"For I know
the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a
future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,
and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart."--Jeremiah 29:11-13
About me:
...a
saved-by-grace wife of twenty-six years, who's followed around by
her eight children. Lover of getting lost in writing a
story, rainy days, new stacks of library books, the scent of
cookies baking, a cup of Darjeeling, my garden when the flowers
behave, and old comforting things.
Where
I'm writing:
A Contemplative Joy (my online journal)
The Overstuffed Chair (writings from The Mother's Hour)
The
Mother's Hour Herbalist
Books in my
necessary pile right now:
'The
Pace of a Hen' by Josephine Moffett Benton
'The
Quotidian Mysteries--Laundry, Liturgy, and Women's Work' by
Kathleen Norris
'Acedia & Me--A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life' by
Kathleen Norris
'Holiness
for Housewives' by Dom Hubert Van Zeller
Multi-tasking
takes away the joy of puttering.
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The Mother's Hour
Spring 2010
Ah, just the
basics of life...
No hurries, no
worries.
Following are some
of the posts I've sent to The Mother's Hour email list.
Nothing earth shattering is happening here, just plain living and
learning to be faithful...I hope.
On prayer
"Your whole purpose, then, is to work out a way of praying that directs every effort toward God--and to work out a way of directing so that everything becomes a prayer."--Dom Hubert Van Zeller
Many times I pray at the beginning of the day and then forget about it. I become busy and distracted, even often forgetting what I prayed about in the morning. This verse above talks about inviting prayer into all parts of our day including our chores. To worship the Father through mothering and housework, so that He's interwoven into the fabric of our whole day.
Something to think about, I believe.
Finding Bits of
Joy
"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience."--Emily Dickinson
Well, the word 'ecstatic' is a bit radical for me, but I do love a day that holds a bit of wonder.
Today, the children have done a bare minimum of schoolwork and now in the afternoon, they're all (the ones who aren't out working) in the backyard. The little girls have made a bed for themselves and the boys are making a fort under the play set. Everyone is occupied but only with what brings them pleasure. A decadent day perhaps?!!
I'm sitting in the living room, windows are open and I'm baking heart-shaped devil's food muffins with chocolate chips. Truly. I'm not making that one up, even though it sounds as if I might be. I wanted to indulge in a little bit of baking 'by myself'. And while the Little Red Hen wanted help, I really enjoy doing some things alone. I don't often get the chance, but it does make for a relaxing afternoon. Mixing, measuring and spooning batter---all by myself. That's what I call bliss. Might not rate as ecstatic, but for me it's perfection.
A Gladys Taber
Quote
"Walking to the mailbox in the snow, I reflected that one has to know the change of the seasons to believe in spring when it is January. This also, I thought, is true of the heart. The heart can endure its own winter, provided there is faith in spring. All of us have times when trouble seems to be more important than anything else. Sickness and death make us wonder why we keep on. Almost everyone, I think, has had moments of wondering whether it is worth it. Economic hardships can wear courage down too, especially when there are young children to take care of.
But life has its rhythms as the seasons do, and the most bitter times may be followed by an easing. It is very important, in winter, to remember that spring is coming along. The new tulips will blossom in dark splendor, the lilacs will pour forth a headier fragrance. In the spring of the heart, too, we have gardening to do, planting seeds of good will, helpfulness, and faith."--from
Stillmeadow Sampler by Gladys Taber
Just encouraging thoughts on this day.
To Stop and
Think
"My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work."--Henri Nouwen
This says it all. I really can't add a thing. Puts a whole different shine on how I look at my children and their continual needs, in the midst of my own busyness.
Take
care,
Melissa
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"The
shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.
"--Sydney Smiles
scripts by dynamic drive,
with pretty borders and artwork by ivy's
graphics
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