Book Review and Giveaway - HOMEMAKING FOR HAPPINESS: Wonderful Days at Home by Mrs. Sharon White

I finished reading Homemaking For Happiness: Wonderful Days at Home by Mrs. Sharon White back when my husband was sick and was planning on doing a giveaway back then. When John passed away everything else fell by the wayside and I forgot all about plans for the giveaway. My thoughts are just now coming back around to it.

Fortunately, Mrs. White and I have been online friends for many years and she is so understanding. When I messaged her last week to ask if she was still okay with me doing the giveaway, she sweetly informed me that, back in May (when we first discussed it), she had "...set aside a gift copy, neatly wrapped with a pretty card for the winner..." and that it had been sitting right there, waiting "...for just the right time..." when I felt ready. 

I'm ready. 💗

Homemaking For Happiness: Wonderful Days at Home is not the usual, run-of-the-mill home economics book full of 'how to' facts and tips. Rather, it is a beautiful, 106 short chapters, 307-page collection of Mrs. White's own, personal experiences in the making of a home on her family's lovely 'estate' in Vermont.

Mrs. White is a devout Christian wife and has been a housewife for more than 30 years. She is the granddaughter of a revival preacher, a mother of five, grandmother of twelve, and a homemaker without apology. Mrs. White has been writing about homemaking on her blog, The Legacy of Home, since 2009. 

Whenever I read Mrs. White's writings I am filled with emotion and wonder as she shares her struggles, her hopes, her dreams, and her ability to see the work that she does in the home, not as mundane drudgery, but as a purposeful, joyful act of service to her family, and as a humble act of reverence and worship before God. 

Mrs. White is inspiring! I love her determination to be sweet and cheerful no matter how hard times might be, and I am delighted by her ability to see beauty in simplicity.

Throughout this book, which is divided into four sections (spring, summer, fall, and winter), Mrs. White shares godly wisdom in the areas of child care, cleaning, etiquette, finances, homemaking, hospitality, cooking, holiness, and more. She greatly encouraged me, personally, in the areas of contentment, thrift, and living life purposefully and productively, no matter what the circumstance.

What I appreciate most about Mrs. White is her honesty concerning finances. She has learned, as did the Apostle Paul, to be abased and to abound, and to be content in whatsoever state she finds herself. 

As is the case with every other book of Mrs. White's that I have read (which have been many), from Homemaking For Happiness: Wonderful Days At Home I gleaned a wealth of thought-provoking ideas and am truly challenged to re-think and evaluate my current financial circumstance, and the stewardship of the blessings that God has bestowed upon me. I am challenged to use them more wisely in the days ahead

Here are a few of my favorite lines from Mrs. White's book, Homemaking For Happiness: Wonderful Days at Home...

"At other times, the prayers and the worries were so hard to bear. There would be shoes needed for the children. We may not have had enough food. My husband was laid off work or lost jobs and those were the hardest times to manage. I would write down the prayers and the needs and then get back to mothering and homemaking. I would leave it with the Lord. Sometimes he answered those prayers before the end of the day. At other times, I waited weeks. But always the prayers were answered. I learned to depend on God for all things in this way. I learned not to rush out and try to fix it all myself. I gained patience, and faith, and trust, and was greatly blessed with a journal of answered prayers" (Chapter 22 - Reviving the Prayer Journal - Page 75)

"There was a comforting feeling of not having to leave our property to find pretty thing to make our home look lovely and inviting." (Chapter 23 - Flowers for the Dinner Table - Page 78)

"The Lord is so good to provide us with the beauty of nature to enjoy each year. I love things that are familiar and the routines of life. Each season brings us something of beauty, and there is always something delightful to look forward to." (Chapter 24 - Missing the Lilacs - Page 81)

"...how important it is to be good and pleasant and to give to those we love, without conditions, or expecting anything. It is a kindness based on personal contentment in the Lord. This is part of being happy." (Chapter 57 - Domestic Happiness - Page 164)

In a time when the Titus 2 woman is mysteriously missing, or is, at best, difficult to come by, I find that Mrs. White helps to comfortably fill that gap. I highly recommend her book to anyone who is seeking Biblical womanhood as a keeper of the home, or to anyone who just wishes to learn how to slow down and live a simpler lifestyle in our out-of-control, modern age.

To find out more, visit Mrs. White @ The Legacy of Home.

Now...for the giveaway!!!

To enter, simply leave a comment below (or on my Hearth and Home Facebook page) telling something that you do in your home to create wonderful days at home for you and your family. That's it! 

