Showing posts with label routines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label routines. Show all posts

Our home: our haven

 


The last few days have seen me taking a renewed interest in cooking and house management.. it's been a time of feeling incredibly blessed.

Our home nurtures us so much. It is so comforting to be here, away from the hustle and bustle of life and just snuggling in  here. 

I have just turned 71 and I can honestly say that contentment and joy have caught me by surprise! 

The longings for adventure and new experiences has waned and I am truly content just following my basic routines and pacing myself between tasks.

In an effort to keep feeling peace in our home, I have stopped viewing news videos regarding the end days and I can say it has worked.

As I work on my computer, I have scriptures or some form of worship music playing. 

I am waiting on the LORD to come for us and while I wait, I keep guard on what exactly comes into our home.

I pray a lot that God will keep me in perfect peace because as the wife in our home, my moods and attitudes shape not only my day, but Chris's

Peace is the first thing to go and it's not necessarily from the words we speak. Attitudes speak volumes.

Our home can be a haven from the world for us and we should try to make it a clean and comfortable place that shields us from the world...  Our home is indeed our haven


© Glenys Robyn Hicks



I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.. Psalm 101:2

Drop and run.


Apparently over here, there's a day care mothers' strategy for sick children called, "drop and run". If the child is showing signs of being unwell, they are given paracetamol twenty minutes before arriving at day care. That gives it time to take affect and the child appears well. 

Mum just drops the child off as usual and goes to work. As soon as the symptoms reappear, they try to contact Mum but she won't answer her phone. Result: a sick child who needs attention and a day care facility in danger of infecting all there. That's why children in day care often get sick. 

I understand the need to keep down a job, but surely dumping a sick child on paid carers would ensure that a loving mother would not do a good job. 

Really, her job in God's sight would be staying home caring for her sick child. It would be better for the child, better for the mother and better for the carers. Our sick children deserve better than to be pawns in the drop and run game.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks


"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 

They're silently waiting for me


Anyone who follows this blog knows that I struggle with washing the dishes. It is a battle that is fought and lost on two fronts: emotional and physical.

The emotional part is owing to the fact that I don't have a dishwasher and the dishes multiply like rabbits and are a continual eye sore on the side of the sink. 

In spite of cleaning them up and being rewarded by not only an empty sink and benches and of course, clean dishes- I find the complete futility of feeling done with them is disheartening.

A terrible procrastinator, I promise myself that I will keep up with them, but illness laughs as it assails me with yet another flare, and they remain on the bench mocking me for being  defeated yet again.

So here comes the other side of this domestic dilemma: being completely out of spoons and suffering from broken knees and collapsing spine. I simply cannot stand.

And of course that horridly wicked ruler, Fibromyalgia ensures that I am in an almost constant flare, and it is the cherry on the top of my cocktail of pain. So not only is my physical health attacked, but also my mental health. It's depressing.

I know I could ask Chris for help, but he has heart failure and battles his own health issues. It has always been me who washes the dishes, and then he will usually come and dry them and put them away. I am grateful.

Until I can gather some spoons I will sit and wait for my Tramadol to work. I plan to clear the dishes up, cook some steak and vegetables for dinner tonight and rest. That's the plan. Meanwhile, they're silently waiting for me.




I'm happy to be an empty-nester


Whilst I do miss the "good ol days" when my children were young, I am so glad that it's over now. I don't think I could cope with it. Having an empty nest does have some advantages: our routine doesn't have to be as inflexible as when we had young ones to look after.

Meals are pretty impromptu affairs. We may plan to have such and such for dinner, but then decide either we aren't hungry or we may eat something like rice bubbles for dinner. Also, the meal hours are according to how we feel. And if I don't feel up to cooking, we will have a frozen dinner. We couldn't do that with young ones.

Bedtime hours are also more flexible as we go to bed when we feel like it. If I can't sleep it's no big deal to get up and make us a cup of tea and go back a few hours later. Waking up late is no problem either, neither are nana naps anymore. I take them as required.

I don't think I would make a good mother these days: Xena often wakes me up to feed her and I feel quite annoyed. I suppose it would be different if it were a child.  

There's also a good reason for menopause: I think if I had a baby now I would forget where I had put it.  And now with fibromyalgia fog, I know I would! 

So even though I miss some aspects of my young mothering days, I am totally content with the flexibility empty nesting has now in my latter years. Besides, I couldn't stand being asleep while the teens get ready to go out. And forget about waiting up all night for them to get home safely. 

No, sometimes I am mighty happy to be an empty-nester! 


© Glenys Robyn Hicks


To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

So where do we go from here?


So we have the world literally upside down with this pandemic. Although we know God has us in His Hands, it is still a challenge to avoid catching the virus. And not giving way to fear.  So where do we go from here?

Yesterday we discussed spiritually how to overcome fear. We have talked about using basic hygiene and clinging to Jesus in times of trouble

We have talked about FlyLady's post on keeping peace in our home.  Today I would like to add some thoughts: things I have thought of doing in my own life....

