I was searching for an article to send to an editor as a “clip” (an example of my writing) today and bumped into the following, so I thought I’d share it with you all. The “baby” in the post is now 2-1/2 years old. At the time, we were living in a 1290 sq. ft. house in Florida.
These are baby days in our household. Our little girl is about 7 weeks old now and such a cutie! We are so busy with her. I have had a hard time with being content with the lack of work I can get done in a day. But time will fly and she will one day have as long legs as her 7-year-old big brother does now. Maybe I’ll long for these colicky-cuddly days then, so I’m reminding myself to cherish these days now.
Now that our baby is 7 weeks old (tomorrow), things are getting easier than they were just a few weeks ago. So, today I planted my herb garden. Of course, it was planted in little peat pots rather than in the garden. I’ll transplant the little darlings once they germinate. There’s not a chance to go out and hoe for the plant babies when I have my human baby to tend!
Life these days is all about learning contentment. Either I can moan and rage at my little, overflowing home and its sandy-soil yard and the lack of time on my hands — OR, I can thank God for these four children blessing my life and making trade-offs in my mind. “Okay,”
I say, “No garden in the ground? Let’s use pots.” “The floors in the house are almost never clean? Let’s make a game of clearing as much as we can.” All day long, I pray for serenity and think of ways to make this life of mine spin less crazily.
As I tell my children, “Do all things without murmuring and disputing.” (a Biblical Proverb)
Now, that’s easier said than done!
~ April 11, 2003
by Lori Seaborg, who is still learning contentment!
Hello, I am asking a few of the homesteader types like you on this site the same question; here it is:
Are you interested in helping to write an enewsletter (in a volunteer capacity) for our new homesteading enewsletter? We are looking to find a group of five or so “leaders” who could take on the putting together of a monthly ezine sponsored and delivered by TOS. From that, we are planning to create a new blog community separate from this one, for homesteaders. This would encourage people from all over the world to begin blogs on how they homestead. Doing things like canning, gardening, alternative power and health, homeschooling, bread and tortilla making, living off the land. I believe that the way blogging is going, that just as political blogs and Christian blogs have risen up with major names attached to them, that there will be some known names that come out of a homestead blog. We want to help people establish themselves as an expert in what they do. Ultimately, to glorify Christ. What do you think about something like this, and would you consider being on the team to do the enewsletter to kick it all off? Eventually this may turn into a print magazine as well. The Christian Homesteader, or something similar to that. Please email Jenig@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com with your ideas; we hope you’ll consider sharing your expertise.
-gena
Thanks for the “charge”–I know what contentment should be about (in my mind) but can’t seem to get there in my heart. My husband told me I need to stress less whether I get anything accomplished or not…this is a tall order…I know contentment should be independent of my earthly circumstances (thinking of Paul here).
Remeber this…..when the kids are too old to pick up after, or rock or care for in this way you will rock and remember the times you stopped to blow bubbles and not mop, or read the favorie book “one more time” instead of washing the windows or stopping to pick the wildflowers instead of a perfect garden……you will remember because you are now wishing for those type of interuptions and hoping they bring the grandkids soon…I know because that is where I am. So love them and play with them and build those memories!