The giveaway starts today (Tuesday, November 9th, 2021) and will run through Tuesday, November 30, 2021. A winner will be selected and announced on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. The winner will have 48 hours to make contact. If they have not done so within 48 hours an alternate winner will be selected. 

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - November 8, 2021

Friday Hodgepodge - Rising and Holiday Food Prices, Free Printable Cookbook, A Cheetah Cam, and More

Higher Holiday Food Prices, Food Shortages, and A Thanksgiving Planner

Dry Beans - Useful Hints and Tips and A Basic Dry Bean Mix

#giveaways #homemaking #Sharon White #TheLegacyofHome #books #bookgiveaway

DEAR CHRISTMAS MOTHERS by Connie Hultquist - A Book Review and Giveaway

Dear Christmas Mothers by Mrs.Connie Hultquist

I just finished reading Dear Christmas Mothers by Mrs. Connie Hultquist and, I must say, I greatly enjoyed it! The book is only 115 pages long, but it is jam-packed with encouragement and holiday cheer on every page.

Mrs. Hultquist started writing letters to homemakers back in 1996. These were handwritten newsletters that were an encouragement to many. Dear Christmas Mothers, is a collection of 17 letters that were written to mothers in the early 2000's that are centered on Thanksgiving and Christmas. A small recipe section is included in the back.

Mrs. Hultquist's writings promised to inspire the reader to have a peaceful, old-fashioned Christmas, but, for me, it did so much more! Not only did I find inspiration, but, on every page, I found godly wisdom, truth, common sense, and plain, good, old-fashioned advice!

Not only that, but, as I read, sweet memories from the years of raising my own brood came flooding back. So many of the things that Mrs. Hultquist did to make Christmas special for her children were very reminiscent of things that my mother did with, and for, me, that I, in turn, I did with, and for, my own children. 

Dear Christmas Mothers is a very sweet book that truly blessed me! The best part is, one of my readers will be getting a copy of Dear Christmas Mothers of their own to enjoy this holiday season, as well! 

That's right! The publisher of the book, Mrs. Sharon White of The Legacy of Home Press, is offering a free copy of Dear Christmas Mothers to one of my dear readers. All you have to do to enter the drawing is leave a comment in the POST A COMMENT section below telling me something about Christmas...perhaps a special memory or your favorite holiday tradition. One random winner will be selected on Tuesday, December 4th. Then, Mrs. White will mail a copy of the book out directly. 

Best wishes to all! 

Until next time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

30 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 26 - Heat, Light, and Comfort

Happy Homemaker Monday - November 26, 2018

30 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 25 - My Maids

My Weekly "Home Blessing"

I have written about my weekly "home blessing" before, but my home blessing today looks much different than it used to.

I first got the idea of the weekly home blessing many years ago from Flylady. I started with her list and, over time, developed my own list that fits my own situation. What used to work then, though, doesn't work now because we moved and things have changed.

We have lived in, what used to be my dad's house, since October of 2016. It has taken time, but, over the months that we've lived here a new cleaning routine has taken shape and a revised "home blessing" occurs on a weekly basis...generally on Mondays. 

(At least that is the target date each week. Sometimes something comes up and the home blessing doesn't take place until Tuesday or Wednesday, but I don't think that a week has gone by since getting established here that it has been skipped altogether.) 

The weekly home blessing is not a substitute for, or meant to be, a deep-clean by any means. It is designed to cover surface cleaning that can be done quickly, yet makes a world a difference in the look and feel of your home.

(Monday is my main wash day, too, so I add laundry tasks to my home blessing list, but that's because it works well for me and my schedule. Not everyone would probably want to pile that much stuff into one day, but I sort of have to make everything work on my end.)

So, what does the weekly "home blessing" look like? For me, it looks like this:

Each Monday morning I make a list of all my cleaning tasks. As I complete each task in a specific room, I cross it off the list. When all the tasks in that room are done, I cross that room off the list and move on to the next. 

(And none of these tasks take very long. In fact, some of them take less than a minute to complete; laundry, of course, takes the longest.)

