ignore the lies of the world and return to the good life,
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