Hobart Above Rubies Camp 2010

Above Rubies is a ministry devoted to encouraging wives and mothers, with a free magazine that is always exciting to receive! I was happy to be able to go to the camp here in Hobart last weekend. I met lots of interesting and encouraging people, including the ladies pictured above. There was great diversity amongst both organisers and attenders, they certainly didn't fit any stereotypes that people may have of the magazine! This is testament to the fact that women from many walks of life want and need encouragement in their roles of wives and mothers. We may not all agree on education, day care, birth control, the gifts of the Spirit, or countless other issues, but we all want to grow as women of God. I felt that there was a spirit of freedom and love at the camp, and we were all encouraged to take away one thing we could put into action.

Nancy Campbell (pictured left) is the founder of Above Rubies. Originally from New Zealand, Nancy now lives in the USA. She had not visited Tasmania for 20 years prior to this camp. Nancy is pictured with Val Stares (Australian director) and Heather (NZ director). Nancy spoke about our vital building project - building our families. She explained many of the things that Satan can use to hinder us, including discouragement, "help" that undermines the family, self pity, fear, accusations, doubts, and false counsel. I am vulnerable in each of these areas and found the reminders helpful.

When I was seven months pregnant with Elnathan in March last year I was a bridesmaid and wore this dress. The dinner was a fun opportunity to wear it again . . . 7 months pregnant again! We were asked to come dressed to represent one of the seasons. I sat at the Spring table. There were tables for the other seasons as well, and they were all stunning. I was impressed with the work that had been put into the night. It was a treat to go away and be served! We also all received numerous gifts over the weekend, which were donated.

One of my favourite aspects of the camp was talking with other ladies and hearing/seeing what God was doing in their lives. I was affirmed in many of our convictions, and have a renewed sense of the importance of bearing and raising children. I am so grateful for my wonderful husband who cares about building the church, Christian education, welcoming children, having family devotions, etc. God is good! I came away desiring to grow in building our marriage, to look to God's word as our light, and to love being a mother.

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House keeping for the glory of God

I have recently realised how easy it is to place keeping house above loving people. I am not implying that having a clean house and loving those who live in it are necessarily in conflict! However, I have some serious physical limitations due to a back injury and sometimes I just don't have the strength to do all I want in my home. Recently I've found it easy to resent the mess that people inevitably create. When I do this I'm forgetting that my home and everything in it are to serve people. Nothing in my home matters eternally except the people who walk through its doors. If welcoming and loving people means that at times my house is not even the slightest bit neat, that should be OK. Often, I want my house to be neat and clean because I like it that way. My motive is self, not the glory of God or the good of other people. In the context of this, I've appreciated revisiting Lindsay's blog post Serving vs. Enjoying Our Families. As Christian wives, mothers and homemakers our most important work is to create and maintain loving, joyful and vibrant relationships with our families and our God, and from that place to reach out into our churches and communities. When we do prioritise these things, and use our homes to serve and enjoy people, our  house keeping can glorify God.

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I dusted the house!

Yep, it is true. In the life before the arrival of Elnathan, Monday was dusting and tidying day. Today for the first time in four weeks, Monday was dusting and tidying day. I only got to two rooms, but it felt great. I love caring for my home!

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Nothing to do at home? Think again . . .

If you think there is nothing to do at home when you don't have kids, allow Crystal to challenge you to think again about the worth of the home as a center for ministry, productivity, outreach, and evangelism. A wife is first of all called to be her husband's helper and that is a big job in itself! As one elderly minister's wife once said to me (paraphrased) "Often when wives work, their husbands are the ones that suffer. A lot of women will give up work for their children, but not for their husband. I don't think that is biblical at all, because biblically the husband comes before the children". Of course, many women have very healthy marriages and some level of paid employment at the same time! However, the fact remains that there is an abundance to do at home and a childless woman can often be the best help to her husband through her work there.

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Day 2 of "get that stuff out the door"

Here are the results of another day of working to eliminate clutter from our lives, that we may make room for people, for beauty, and for order. Even though I found so many more than 5 items yesterday, there was no time to slack off today! You see, the challenge is to: recycle, throw out, give away or give back 5 things per day - regardless of what happened the day before.


This picture includes . . .

1 pile of papers for recycling
1 pile of papers to throw away
1 mat I ruined by putting it in the washing machine yesterday (yes, the homemaking mishaps have not stopped)
1 box of things to give back to my Mum
2 books
1 bag of things to give back to a guest who is coming tonight


Much of the paper pile was sourced from this paper-catchment area on top of the microwave . . .