My basic "home blessing" task list looks like this:

Bedroom 

- straighten

- wipe mirrors 

- dust and oil furniture

- vacuum 

Hallway

- straighten

- dust

- sweep 

- mop

Bathroom

- straighten

- wipe mirrors

- dust

- swish tub, sink, and toilet

- clean toilet bowl

- empty trash

- wash rugs

- wash dirty towels and washrags

- wash shower curtain (first Monday of each month)

- sweep

- mop

Van Gogh Room (Office)

- straighten

- dust

- vacuum

Livingroom

- straighten

- dust

- clean glass shelves

- wipe window panes in front door (first Monday of each month)

- vacuum

Kitchen and Back Porch 

- straighten

- wipe down dish-drainer

- do dishes

- wipe stove and counter tops

- straighten fridge

- clean microwave

- take out trash

- sweep

- mop

- sweep back porch

- wipe down washer and dryer

Laundry

- bedding (first Monday of the month)

- darks

- towels and washrags

- bathroom rugs

- shower curtain (first Monday of the month)

- whites

Well, that's what my weekly "home blessing" looks like. Do you do a weekly home blessing in your home? If so, what does your list look like?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Hearth and Home Newsletter - July 2017

  

Product Review - Rug Doctor Carpet Shampooer

Note - This post contains affiliate links.

We moved into the house the middle of October last year. We planned on cleaning the carpets then, but other things needed to be done first. Then, in May of this year, our 18-year-old dog died. During the final week of his life he had some incontinence issues and didn't always make it to designated areas to do his bathroom business. There was no putting off cleaning the carpet any longer. 

I borrowed a friend's carpet cleaner, but it just didn't have the suction power needed to deep clean the carpet. Next I tried using one of those cleaners that you spray on, sponge in, let dry, and vacuum. It didn't do a thing and was a total waste of money. The only choices left were to call in a professional steam-cleaning company (totally out of the question), rent a high cost steam cleaner for a very limited time period, or purchase one of our own. 

After thinking about the cost to rent a machine one time, coupled with the fact that we'd have to drive at least 40 miles round trip to rent one AND knowing that we'd be on a limited time schedule in using it, we decided that our money would be better spent to just purchase a machine of our own. That way we'd have it available on a regular basis whenever we needed, or wanted, to use it and, if we desired, we'd be able to share the use of it with others. We could even use it to make a few extra dollars cleaning for other people if we choose to. So...that's what we ended up doing and it turns out to be one of the best decisions we've made! 

We knew the carpet was dirty, but we didn't realize HOW dirty it was. My goodness! Look at the photograph! But the area cleaned by the Rug Doctor looks practically new! Wow! 

Okay...so here's the specs on what we bought...and we only purchased this one after wading through hundreds of reviews.

Buy Here

The machine that we purchased is the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner. It was listed as a professional grade carpet washer that uses cross action brushes to deep clean fibers from every angle to scrub away dirt and remove stains. It also claimed to have 75% more suction than comparable machines which provides a quicker clean and a faster drying time. The machine did everything that it said it would do and the results were soooo much better than anything we ever could have hoped for.

Other features of this machine that we really like are the fact that the cleaner comes with tools for cleaning stains and upholstery, the clean and dirty water tanks are easy to fill and empty, the clean water tank cap comes with a built in measuring cup, the machine has a removable tool caddy, it is easy to maneuver, and the collapsible handle makes it easy to store.

The machine weighs 25 pounds, has a cord length of 28 feet, and a tank capacity of 1.0 gallon. The cleaning path is 12 inches wide and the machine has 12 rows of cleaning bristles, plus bristles on the side. 

We purchased our machine through Amazon Prime. It normally sells for $289.99, but we got ours on sale for $234.00. 

After using this machine for ourselves, we highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about carpet cleaning!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Homemade Natural Air Freshener

Ingredients For Making Your Own Natural Air Freshener

I love Fabreeze and have used several bottles of it over the years, but I do worry about the harmful effects of chemicals in products like this one, especially when using it on furniture and/or carpet where our skin touches it.

After reading an article about the dangers of Fabreeze this morning, I decided to try my hand at making my own natural air freshener and am quite pleased with the results. I decided to share the recipe here.

To make your own air freshener you will need:

• 1 tbsp of baking soda
• 2 cups of water
• 10 drops of essential oil (I used lavender)

Mix the baking soda and essential oil in a bowl with a fork to keep the oil suspended in the water. Pour the mixture into a clean spray bottle and top off with the water. Shake before every use.

Blessing,
~Rebecca

The Weekly Home Blessing

Photo Credit

I got into the habit of doing a 'Home Blessing' on Mondays when I first met the Flylady. While I don't keep up with her posts at present and, while my home is far from what most people would consider clean, I still enjoy doing my own version of the Flylady's Weekly Home Blessing when I am home and can. 

My 'Home Blessing' list includes:

1. Spritz and shine the sink, tub, and toilet. 

2. Shine all the mirrors.

3. Mop the bathroom floor.

4. Feather dust the furniture, pictures on the wall, etc.

5. Change the sheets.

6. Vacuum the floors (including the edges).

7. Empty all trash.

My house is very small and it doesn't take long to do any of these things, so I do not set a timer. I do enjoy the spruce up though and it keeps things looking somewhat better than they would otherwise.

