Taking stock of your skills!


A young lady's preparation for wife and mother —Advice from 1939:

While every young girl should strive to fit herself for the duties of womanhood, a special responsibility rests upon the young woman who is a promised wife, and, if God willing, a promised mother. She is shortly to join her husband in the making of a new home, in the founding of a family. Upon her will largely depend the happiness of their home and the character of their family life. It behoves the bride-to-be to undergo a ridge self-examinations.

She should, as it were, take stock of her various gifts and qualifications.

Should she find her character lacking in any way of the virtues which are necessary to the success of the wife and mother, she would do well to strive for their attainment. She should also seek with all diligence to cultivate the womanly graces which already adorn her character.

. . . . Many a bride has made a miserable failure of marriage because she was wholly unfitted to discharge its sacred duties. The sensible maiden will store her mind with useful knowledge, and will train her fingers until they become deft in such housewifely arts as cookery, sewing, mending, and sick nursing.  


Take stock of her various gifts and qualifications: How many young women today examine their skills ("gifts and qualifications") when they are engaged to see what areas they need to improve so once married so they don't struggle with the running of the home? None I suspect.

In fact most would laugh at this advice.

But just like the training one receives (i.e. going off to college) before becoming a nurse or teacher, skilling up on homemaking isn't as silly as it sounds.  We have to eat, so learning how to buy food, store food, prepare food and how to handle left over foods are all necessary skills and at times lifesaving (the last thing you want to do is poison your family due to the mishandling of food). I did home-economics at school (all students once participated in this subject, I doubt they do anymore) and I learnt a lot about cooking. I also had a mother who believed it was important to teach me (and my brothers) how to cook (and clean) so I was well prepared, but from reading blogs, many women are not and as a consequence, have struggled for years in the management of their homes. Whilst I didn't have any daughters, I did train up my sons on how to cook and clean and how to look after a home (these skills are never wasted). As a result, they are both very competent at managing a home (remember, not all men get married or like my dad, looks after himself as he lives alone). 

Interestedly, the list of skills remembered by the book, includes skills in looking after the sick — i.e. know what to do when a child or husband has a cold or flu. This is really sensible advice and one we all should know before having children. Do you incorporate first aid in your homeschooling? I think it is a great idea and perhaps an area that is missed. 

— Do train up your children in home management so they don't struggle for years. It is a gift that their husbands and children will thank you for. 

Upon her will largely depend the happiness of their home and the character of their family life: Most modern wives no longer understands (or perhaps even cares) how vital her role is in the home and how important she is to the happiness in the home.  If the wife doesn't' keep the home clean and tidy, is a poor cook, doesn't stock the pantry, beds left unmade, washing piling up — the home isn't much of a home — and it isn't a place where her family will want to spend time or a place to invite others to. Creating a home is one of our primary calling (She watches over the ways of her household ~ Proverbs 31:27) and we need to able to create a home that is the best place to ever be. 

— Do train up your children to understand the importances of creating a home and not just a house. 


According to Elizabeth George, we are "on assignment" from God to build up our homes which means our role as keepers of our home is VERY IMPORTANT . . . we do have an essential role to play no matter what the world has to say.




If you are struggling in this area, here are a few blog posts I have written on the topic:

Biblical domesticity: LINK
Do you need help?: LINK
Finding joy in household chores: LINK
Creating a cosy home, Danish style (Hygge): Part 1 LINK, Part 2 LINK
Decorating on less: LINK
What does a simple life mean: LINK
Profession of homemaking: LINK
Making our homes comfortable: LINK
Making our homes special: LINK

Room by room—The bathroom: LINK
Room by room—The hallway: LINK
Room by room—The living room: LINK
Room by room—The pantry: LINK
Room by room—The kitchen: LINK
Room by room—The laundry: LINK
Room by room—The master suite: LINK


"What a blessing if every member of your family and mine knows home is the one place on earth where everything will be all right"

~ Elizabeth George ~



Comments

  1. Your posts are so insightful. I wish all younger women could read them!
    Maybe you should publish a book ~ to be given as gifts.
    Thank you for all you do! ALWAYS spot on!
    Gwen in Arkansas, USA

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    1. Thankyou Gwen for your beautiful words of encouragement :))

      have a wonderful weekend.

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  2. As a newly married Christian woman - I love this post!!

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    1. Thankyou - I wonder if there are many newly married women who would even think of these things :)

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  3. I really like this post. You should make a comprehensive list of things young women should study.

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  4. I agree, we ALL are on assignment from God to build our homes, young and old.
    Great quotes from Elizabeth George. I'm going to Google her for more goodies.
    Thank you for YOUR words of advice. I really liked your series, Room By Room.

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    1. There are some wonderful quotes from Elizabeth George. I have most of her books and they are EXCELLENT. She is one of my favourites. Thankyou - so glad you enjoyed the series, it was fun to do!!

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  5. Yes, this is so important. In this world of technology and careers and education, some things have been very neglected... to the detriment of women, children, families, society! These are definitely things I'm training my children in. In fact, when there is an injury, Miss H likes to be "nurse" and I think it is excellent training for her!! :)

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    1. There is nothing more scary than a sick Bub and not knowing what to do.

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