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| Snowy Landscape at Mrs. White's Vermont Home. |
There is a gentle snow falling here in rural Vermont. It looks so peaceful and pretty as I look out the window. Even though the calendar claims the season as spring, it is still winter here in the mountains of New England.
This is a good time to rest. It is a good time to make resolutions for the coming year. Perhaps planning out little gardens to plant when the last of the frost is gone? Maybe think about all the things we would like to do this summer? It can be a happy time of bundling up and sitting near a cozy fire dreaming of spring flowers and sunshine.
I am doing less these days. I remember when all my children were young. They helped me so much with the chores and housekeeping. They did much of the cooking with me and the planning to keep budgets under control. While they learned valuable life skills and work ethics, I had happy comrades to help me in my work.
Now that the helpers are all grown up, I am not able to do all the chores and duties. So I've had to make changes - find ways of doing less of other things so I could rest more. Of course, there is less work in a smaller household, but there can still be an urgency (in this culture) to multitask and be so busy with projects, making money, and running around that we can become stressed and burdened. Sometimes, we do not even notice this is happening to us until we are forced to stop. Perhaps by a snowstorm or a car that will not work. Sometimes it is by a sickness that forces us to rest. Once we accept these detours (of sorts), and yield to them, we find a benefit of peace and a rest for our minds.
Doing less is definitely the opposite of the race this culture is running. But it gives us time to read the Bible more and to pray more without rushing. It gives us an aura of gentleness and spreads a light of cheerfulness to those around us.
Doing less can mean many things. To me it means I do not want to be swept up with the distractions and glitter of this life that tend to lure me away from a quiet, simple life of a happy, godly home.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
I want to be - The Mother Who Isn't Busy.
Good propaganda - Kitchen Sermons.
A happy day of - Gracious Homemaking.
Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."
11 comments:
It so nice to read a new post Mrs. White. How are you and Mr. White feeling? I am sure you are ready for spring time weather. May God bless you.
Thank you for a gentle reminder about the benefits of slowing down, doing less, and being fully present in the moment to enjoy the things that matter. It is what I needed to read this morning.
Yay! A post from Mrs. White! I could not agree more. We live a very slow paced life. It is counter culture, indeed. I did not always see the blessing in it. I praise God now for "setbacks" and reduced circumstances.
Blessings
Mrs.O
A beautiful peaceful post Mrs. White. I, too, wish to know how you are feeling. I will be happy to pray for you if you'd like to email me.
Mrs. Laura Lane
Harvest Lane Cottage
lauraofharvestlane@gmail.com
Dear Mrs. White,
I appreciate your insight and can well identify with where you are in life right now.
My husband and I lived alone for a couple years, after the 3 boys grew up, and life was peaceful and comfortable. Then he got cancer and after struggling for eight years he left for GLORY. That was five years ago. My pastor son and his wonderful family moved in with me to help me keep his daddy home until the end. Now he is the head of the house and is a marvelous husband, father to his two young daughters ( 8 & 13 )and a son who honors me and serves our church well.
However, I find myself exhausted and melancholy frequently.
I have some painful issues but nothing to big to not be able to work around. My daughter in law works full time because pastor's don't make a great deal, I try to keep up the wash, dishes (no dishwasher in our home) and make suppers.
Having quiet time is essential and they honor that, I guess I'm just emotionally tired. Actually I am incredibly blessed.
Anyway, I am always encouraged by your blog and admire you and love your books as well.
Thanks for everything.
Mrs. Clark
Oh how I wish for snow! I told my nephew I would live in winter weather all year if I could. He said," You would miss the flowers blooming!" I told him I'd go buy them at the store. He said that was cheating. He is right, I wouldn't want to miss out on that beauty! It is extremely rare here, in Southeast Texas, for what slush we call snow and has already gotten quite hot last week as we were planting our garden and doing chores about the house. I told my husband we are already complaining and it isn't even summer yet. We are never satisfied. I try to remember to be joyful in everything and I want so badly for a slower, old fashioned life! I do hope you are feeling well! So happy to hear from you!
Mrs. Robichaux
Dear Mrs White, I'm glad that you can find joy in slowing down and enjoy the beauty of the snow. Planning the garden is so much fun, I hope your strawberry patch does well this year. Ours wasn't so good last year, but we generally find the year after a not so good year the strawberries are so much better. Our weather is overcast and cloudy but as the tumble dryer broke I'm still putting laundry out on the line, it sort of dryers. Sadly we didn't get any snow to enjoy this year. I hope and pray that Mr White is doing better. Thank you for writing, your posts are an encourager to trust God and just keep going. Well my daughters have just got home. A day of visiting.
Blessings to you all
shelley p
Such a rare concept... doing less. I have lamented that we rush so much and so often that there is no time to ponder things anymore... no time to sit and reflect. Many times, it is easy to ignore the best things in order to do lesser things and we all suffer when this happens.
Dear Mrs. White,
Thank you so very much for sharing your daily life's struggles and joys. I feel God inspires your writings, as they encourage me to be the best homeschooling, stay at home Mom that I can be without transportation in the cold mountains of the Northwest. Daily depending on God is amazing in it's surprising journey of what is to come on the narrow path. Looking forward to reading more of your writings, and I have your books, as well. What is your mailing address, please? I would love to recieve your newsletters by mailing you a SASE, I no longer have an email. thank you again and God bless . you!
love, Mrs. P. Sherman
Hello Mrs. White, Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. : )
It seems we are in a similar season of life...Yes, I too try to simplify as much as possible since my youngest is now 23. I too think the multi-tasking idea has become somewhat of an epidemic. It seems like it is a good way to wear out our adrenals etc. There truly is something to be said for just contemplating, creating, reading etc. I usually nap and then wind things down for the day with only the odds and ends of supper to do. Many days I just go ahead and compose our supper in the late morning and oh it feels soooo good to have that done on certain days! : )
Thank you again for coming by my blog and taking the time to leave such a sweet comment. I enjoyed seeing your Billy Graham link, I too enjoy those old sermons from time to time, there is just something about them. I also like your John Wesley quote too!
Blessings to you and may you have a sweet restful day in Christ. : )
Wonderful to slow down and enjoy life! Always enjoy visiting your place.
God bless,
d
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