Do you do a Weekly Home Blessing in your home? If so, what's on your 'Home Blessing' list?

Have a blessed day everyone! 

Until next time...

All My Love,

~Rebecca

Book Review: Women Living Well - Finding Your Joy In God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home by Courtney Joseph

Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph

"Women desire to live well. However, living well in this modern world is a challenge. The pace of life, along with the new front porch of social media, has changed the landscape of our lives. Women have been told for far too long that being on the go and accumulating more things will make their lives full. As a result, we grasp for the wrong things in life and come up empty. 

Mommy-blogger Courtney Joseph is a cheerful realist. She tackles the challenge of holding on to vintage values in a modern world, starting with the keys to protecting our walk with God. No subject is off-limits as she moves on to marriage, parenting, and household management.

There is nothing more important than fostering your faith, building your marriage, training your children, and creating a haven for your family. Women Living Well is a clear and personal guide to making the most of these precious responsibilities."

I have just finished reading Courtney Joseph's Women Living Well - Finding Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home, and I got so much more out of it than I ever thought possible. Page after page...chapter after chapter...I was astounded at the depth of spiritual wisdom and insight that radiated from the pages of this beautiful, and well-written, book.

The book has 226 pages. Each of the four main sections are comprised of five chapters each, and covers, not only a woman's personal walk with the Lord, but her marriage, her parenting, and homemaking. Courtney's love for, and her commitment to, Jesus, and her close, personal "Walk with the King" comes shining through in every chapter.

I recommend this book to Christian women everywhere...young or old...no matter what season of life they might find themselves in. There is, literally, something to be gleaned for everyone!





"COURTNEY JOSEPH is a long-time Bible study leader and founder of  WomenLivingWell.org and WomenLivingWell.tv and cofounder of GoodMorningGirls.org. Courtney is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute. She is married to her high school sweetheart and homeschools her two children."

Book Review : Mother's Book of Home Economics by Mrs. Sharon White

Mother's Book of Home Economics by Mrs. Sharon White

I just finished reading Mother's Book of Home Economics - Remembrances, Letters and Essays From A New England Housewife  by Mrs. Sharon White and, oh! What a blessing!

Mother's Book of Home Economics is not the usual, run-of-the-mill home economics book full of 'how to' facts and tips. Rather, it is a beautiful, 121 short chapters, 312-page collection of Mrs. White's own, personal experiences in the making of a home on her family's lovely 'estate' in Vermont.

Mrs. White is a devout Christian wife, who has been married for more than 25 years. She is a mother of five, grandmother of two, and a homemaker without apology. I was filled with emotion and wonder as she shared her struggles, her hopes, her dreams, and her ability to see the work that she does in the home, not as mundane drudgery, but as a purposeful, joyful act of service to her family, and as a humble act of reverence and worship before God.

I love Mrs. White's determination to be sweet and cheerful no matter how hard times might be, and am delighted by her ability to see beauty in simplicity.

Throughout the book, Mrs. White shares godly wisdom in the areas of child care, cleaning, etiquette, finances, homemaking, hospitality, cooking, holiness, and more, and she greatly encouraged me, personally, in the areas of contentment, thrift, and living life purposefully and productively, no matter what the circumstance.

What I appreciated most, was Mrs. White's honesty concerning finances. She has, as did the Apostle Paul, learned to be abased and to abound, and to be content in whatsoever state she has found herself in. I gleaned a wealth of thought-provoking ideas from Mrs. White throughout the book, and am truly challenged to re-think and evaluate our current financial circumstances, and the stewardship of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us...AND I am challenged to use them more wisely in future.

Here are a few of my favorite lines from Mrs. White's book, Mother's Book of Home Economics ...

"If we truly realized the greatness of an eternal perspective, and cared for the home out of a sense of devotion for The Master, our will would be so strong that nothing could distract us from so great a task as tending the home." (page 152)

"The Homemaker...will find happiness in her daily tasks - make the home pleasant, because she has found a way to make the most of her circumstances. She will not get caught up in the crankiness of family members. She will not get caught up in the neighbor's gossip. She can be a bright light and a joy to those around her because she is dedicated to the ART of creating a comfortable, pretty home - with what she has. This becomes her hobby, her vocation, her calling." (page 165)

"...I will spend on that which is eternal. I will find a way to serve despite my health issues. I will not care what others say or think of me, but only care of the view from God's eyes." (page 205)

