PrincipledMom™

Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, "Alas! Must I rock the baby? wash its diapers? make its bed? smell its stench? stay at nights with it? take care of it when it cries? heal its rashes and sores? and on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade, take care of this and take care of that? do this and do that? and endure this and endure that? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?"What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful and despised duties in the spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels.
Its says, "O God, I confess I am not worthy to rock that little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of a child and its mother. How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? Oh, how gladly will I do so. Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised, neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress me for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight."

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Am I the only one tired of the recent toy recalls? Not because I necessarily have those toys, but because it is a painful reminder of the commercialism of our children. Not to mention to cost and limited ability of the toy you buy. It will only do one thing and usually doesn't encourage much creative imagination.

We as Americans have become dependent on entertainment for stimulation, education and even "babysitting"---and it needs to stop. Here are some things you can offer your younger children instead of licensed plastic toys.

• Blocks of all kinds. Plain, wooden ones with no paint. A friend or relative can cut some for you in a jiffy, and the kids can help sand them down.
• Tea set with mis-matched corelle dishes from a thrift store. They won't break and they are much more affordable than the cheaply made ones from the toy store.
• Use your imagination. Enough said.
• Help your children start their own business.
• Learn a new hobby, like sewing or knitting (or bookmaking!), together.
• Go outside and PLAY.
• Give your girls some of your old makeup to play in.
• Put on a family play or make a home movie. Write a script, create costumes, the works.
• Sponge fights are fun on hot days. A couple of buckets filled with water, some jumbo sponges and a couple of kids are all you need. They soak the sponges and throw them at each other. What's not to like!?
• Have a regular sing-along night.
• Get your kids the real thing. If they like to tinker, get them real tools (even from a garage sale) and find some scrap wood or old clocks for them to take apart. Get them a real sewing machine or gardening tools. They will learn much more and things won't break the day after you bring them home.
• Put them to work. Children must learn to serve others and doing it as a family is better than playing with a certain blonde doll. Give them chores, adopt a needy family, whatever. It will do wonders for their character. And *bonus* your house will stay cleaner!
• Read aloud often. Listening to good literature is a joy.
• Go to the library and research something you all want to learn about.
• Go on a pretend vacation. Learn all about where you would like to go. Make a lapbook, cook some food, decorate the house and enjoy your "vacation."

For lots more fun ideas, check the web, or use your own creativity. Let your children escape the television and enjoy their imaginations. at first they will complain but after a while you will wonder how you ever had time to watch all that TV. And you'll save a ton of money on toys kids only play with for a little while.

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What's not to like? I am definitely in need of some strategic loveliness around here.

My five things for this week:

1. paint the table in my living room to match my other furniture
2. give myself a pedicure
3. read more of The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer
4. complete the wedding gift for my cousin and his bride-to-be: a handmade book of course!
5. Serve my dinners at the table, as opposed to serving from the stove (I know, I have a long way to go!)

Joing the fun at Charming the Birds From the Trees.

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I have been pursuing art in the paper medium, but lately I have been very interested in something more, shall we say, domestic? I have been perusing the web for some vintage patterns for my kitchen towels and other projects. Some links I have found myself frequenting include:

Primrose Design Stitch School has amazing tutorials on about twenty stitches and they are not to be missed. If you have wanted to teach your daughter or granddaughter some needlework, don't miss it (check her sidebar).

Pattern Bee vintage redwork and needlework patterns. They also offer some freebies and also an embroidery primer to teach you several stitches while creating some cute projects. Your daughter might enjoy them.

One Hour Craft has lots of great things to make. Not all needlework, but fun to check out.

Nordic Needle has many types of supplies and books. I am interested in the Hardanger embroidery, as my great-grandparents immigrated from Norway and Denmark and this type of embroidery is very Scandinavian.

As for sewing inspiration, please, please visit Posie. Her little textile goodies are too yummy to miss!

And while we are on the sewing subject, I must mention one of my favorite mags on the topic--Quilting Arts.

I will post some great links for knitting (especially for you lefties--like me!) and other wholesome pastimes.

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I have been reading through a book online and was so pleased with it that I have ordered a copy from Amazon. The Mother at Home; or the Principles of Maternal Duty by the Rev. John S.C. Abbott is wonderful. You can see it all online here.
Flip through it and enjoy his instruction.

It is full of practical help and insight into the role and importance of the mother in the home (as our first sphere of government, right?).

Here is a quote concerning Washington that gives all mothers cause for pause:

The mother of Washington is entitled to a nation's gratitude. She taught her boy the principles of obedience, and moral courage, and virtue. She, in a great measure, formed the virtue of the hero, and the statesman. It was by her own fire-side that she taught her playful boy to govern himself; and thus he was prepared for the brilliant career of usefulness which he afterward pursued. We are indebted to God for the gift of Washington; but we are no less indebted to him for the gift of his intestimable mother. Had she been a weak, and indulgent, and unfaithful parent, the unchecked energies of Washington might have elevated him to the throne of a tyrant; or youthful disobedience might have prepared the way for a life of crime and a dishonored grave.

 I love the language of liberty in this description. We should all keep in mind what Ms. Dang referred to as "the power of one." Mrs. Washington understood this principle and a nation was born as a result.

This also reminds me of a passage in T&L by Rev. S. Phillips: "'...when there is a Sarah in the house, there will be an Isaac in the cradle; wherever there is a Eunice teaching a Timothy the scriptures from a child, there will be a Timothy teaching the Gospel to the rest of mankind....'" (p. 11)

I cannot wait to get my copy to mark up and highlight!

Anna-Marie

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