Which is now looking a little more presentable . . .


Dave says it looks the same as before. He is a man (and I love him).

Tomorrow's tasks include emptying these paper pile drawers . . .


If you have joined with me in this little challenge, and posted about it on your blog, why not put a link to your post in the comments section?

The basic principle is . . . if you don't like it or find it useful, send it out the door!

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The "get that stuff out the door" challenge

This week I am embarking on a "get that stuff out the door" challenge! Last week I was reminded of something I read long ago in Above Rubies magazine. Evangeline Johnson described how she and her sisters had decided that their lives were about "chasing children, not stuff". The stuff just had to get out the door and live somewhere else! Whether you have eight children like Evangeline, or no children like me, you may identify with this sentiment. So often life becomes about organising (or wading through) stuff we no longer need or like. It is time to get rid of it!

Please join me in my little challenge: recycle, throw out, give away or give back 5 things per day for the rest of the week.


Here is my pile for today, consisting of . . .

1 Australian government booklet - destination: recycle
6 Royal Auto magazines - recycle
6 Saltshakers newsletters - recycle
1 broken ball from the backyard - rubbish
1 bag from the days when I sold Nutrimetics, which I have not used for years - second hand store
1 item of clothing I have only worn once in nearly 10 years - second hand store

I know that this adds up to 16 items, not 5, but I've discovered that there is no stopping once you get started!

Get rid of the stuff that is cluttering up your life, so you have more time for the stuff that really matters.

When I logged on tonight I dropped by Biblical Womanhood, and noticed that Crystal is hosting a challenge that is very similar to my own: pick a pile! Why not drop by and see what others are doing in their efforts to clean up their homes?

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More mishaps . . .

I’ve been thinking that it may be time to turn my blogging attentions to “homemaking successes” rather than mishaps. After all, homemaking is not all about injuries and failures! However, before I draw this series to a close I must share a few last incidents of note.

Today’s mishaps

This morning when I went into the laundry I discovered that my trousers, which I’d been soaking to remove a stain, had mysteriously gained several new stains that were worse than the first one. Mum came over this afternoon and informed me that I had soaked them for too long, failed to submerge the whole article in the water, and used an inferior stain remover. So I sent them home with her in the hope of a resurrection.

This morning I was baking cookies for Dave. I wanted to change the trays around in the oven. I placed one on the stovetop while I went to move the other one to the lower shelf. The tray on the stovetop must not have been placed correctly, and it came sliding down on top of me. All the cookies slid off the tray and mysteriously disappeared into the crack between the oven floor and the bottom of the door. They door must have acted as a cookie slippery dip. I asked Dave to clean up the mess. I can’t face my own mistakes sometimes. Thankfully, there was still one tray of cookies left to reward him with.

Mum and Dave seemed to think that both of these incidents were very funny. I disagreed.

Hanging pictures

The house we are renting has very few picture hooks. Since I figure that it is well within a homemaker’s abilities to hand a few pictures, I went ahead and purchased the necessary materials, and set about enthusiastically putting holes in walls. In one notable incident, a picture’s hook came out. As the picture fell from the wall its frame broke and it made a large scratch. This white gash in the dark blue paint now forms a constant reminder that hanging pictures is not as easy as it looks.

Jutting rubbish bins

I really can’t leave the topic of homemaking mishaps before I mention the important subject of rubbish bins with metal pedals. Every homemaker should know that placing them in certain locations can be hazardous. Before I moved mine to a safer place, I sustained cuts to the inside of my little toe on a number of occasions. This caused days of pain and complaints. Please, for your own sake, never place these bins in thoroughfares.

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Homemaking mishaps: toilet cleaning

Before I got married, I had never cleaned a toilet. That may be hard to believe, but it is true! My mother is the kind of lady you have to force to let you do anything in the house. I had made progress with dusting, cooking, shopping and other household tasks but never quite got to take over some of the toilet cleaning!

So, when I married I approached this task with a sense that it was somewhat difficult and complex. I soon discovered that it was neither.

However, there was a day when I made a big mistake. My husband likes dishes to be rinsed, and since we only have one sink we use a large plastic tub beside the sink. One day I decided it would be great to recycle this hot, clean water. Since I also had to clean the toilet, I thought "Why not use it for that?". After all, Dave and I kept talking about taking care of the environment by using less. So I dutifully carried the tub into the toilet and began to wipe down the seat. After a while, it suddenly occurred to me that using the same basin for dishes and toilet cleaning might not be a good idea.

