Book Review: Home-Making by J.R. Miller

This is one of my favorite books. It is now being sold under the title The Family. I think the name change was probably due to the fact that the book is not so much about Home-making as we think of the term, but about making a home. There are nine chapters, each of which adresses a different aspect of home life. For the most part, it focuses on family relationships, and the reponsibilities of each individual towards the others. This book is beautifully written, and even though it was originally published in 1882, it is still just as relevant to today's families.

Here is an exerpt from the section on "Brothers and Sisters":

"Next to mother and father there is no one who can do so much to help a young man to live nobly as his own sister. She cannot always go with him. Her weak arm could not always shield him if she were beside him. But there is a help which she can give him that will prove mightier than her presence. It is not the help of good advice and earnest words --these should have power too-- but the help rather of silent and holy influence, gained in the home by a life of unselfishness nad beauty, and then held as a potent charm outside and beyond the home walls... May I try to tell you, dear girls, how you can indeed be your brothers' guardian angels? Show them in your own lives at home the perfect grace and beauty of true, noble and lofty womanhood. Strive after all that is delicate, all that is pure, all that is tender, all that is holy and sacred in their divine ideal of woman. Show them in yourselves such perfect loveliness that they will turn away ever after from everything that is unlovely. Make virtue so as they see it embodied in you that they will always be repelled by vice..."

Come and See...

My mom's new blog!

www.thefiberbug.blogspot.com

Embellishment for Holes

I found a nice shirt on sale at a thrift store the other day, but as I inspected it more closely, I realized why it was on sale. There was a small, perfectly round hole near the hem. I was disappointed at first, because I really liked the shirt, but then I decided since it didn’t cost much, I could just mend the hole and make it as good as new.

Now, my mends typically aren’t that pretty, and I wasn’t able to find exactly the right color of thread, but the perfect roundness of the hole gave me an idea.
I embroidered a flower over the mend, and now it’s even better than new! –And only you privileged few readers know that there was ever a hole!

It occurred to me as I was working, that this is what God so often does in our lives. He takes the ugly, unraveling holes and not only mends them, but uses them to make our lives more beautiful. He gives us “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” that He might be glorified in our lives. (Is.61:3)

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28

Handshakes

Have you ever had to shake hands with someone who had such an atrocious handshake it made you shudder? I recently met someone who had what I call the “dead fish handshake”. Their hand was completely limp. (And slightly slimy…eew!) My Dad always told me that one can learn a lot about a person by the way they shake hands. The following are my observations of what one can learn from a handshake.

The shrinking shake: This is the handshake that lasts less than a second, (often accompanied by distinct fishiness of the deceased variety) which clearly communicates dislike or discomfort.

The speed shake: At the end of this shake, one is often surprised to find that his hand has not vibrated off! Often fueled by the exuberance of youth, this shake clearly denotes enthusiasm or excitement. –Or a rather extreme excess of caffeine or sugar. : )

The trick shake: This shake could take several forms, and is usually completely unpredictable. Such a shake reveals a personality with an all-too-healthy dose of mischief in it.

The rival shake: In order to experience this shake, one must participate. Instead of maintaining an appropriately firm grasp of the other person’s hand, both parties grip as hard as they can for as long as they can, or until one surrenders. This shake reveals a competitive or adversarial spirit.

The warm shake: This is the best kind of shake. Hearty, firm, and often accompanied by a happy smile, this shake communicates warmth of feeling and friendship.

Just like Daddy always says, you can learn a lot from a handshake. What does yours say about you?

My First Proposal

Last summer I had my very first proposal, offered by a sweet and very handsome young man, with dark brown eyes and a charming smile. –But before anyone gets too excited, perhaps I should mention that the charming young gentleman was my eight-year-old nephew. : )

***

He and his two sisters had come to stay with us for three days, and since the box of toys was (and sadly, is) still buried somewhere deep in our massive garage, we played with some of the random things they found in my room. At one point, one of them found a little box of rings which kept them all pleasantly occupied for quite some time. My youngest niece, who was about to turn two, was delighted with it, and immediately started sorting the tangled mess of rings, (That’s my girl!) : ) while her older sister tried each one on to see if any were small enough to fit her. My nephew, however, looked carefully through the box until he found a ring with a pretty rhinestone in it and asked me --in a very deep, but equally silly voice-- to marry him. I laughed at the silly voice and explained that I couldn’t marry him, and he went away for a few moments. To my surprise, he came back with a ring that had a bigger stone in it, and said “Now will you marry me?” again I refused, and he went away, only to return with the biggest, most gaudy ring he could find, and triumphantly declared, “Now you have to marry me!”

***

It always amazes me what these little ones come up with! Whether we realize it or not, they are ever watching us and learning from our examples. May God help us each to be the much-needed godly examples for those younger than we!

Recipies!

For those of you who like to try new recipies, my brother-in-law has a blog with some delicious recipies. My mom and I recently made the Red Pepper Carrot Soup, which was amazing! It's one of those rare things that is good for you, but tastes good too!

Amazing Chocolate Peanutbutter Fudge...

So, in getting ready for a party I'm having, I decided to make some of my favorite chocolate peanutbutter fudge. It's so easy and quite delicious, so I thought I'd post the recipe:

1 (8 oz.) package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (One package is about two cups)
1 cup of peanutbutter

Melt the chocolate chips, then add the peanutbutter and stir. Pour fudge into a cake pan, or pipe into mini muffin cups for a fancier presentation.

*On a side note, I recently discovered that a simple ziplock-type bag can be used instead of a pastry bag. Just cut off one corner to make the tip the size you need. Having the top of the bag closed keeps it from getting too messy. : )