Home Dreaming with a Thankful Heart

View from Chawton House on the Knight Estate (Jane Austen's brother's home)
East Hampshire, England
Photo by Lynzie Coller

Welcome to The Homemaking Party! I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far. Tonight I'm working in my kitchen, making some excellent berries and cream muffins for the kids' breakfast tomorrow. I've got the windows open and there's a pretty exciting storm going on outside. I love big thunderstorms---as long as no one gets hurt! Where we came from in Eastern Oregon, storms were big but harmless. Here in Arkansas, they have the potential of bringing about some pretty big hail, wind, and tornado damage.

I mentioned last month that our family is moving again. While we'll just be looking for a home to rent for now, I'm really longing for the day we can buy our own home. We've shied away from it in the past for a couple of reasons. Before about three years ago, we were never in the financial position to afford a home. After that, I got it in my head that I wouldn't have enough money to own a home and travel---so I wheedled my way into three England trips and my husband put off saving for a home the last three years. {By the way, wheedling is bad. Don't wheedle. It's unBiblical.}

Chawton House Garden Wall
{I wonder how many times Jane stepped through that opening?}
Photo by Lynzie Coller

Anyway, now that we've lost our rental twice in nine months, (apparently the buying/selling market is hot where we live and our landlords are getting in on it) I'm really seeing the benefit of owning our own home! So...England might have to be out this year. Maybe next year too.

It's ok though, really. The last nine months of craziness {I won't even go into it...trust me...it's mostly good crazy, but still crazy} has taught me so much about thankfulness. Contentment. Restraint. Prioritizing. Thankfulness has been the biggest thing. Because while Jamie and I have walked through some inconvenient things, I've watched friends walk through some tragic things. Divorce, death, abuse, major health issues.

Chawton House Garden Wall
Photo by Lynzie Coller

Whenever I begin to worry about where we're going to live in two months and how we're going to afford the move, I just think about Philippians 4:19 and how God will supply all my needs. Housing is a need---he'll cover it. But what about my friends who have walked through tragic things? The faith it takes them to hold on to the Bible's truth is far greater than the faith it takes me to stop flipping out about moving again. These thoughts stir up a lot of emotions in me---but the one I want to make sure I'm always practicing is thankfulness.

Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party! I hope you find lots of blessing and inspiration here this week!

The Christian Home Magazine #135

Happy Friday!

I hope you'll be blessed by these submissions from these beautiful ladies. Enjoy!

Have a lovely weekend!


Pretty Thrifty

Let's open up the magazine with an encouraging word from Emily at Teen For the Lord. Emily inspires us to trust God's leading in Spring is Here! Pretty Thrifty.

Young Ladies at Home

Another young lady with an uplifting blog is Lynzie from Thoughts From a Young Writer. Today Lynzie offers a thoughtful Scripture study on The Fruits of the Spirit: Fruit for Life.

Financial Freedom

Laura from Harvest Lane Cottage always has such great tips for living frugally. Here's a great master list of 40 Ways to Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without.

Homemaking

Emily at Blessed Homemaking shares her plans for the time when she becomes an "empty-nester". Read The Importance of Older Women at Home at Blessed Homemaking.

Time Management is something most homemakers wish they could get a better handle on. Laura Lane offers a perspective to consider in Minutes or Hours?

Entertainment

Courageous Gentleness by Mary Ann Froehlich helps women balance a bold and snarky personality with the humble grace God wants us to exhibit to others. Visit Belle's Library to read Sarah's thoughts on the book.

Hold the Faith by Susan M.B. Preston is a fiction story about the early Christian church and Laura Lane's review touts it as an excellent read. Check out her thoughts about the story at Harvest Lane Cottage.

Be Still My Soul

Photography by Michael Coller

Good morning!

Welcome to The Homemaking Party! It's a stormy day here in NW Arkansas and we are all staying home and staying in!

All week, I've been singing the hymn, "Be Still My Soul", based on Psalm 46:10. It has spoken to me in several ways lately. Here are my favorite parts:

"Be Still, My Soul"

by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-?

Translated by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Hymn #651 

The Lutheran Hymnal

Titled: "Stille, mein Wille"

Composer: Jean Sibelius, b. 1865, arr.

Tune: "Finlandia"

Do you have a favorite song or verse that is blessing you today? Let me know! Hope you have a beautiful week!