A Genteel Christmas Gathering

I have been up since early this morning, preparing for a Christmas gathering. The rest of my children will be coming home tomorrow.  We live in a rural area in Northern Vermont and the snowy landscape is lovely. There is a quietness at our Estate that is like a retreat.  The children are coming home from the city.  They are coming back to the old homestead for a happy time of eating and visiting.

Lately I cannot keep up with the messes my family makes. I have full charge of the care of my 15 month old grandbaby, along with my regular housekeeping duties.  Sometimes the men in our house are helpful with the cooking and cleaning but they don't "love" the house the way a Mother does.   My two boys, at 16 and 21 are "The Uncles" to grandbaby.  They help me with his care.  I am weary and slow-stepped. 

I have a great many plans for today to prepare for tomorrow's gathering. I want to bake and cook.  I want to make special treats for the children to take back home with them.  Things like homemade fudge, sugar cookies and muffins will go into little tins for them.   But I will do this in a very slow and steady way.  I turned on an old sermon on my kitchen Radio by the late Evangelist, Dr. John R. Rice.  It is "The Christian and His Bible."  This is such a tremendous source of Spiritual nourishment, it makes the work in the kitchen a joy to the heart.

Soon baby will be awake and my focus will shift almost entirely to his care. He will play in his highchair while I make batters and doughs.  We will sing together and see all the snow out the parlour window.  Then one of the Uncles will take him out to play before his afternoon nap.  There will be times of quiet and times of hustle, as we prepare for a happy Christmas gathering.

Yet, I know that nothing will make this family time wonderful without a loving, humble attitude.  Whether all gets done or not, is not the goal. It is the process of creating and of homemaking that will bring delight to our home. It is the happy smile and the effort that counts.  It is the thought and the love that will make it all worthwhile.

 I may, at times, be in the midst of cleaning a mess, or burning one batch of cookies, as I go along, but the sweet kindness that I spread, like rainbows in the middle of rain, is what will cheer the hearts of all.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives:

Recovering from the world - Lingering by the Hearth.

We dearly Need this - Homemaking Propaganda.

A Summer Visit to our Property - Tour of the Estate Grounds.



Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




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