Things they will remember...

The fast paced life style that our culture promotes today doesn't often afford us the enjoyment of simple things.  Unfortunately the fast paced life style often times leaves mom feeling frazzled and at the end of her rope.  She barks orders (I bark orders) at everyone in an effort to get everyone out of the house to go to the next "event", she stresses over dusting and cleaning all the possessions she owns (I do), she doesn't sing because she is thinking about everything that needs to get done (exactly), she doesn't lay down at night with the kids because she wants her time (that's me).  She meets dad at the door with the baby and says "HERE!" because she was too tired and frazzled from a day filled with cleaning, appointments, cooking, and other things (that could have been done much more peacefully and efficiently if they had been well planned but mom never has time to plan ahead).  She plants seeds in the garden but forgets to water them because she was on the go so many mornings.  


Our children aren't going to remember every single field trip that we took them to, or every single sport we took them to every week, or every movie we bought them, nor each new toy.  They may remember how clean the house was but I doubt it will warm their hearts if you yelled at everyone or neglected to spend time with them to maintain it. 

Here are the things I want my children to remember...

The smell of home made foods that were in the house each day, all the evenings we spent sitting down to eat dinner together around the table, lots of cuddles on the couch giggling and telling stories, the apron momma always wore, the way she held you until you were too big to hold anymore and swayed and danced in the living room, the way she looked at daddy when he came in from work... the way her eyes lit up when she talked about him, how she tidied up the house and lit a candle before he came home from work, how she would crawl up in bed at night and cuddle and tell stories, the way you all planted seeds in the garden and harvest them together, the songs she would sing while she did the dishes, the way she walked, the way she talked.  Her gentle and sweet spirit.... 

Managing a home and leaving a legacy for our children takes planning and effort so that days go smoothly and calmly.  It's a lot of work that needs to be done behind the scenes, when the children are in bed.  We need to be trained by older mothers, our mothers, our grandmothers, other people's grandmothers!  There is work to do!  We have a legacy to leave!

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.      
1 Peter 3:3-6


Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Titus 2:3-5



A wife of noble character who can find? 

       She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her 

       and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm, 

       all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-12

She speaks with wisdom,
       and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
 
She watches over the affairs of her household
       and does not eat the bread of idleness.
 
Her children arise and call her blessed;
       her husband also, and he praises her:
Proverbs 31:26-28