Dave is very "germ aware" so he was horrified when I told him what I'd done. While I had spasms of laughter, he seemed genuinely shocked. I assured him that I'd immediately stopped as soon as I realised, subsequently cleaned the tub very carefully in hot water, and I'd never do the same thing again.

A day in the life of an inexperienced, vague homemaker.

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Passionate Housewives Desperate for God

I am very excited about a new book coming out soon, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. This book is by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald. I have read much of Jennie's writing, and have corresponded with her personally, and I have the greatest respect for her. I have also been reading Stacy's blog recently and I have been impressed with her graciousness toward those who disagree.

I agree with Dave that the title is "odd", but I also understand why they chose it. Do you normally associate the word "Passionate" with the word "Housewife"? If you are anything like me, you are more likely to have been taught to associate the word housewife with bored, possibly in need of medication for depression, lazy, or harried. Likewise with the word "Desperate". In our culture, we are conditioned to think that if a housewife is desperate for anything it is to escape the boredom of her life at home. It is great that Stacy and Jennie are working to create new ideas about who a housewife is!

You can visit the book's site here.

I also recommend reading a recent post that quotes from Courtney Tarter's thoughts on Why Feminism Hurts Women. Feminism has impacted upon all women who are born in the midst of it. Even though I intellectually reject it, I still find myself feeling inadequate at times because I don't have a great career and I don't earn much money.

Those of us who reject feminism recognise that It's not about choice. Those of us who make choices that are in opposition to feminism still find ourselves greatly impacted by its effects on society.

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Homemaking mishaps: plastic lids

My first homemaking mishaps post elicited a couple of comments that made me laugh! Susan reminded me of the tragedies that can occur with plastic lids on casserole dishes. By the way, Susan just returned from her honeymoon and you can see wedding pictures on her blog!

Susan used her rubber lid while cooking in the oven. We blonds must think alike, because I have done the same thing! My lid did not meet its death, but it did end up with a somewhat warped lid. The lid also has a finger print in one corner which is quite obvious. I pressed down on the lid after its rescue from the oven, to see whether or not it had melted.

These little episodes are part of the larger picture that homemaking is not all fun and games: it is hard work and it is a big responsibility. I was reminded of this today as I did the shopping for the next week and a half with a very sore back, feeling tired. I must have looked tired too, because a lady at a bakery consoled me that I'd be able to rest tonight! The daily responsibility of caring for a house and those who live there is something that must be endured at times, not just enjoyed. Remaining positive and focused requires a big vision of serving Christ and furthering his kingdom through the home, rather than solely a focus on the "here and now".

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Homemaking Mishaps: Ironing boards

Since I am a new wife, there is much to laugh about in regard to homemaking mishaps. I am commited to loving home, and to being a homemaker as Titus 2 commands, but things don't always go perfectly.

John Dekker generously gave us an ironing board for our wedding present, even though he could not attend our wedding. We were thrilled to receive this surprise gift, as we really needed an ironing board! Learning how to use it, though, has been a troubled journey at times. You see, back home Mum's ironing board was always set up. She has a wonderful, large laundry. Thus there was no need to work out latches, height adjustments, sensible methods of collapsing the board, and other essential details. I, however, want to keep my ironing board in a cupboard. So I tackled the pedals and the notches. Things went OK for a while, but then I tried to lower it slightly while it was up. Lets just say that the iron ended up on the floor and the board on my foot. I have since discerned that greater care is needed. Five weeks on, I think I have finally conquered the ironing board.

Future installments of homemaking mishaps will include picture hanging, burnt offerings, and toilet cleaning. Some of it is embarassing, but it might be an encouragement to all the other wives who are still studying homemaking 101. Yes, other people are more inept than you are!

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Crystal's new initative for passionate home economists

Crystal Paine of Biblical Womanhood has a new blog devoted to frugality. You can read about it in the Money Saving Mom welcome message. You don't have to be a Mum to appreciate what Crystal has to say there! Since I have become a wife, I've become more interested in frugality than I was as a single at home. Now I am responsible for shopping! On one hand we don't want to be obsessed or worried about finances. We want to enjoy what God has given. On the other hand, we want to save money if that can be done without greatly diminishing life's enjoyment! We also want to ensure that we continue to prioritise hospitality, which inevitably increases our grocery budget. When you are feeding 2 - 10 extra people for one or two meals a week, it is bound to cost something. I am excited that Crystal is so committed to helping women to be frugal. Much of her blog focuses upon couponing, which is not a big thing here in Australia, but I am sure the blog will still offer many tips for those who live here. Crystal is wisely passionate about helping other women to love home and family, and her new blog is one way that she exhibits this passion.

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