A good wife is a good housekeeper.
I love the “time warp” between the printing of “Homemaking” (renamed “The Family”, printed in the late 1800′s) by JR Miller and our present day. It reveals our subtle shift away from what was once considered normal and healthy and is now called outdated and stifling.
It should be an important lesson. As values shift, our thinking shifts and the whole movement causes a shift in our lives, our families, our communities and our country. Some would call it a “good and necessary movement”. I can’t seem to see that our families, in general, are faring better this day than they once did.
That’s not to deny that trials and difficulties have always existed in homes where people live! But that once there seemed to be a stronger chord that held folks together and a sweeter unity that spoke better of home as a place where living really happened.
Miller spoke things that were logical, sensible and fairly accepted in his day. The same words today are hated and rejected.
Is it just an outdated set of ideals? Or did he teach something valuable that would benefit us if we paid attention?
Every word of this section was delectable, and it saddened me to have to cut it at all.
“The good wife is a good housekeeper.
The mere mention of such things as cooking, baking, sweeping, dusting, mending, ironing, jars upon the poetic rhythm of the lofty themes of conversation. It never enters the brains of these happy lovers that it can make any difference in the world in their home life whether the bread is sweet or sour, whether the oatmeal is well cooked or scorched, whether the meals are punctual or tardy. The mere thought that such sublunary matters could affect the tone of their wedded life seems a desecration.
Love may build its palace of noble sentiments and tender affections and sweet charities, rising into the very clouds, and in this splendid home two souls may dwell in the enjoyment of the highest possibilities of wedded life; but his palace, too, must stand on the ground, with unpoetic and unsentimental stones for its foundation. That foundation is good housekeeping.
In other words, good breakfasts, dinners and suppers, a well kept house, order, system, promptness, punctuality, good cheer – far more than any young lovers dream does happiness in married life depend upon such commonplace things as these. Love is very patient, very kind, and very gentle; and where there is love no doubt the plainest fare is ambrosia and the homeliest surroundings are charming.
I know the wise man said: “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox (i.e., a good roast beef dinner), with hatred therewith;” but herbs as a constant diet will pall on the taste, especially if poorly served, even if love is ever present to season them. In this day of advanced civilization it is ought to be possible to have both the stalled ox and love. Husbands are not angels in this mundane state, and not being such they need a substantial basis of good housekeeping for the realization of their dreams of blissful homemaking.
Where a strengthful womanhood keeps the house wisely and well, in prudent care and orderly comfort and cheerful peace, there, in the daily duties, trying and tasting, her character issues in loveliness of bloom and blessedness of privilege, softly shadowing the household beneath its gracious power and unselfish gentleness; so that the heart of her husband rejoiceth in her, and the love which was planted within those walls strikes down its roots through all the thin soiled fancy and passion into the rich ground of manly reverence and honor, from which to draw a sustenance and life which shall keep it fresh and green in the midst of the years as those that are planted in the house of the Lord.” -JR Miller
By: Generation Cedar.