  • Take care of the spiritual daily by reading the Word, praying and worshiping. Play worship songs and hymns
  • Take care of your physical needs and that of your family by preparing nourishing meals
  • Take care not to speak of your fears within earshot of your children: they understand more than we realise.
  • Take care of your home: it is not only your safe haven, but it gives nurture and stability in a world that is anything but nurturing and stable. Follow your normal home keeping routines.
  • Take care of your pets and livestock, but particularly your pets. Animals sense fear. Remember to show them love and keep in mind that they can't get or pass on this Corona Virus.
  • Take care to plan ahead with meals and shopping. Shelves are getting low. Plan to stock enough basic food, feminine hygiene products and toiletries to last a two week period should it be necessary to self-isolate or we are locked down. Make sure you have a month's extra prescription medications if you take them. Buy extra pain relievers, bandaids and disinfectant.
  • Take care to plan fun activities with the children and strictly monitor what they see on TV or on their ipads etc. We don't need to fill little heads with adult problems. Restrict News programs
  • Take care to explain to those who may say we lack faith to stock pile or practise extra hygiene, that we believe in God, but we also believe in following protocols to keep our family safe.
  • Take care to give extra hugs to your husband and children. It is beneficial for everyone and a good cuddle helps relieve stress and enhances love in a marriage and family

These days are a trial to all of us, but we can minimise the effects by trying to keep our life as undisturbed as possible. Most disturbance will be dictated by this virus and is out of our control, however, we can control our reaction to it and the smooth running of our household. Eventually this horrid thing will burn itself out and will be a distant memory. That's where we go from here.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

A leaf out of the Old Testament


In ages past the Jewish people were often suspected of practising magic arts and were regarded with suspicion because in times of illness they often went unscathed.

When the Black Plague happened, most Jews survived and not only were suspicions heightened, but so were the hate crimes and anti-semitism as seen in more pogroms.

The Jewish people then and to this day practice good hygiene according to the Torah. They wash hands frequently, especially before eating in a ceremonious washing of hands. There are strict hygiene laws regarding mildew, illness, body fluids, menstruation and house cleansing and food preparation.

Because of these Laws, many Jewish homes were untouched by illness, much to the consternation of the gentiles who didn't really need much to trigger their pogroms and hate.

So what can we learn from these practices today? We can use basic good hygiene, such as washing our hands frequently, but especially before we eat or prepare food. 

We can wash bedclothes, towels and tea towels frequently in times of illness. We can ensure that all cooking vessels are thoroughly washed and rinsed, especially tea cups and cutlery. This is good practice whether there is illness or not in order to prevent illness or if it's in the house, spreading.

The people in the Old Testament and in particular Leviticus were given these Laws by the Creator God Who blessed these people and covenanted with them. They are the same Laws that will protect Christians today. 

Basic hygiene will keep us safe from contracting the Corona Virus, just like it did for the Jewish people during past plagues. Let's incorporate godly hygiene practices by taking a leaf out of the Old Testament.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "You shall also make a basin of bronze, and its pedestal also of bronze, to wash with; and you shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. For Aaron and his sons shall wash there their hands and their feet. When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire to the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not; and it shall be a statute forever to them, to him and to his seed throughout their generations." Exodus 17-21

True vintage housewife


Growing up, I have observed both my grandmother and my mother's housekeeping practices. Practices which have not changed much in routines, but definitely in convenience.

There are better appliances to shorten laundry duties and I can remember my Nana washing her clothes by hand after boiling them up in an old copper. She would then place them in a centrifugal spinner and grind it by hand. My earliest memories of her are of an old woman propping up her washing on an outside line with a wooden pole, attaching the clothes with wooden dolly pegs.

She cooked in an outside kitchen on an old stove called a Metters. No electric toaster, my fondest memories of her food were jaffles: toasted sandwiches heated with a jaffle iron. Her fridge was an ice chest.

My mother on giving birth to my twin and myself, boiled up our nappies in an old kerosene tin, hand washing them and hanging them out to dry, sharing Nana's old clothesline and dolly pegs. There were no disposable nappies in her day, in fact here in Australia, they didn't become available until the early 1970's. 

When we moved out of Nana's, my memories of her housekeeping were replaced by those of my Mum's as she took care of her own home. Mum had a definite routine.

Monday mornings were her do through day. That rarely took second place to anything else, in fact the whole week was organised round it. Polishing furniture, mirrors and linoleum floors with an electric polisher (twice, once to spread the polish, then again with lambswool pads to buff it) and bath cleaning were uppermost in her routine.

Everyday was wash day. Mum boiled up her copper and transferred the water and clothes into her wringer washing machine. She then rinsed them out in her concrete laundry sink, wringing them out again, then she hung them out on the Hills hoist clothesline. She didn't have a dryer.

Also everyday was maintenance day. Mum never ever left dishes unwashed or beds unmade. The bathroom and toilet were attended to daily as well. Mum ironed clothes as soon as they came off the line. Carpets were swept with a carpet sweeper, vacuuming done on Mondays.

We children always dried the dishes and Mum first had to boil the kettle as she had no hot water service in the early days. She used Velvet soap to wash her dishes whilst the kettle boiled a second time to rinse them. Then we would be called to dry them. We made our own beds with Mum changing them on Monday.

Mum cooked everything from scratch as there were no easy instant packets back then. She made lambs tongue for our sandwiches, pressing them under the heavy kitchen table leg, in a bowl with a saucer as a lid overnight. In the morning they were set in lovely gelatin. We  were happy to eat tripe cooked in onions and milk and even enjoyed the occasional treat of lambs brains on toast.

Although we were classified as poor, Mum refused to feed us dripping but brought butter for our sandwiches. Like her own mother, she kept a good table.

Most of the housewives in my childhood had their children off to school and their houses clean by 9am and only then would they socialise. There was a different attitude to home making than today, with women having a generally contented feeling in looking after their home well.

I am grateful for all our labour saving devices today, but I lament the chats over the fence that we still enjoyed when I was a young mother and homemaker. If one runs out of sugar, no one is home now if you want to borrow some!

There was a supportive camaraderie that is hard to find these days as a stay at home wife. It's times like that that I envy the vintage housewife.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. Isaiah 41:6