“Thank God, O women, for the quietude of your home,
and that you are queen in it.
Men come at eventide to the home; but all day long you are there,
beautifying it, sanctifying it, adorning it, blessing it.
Better be there than wear a queen’s coronet.
Better be there than carry the purse of a princess.
It may be a very humble home.
There may be no carpet on the floor.
There may be no pictures on the wall.
There may be no silks in the wardrobe;
but, by your faith in God, and your cheerful demeanor,
you may garniture that place with more splendor than the upholsterer’s hand ever kindled.”
—Rev. Talmage
Oh, the wonderful, adventure-filled days of summer …
delightful memories being made, tiny toes digging into sandy beaches, sprinkles of freckles appearing on little noses,
sun-streaked hair and BBQs with friends, packing up and camping, splashing in the river to keep cool … it’s all amazing and precious.
And yet, as we have just returned from some time away as a family creating memories and nourishing relationships, I look around at the laundry snapping in the wind, drying on the line, the little ones napping in their own beds, the big girls playing contentedly on the back porch, I prop open my devotions, plan out meals, prep the kitchen for an afternoon of canning and sense a feeling of peace and calmness fills my mind and heart.
I love being home … despite the early morning of noisy breakfasts with five hungry children, the many chores, the daily tasks needing direct attention, the homeschooling cupboards and books that need organizing, there is such peace in restoring your home to some sort of calm. It may still be a noisy home – and I never expect or want it to be very quiet – but there is still a peace that comes with managing the home and finding order.
Too much time away from home results in too much chaos.
Many avenues in this society pulls us away from home too quickly. I’m not referring to the fun summer planned beach trips with the beloved family,
but rather precious time spent wasted or spoiled on too many needless activities or outings – whether it is online or in the real world.
Your heart will find peace, rest and contentedness when the family and the home life is well-adjusted at home.
It seems that if we are too busy with our schedules outside the home, then something will suffer.
Finding rest in our home is needed not only for ourselves, but also for our children and husbands.
Resting at home, with your family, truly is a beautiful place to be.