The great rivers, and the mighty homemakers.

"Homes are the springs among the hills,
whose many streamlets, uniting,
form the great rivers
society
the community,
the nation,
the Church.

If the Springs run low,
the rivers waste.

If they pour our bounteous currents,
the rivers are full.

If the Springs are pure,
the rivers are clear like crystal;

If they are foul, the rivers are defiled."

--from Homemaking, by J.R. Miller

This quote has become an important inspiration for me as I live out my days. It is written out carefully and framed, and hangs on our foyer wall. All day as I go about my business of homemaking: caring for baby Elena, being a helpmeet to Jeff, toting things up and down the stairs, preparing fresh linens and laundry and food and dishes and striving to maintain a restful atmosphere in our household, I'm constantly passing by that frame. I keep an eye on it and let it remind me of God's purpose for the home.

I know only two other homemakers of my generation, and they live in states faaaaar away from me. Specifically, they are in Massachusetts and Alabama, and I am in Pennsylvania. Part of the reason I'm founding this homemaking blog is to have a way to connect with other homemakers; there are lots and lots of homemakers who share the above vision - I just haven't met them in person yet! However, I have visited many of their blogs and am incredibly encouraged by their presence on the web: via homemaking blogs I've read about homemakers in
Missouri,
Texas,
South Carolina,
Oregon,
and elsewhere.

It would be great to get together for tea or a sewing bee or something! But in the meantime, it is encouraging to at least be aware of one another's presence, sharing inspirations, swapping recipes, craft ideas, child rearing advice, book titles, stories and so on. Hello out there!
--Heather