Happy New Year

(another blast from the past, for your reading enjoyment)

I'm waiting up for my 2 oldest children to get home from church and I have been collecting some wonderful quotes about home and family that have been inspiring me. One I have been thinking about for a day or two and it is speaking to me..... So, from the quotes I went wild and wrote down some more of my thoughts, and now have a wonderful Manifesto for My Home Life! I have felt a stirring lately of renewed love and enthusiasm for my family. More moments of pure and deep thankfulness for so many things. For healthy children. For coming home in March with a sweet baby rather than empty arms. For children who are really neat and special and that I like to be around. For so much blessing in life on so many levels. So, anyhow, I guess my little note to myself has been brewing in my heart lately, and I am glad I took the time to write it down. I thought you might enjoy seeing the quotes and what I wrote at the end.

"Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest: Homekeeping hearts are happiest..."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."~~Thomas Moore

"There should be a certain amount of order, because you cannot really rest in a disorderly place."~~Elsie de Wolfe

"Take time for all things."--Benjamin Franklin

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home."
--Johann von Goethe


HOME should be the place where we love the most and love the best. Our FAMILY should get our best attention, love, support, and respect.

I want home to be the place we give our best. Our best love, our best energy, our best creativity, our best patience and attention. I want our home and family to be the recipient of my talents. I want to use my time wisely and pour out my BEST STUFF on my family and those I love in ways that will make a difference both in daily life and in the long run and in eternity. I want to drop the extra stuff and just concentrate on being the best I can be right here in my home and with my precious family.

What to do about the frustration of not being able to make very much progress? Well, let’s see….. Make a way! Be more creative. Ask hubby for help in figuring this out. Pray for the Lord to show me how I can improve. Stop telling myself that this is too hard. Start reminding myself of how much I LOVE MY FAMILY and then ACT on it! Turn my heart toward home!!