"Wherever we go, wherever we live, regardless of our circumstances, we can manage beautifully in a tent, a cabin, shack or house. We can do this with our talents and skills...It is certainly not the ideal, but we can cope and cope beautifully in most situations." (page 253)

"Now, if you came to my house and looked at the grounds, you would see something far different than I do. You would see a 3 story house that is in serious need of painting. You would see old porches and tired steps. You would see little attempts at gardening throughout the land. but the world, as I see it, is a great Estate for us to explore..." (page 270)

In a time when the Titus 2 woman is mysteriously missing, or is, at best, difficult to come by, I find that Mrs. White helps to comfortably fill that gap. I highly recommend her book to anyone who is seeking Biblical womanhood as a keeper of the home, or to anyone who just wishes to learn how to slow down and live a simpler lifestyle in our out-of-control, modern age.

To find out more visit Mrs. White @ The Legacy of Home.

Until next time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Cleaning Out The Freezer (Part 2) - Three Months Later

Good Afternoon, Sweet Ladies!

If you remember, I first wrote about cleaning out the freezer back in July. It's taken me three whole months to accomplish it, but I have FINALLY got the big freezer unloaded and UNPLUGGED!!! (In mind's eye I immediately started seeing that wheel on the electric meter start slowing down and all those $$$ start migrating over into the piggy bank!!!) I've still got to defrost and clean the big freezer, but, the point is, all the food is out! Some of it we've eaten over the past three months. Some of it went into the trash bin. (I hate throwing food away, but, honestly! Some of that stuff has been in there for EV-ER and we're never going to eat it anyway! No meat...mostly vegetables from our garden a couple of summers back.) Some of it I'm defrosting to feed to the chickens. The rest of it went into the small freezer. I plan to inventory all that this afternoon and plan meals for the month of October around what's on hand. This has been my plan for ages, but things just kept happening to prevent me from getting it done. I was so excited to finally get that freezer unplugged that I just had to share! I hope you all are having a lovely and productive day! God's blessings over all!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Monday's 'Home Blessing' Routine

Good Morning, Sweet Sisters!

I've got a few extra minutes this morning so I thought I'd drop in and say, "Hello!" How are you this morning?

Yesterday was the first full day of fall here in the Midwest. After taking my son to work I came home and got started on my Monday morning 'home blessing'. Due to visitors my 'home blessing' went on well into the afternoon, but that was more than okay. I enjoyed the unexpected company!

"What is a 'home blessing'?" you might ask. Well, the idea originated with Flylady, and, while my house will never be CLEAN clean, I am working on it and have developed my own routine. The 'home blessing' comes on Monday, and, before doing anything, I light scented candles in the living room and kitchen, and turn on Pandora Radio on my computer, which I have tuned to a Celtic music shuffle. It's the Celtic music station shuffled and mixed with the Celtic Woman station. (So beautiful!) For me, the Monday 'home blessing' looks like this:

     - Go through the whole house and, using a feather duster, dust all vertical and horizontal surfaces in each room. This includes pictures and things hanging on the wall, lamps, knick-knacks on the piano, etc. I don't fuss over this. I just do a quick run through of each room and be done with it.

     - Spritz and clean all mirrors and the front door glass using the homemade glass cleaner that I have used for years and love!

    - Gather all laundry and start beginning with the rug out of the bathroom, towels, and washrags.

    - Spritz down the bathroom sink, toilet, and floor surrounding the toilet with all-purpose cleaner (here again...homemade, used for years, and love!) and wipe with paper towels or cleaning rags. While I'm in the bathroom I go ahead and clean the toilet bowl and Comet the tub. When I'm done everything is clean and sparkling and ready for the fresh rug and towels to be replaced as soon as they come out of the dryer or off the line.

    - Dust all wooden surfaces using a rag and a mixture of equal parts olive oil and lemon juice.

    - Vacuum whole house.

    - Do any dishes that might have accumulated.

    - Hang, fold, and put away laundry.

That's pretty much it. It doesn't take long and when I'm done the entire atmosphere of our home is brighter and more cheerful!

In addition to yesterday's 'home blessing' my husband brought in my 'autumn box' and I pulled out all my fall decorations and used them to accentuate the season. I also changed the curtains in the kitchen from my summer blue and white ginghams to my winter northwoods bears. The whole place feels cozy and ready for winter!

It's time to go! Have a blessed day and I will talk with you again soon!

All My Love,
~Rebecca




'One Thousand Gifts' - #222 - sun-drenched mornings dipped in dew, #224 - apples!, #251 - Living Water from the Word, #254 - socks, #266 - our home without television, #276 - healing...physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual