Beautiful Homemakers

   Ten years ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a party and my brother and I shared a few memories of growing up. Here are mine: I am so thankful for my parents. Many people have asked, “Do you really know how lucky you are to have them for your parents?” And believe me, I do know. For one thing, we all actually liked it when my dad came home! Some friends would think they’d have to leave, or even hide, but I knew that if we had made a fort that day out of chairs and blankets, my dad would go through it! If we played with cars and made block towns, it would stay up for my dad to admire. We were excited when he came home! We also loved rainy days at our house. Not just because of the rain, but because we knew that when we got home from school, fresh hot chocolate chip cookies would be coming out of the oven. We’d run home! Even my dad didn’t mind the traffi...

  Today is one for those of you who have elementary aged children, approximately age 4 to 9. My son loved this book when he was six and seven years old. I inquired with Moody Press and they said I could read it on YouTube. It’s from 1952 and was written by Aunt Theresa Worman. We hear so much about “dysfunctional” families, that I wanted to introduce you to this 10-chapter storybook about a functional Christian family. To hear all chapters in succession, go to my YouTube channel Beautiful Homemaking youtube.com/@beautifulhomemaking , then go to “Playlists,” “At the Bangles’ House,” and then hit “play all.” At the Bangles’ House, Chapter 1: Yankee Doodle, New Version; Meet Patty and Billy Bangle 10 min A is for ______________, friend of God he; Surely it’s what you and I want to be. B is for ______________, the one David slew; I couldn’t do it, neither could you. C is for ______________, the d...

  Driving off into the sunshiny, springtime woods!      When I was growing up there was a book in our church library that I loved to check out called Richard Scarry’s A Story A Day (affiliated link).  It had 365 short stories and poems, and my favorite one was Lucky Mrs. Hen (page 77).  The story starts off with a dark rain storm.  Mrs. Hen decides to clean her house, while the neighbors just stare out the window and lament the rain, having wanted to work in the garden.    But little Mrs. Hen put on her apron and cleaned her house.  When every corner was spick and span, she did her baking, clucking happily to herself.  Then she made doughnuts.  Just as she was sprinkling them with sugar, the rain stopped and pop! out came the sun!    “Just in time,” clucked Mrs. Hen.  “I’ll wash windows.”  She did. And she cut her grass and planted her garden.  Then, since the day ...

Being home has an impact on our children.  It provides them with a feeling of stability and security.  We teach them manners, character, our Christian values, what the Bible says, and how to live and spend our time.  With the internet, they need more watching than ever before, at all ages.  Long hours of time at home teaches them to be content, gives them time to dream, and models for them how a Christian home functions differently than the rest of the world.  We teach them how to care for the family home by doing chores with them.  We teach them how to be cheerful, and to be content with what the Lord provides.  We teach them financial principles.  We teach them how to make the most of what we have.  We bake with them, and teach them how to cook.  We kiss them, and we play games with them.  We read to them, and pray with them.  We are needed at home. God called me to be a homemaker and I love to be at home.  O...

  People often commented on my young son’s vocabulary and maturity when we were at stores, the library, and offices, and if they heard him read anything, they would remark on his skill level and reading style – the ability to the change each character’s voice properly with no stumbling over words or who was speaking, voice inflections, and enthusiasm. My brother eventually asked me, “What did you DO?  He’s 5 and reading at a third grade level!”  By 8 he was at an 8 th grade level, and at 13, he was reading at the college level. I answered, “I just read to him.  A lot.  Hours every day.” “How many books do you have in your house?” “I don’t know.  Let’s count them.”  We estimated 6,000 (and I have a small house, but there are several bookcases in every room). “But surely these aren’t the books you read to him?” “No, not all.  Not yet, anyways.” I related to him the story of going into our local library when JR was 3 and the libr...

Do you know that a great many women say to God, “Just show me a sign that you want me to keep this baby.”  OR  “God, help me.  Just show me a sign of what you want me to do!” On the way to my doctor’s office, I passed a home that had a sign that caught my eye.  It showed an ultrasound picture of a fetus with the word “ME” under it, and beside it was a picture of the born baby with the words “Still Me” under it, and “Choose Life!”  What a sign!   (By the way, fetus is the Latin word for baby or offspring, so yes, a fetus is a baby. ) What if every pro-life family had a sign like this in front of their house? STOP:  What have you done today to help protect the unborn? That was the message that greeted me when I opened my mailbox upon coming home from the doctor’s office.  It was on the envelope of a pregnancy center we help support. Inside the envelope was a beautiful picture of a tiny baby and a Thomas Jefferson quote:...

1.  Practice silence in the car.  Turn off that radio.  Or have a child read out loud.  Or get books on tape.  Adventures in Odyssey! Or old radio shows.  Silence helps your children to talk to you, and if alone, for you to think deeply.  Or introduce your child to one classical piece of music each day.  It always grows on the child.  It's brain food.  It's also calming.  And they will begin to recognize it all over the place.  Learn together.  My favorite: Pachelbel's Canon in D.  2.  At home - turn off the TV.  Turn off the music.  What do you hear?  "Be still and know that I am God."  When was the last time you were still? 3.  Practice Peace.  A quieter home - just people living, candles (real or battery).  Listen to the quiet sounds of home.  Choose family books to read aloud.  Begin with a Children's Bible storybook, such as The Rhyming Bible for little...

I did this complete the sentence "quiz" last mother's day and everyone had a lot of fun.  Feel free to copy and paste and make your own version for mother's day.   (A. Sarnoff) If you don't stop, your face will _________.  I only have two ______________! Let me ______________ it and make it better. Go ask your _______________. Because I ______________. Because I'm your ______________. Get your hair out of your ____________. Eat it, it's ______________________. Don't put that in your ______________; you don't know where it's been! I don't care who _______________. If all your friends _________________, would you do it, too? You call that _____________? Clean your plate, there are ______________________. ______________ doesn't grow on trees. Don't ever forget that _________________________. You'll always be my _____________________. www.keeping-house.blogspot.com Possible answers (if giving away priz...

Sallyedelsteincollage.com There are two schools of thought in teaching young children: " Better Early Than Late " and " Better Late Than Early ."  I fall into both camps.  I agree with all those people who see that their preschoolers can memorize anything, and believe you should take this window (that closes around age 7 or 8) to help your child memorize Bible verses, the times tables, helping verbs, and other pertinent life facts.  At age four, my son (like your child) was memorizing a favorite video.  When my husband was aged 4-8 he inadvertently memorized commercials (and can win all jingle contests at parties).  When I was that age we went to church three times a week, and so without trying to, I memorized hymns (for which I am forever grateful!).  But I didn't want my son memorizing The Three Little Pigs video!  So we began Classical Conversations, and I'm glad we did.  He (we) learned a lot.  Their timeline song is amaz...