Home Economics For Woman - 1950 and Today

I LOVE this.....may sound dated...but its a good reminder of what we can be doing with our time when we are home.

Home Economics For Women In The 1950's

July 31st 2007 00:40

From a 1950's high school home economics textbook, teaching girls how to prepare for married life.

1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal on time.
2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking.
He has just been with a lot of work- weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables.  Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes.
They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.

6. Things to avoid: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner.
Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.

7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.
Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

A Godly Woman.....She is a Work of Poetry!

Hi Ladies,

Since my last post I have been reading..."Discovering the Treasures of a Godly Woman" by Elizabeth George.  It is a very in-depth study of the Proverbs 31 woman and already I have learned new meaning from the scriptures.  I almost don't know where to being and I am only on chapter 4!

So my dear readers let us start at the very beginning...a very good place to start.

Chapter One - A Godly Woman

Much of the bible is poetry and it is the same for the Proverbs 31 passages.  In the Hebrew language there is rhyme and meter and parallelism.  You may notice that a proverb, or saying, usually has two lines, each with a parallel relationship to the other....for example....

 Synonymous parallelism is this...Proverbs 31:20

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needs."

Antithetical Parallelism is This Proverbs 31:30

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the lord is to be praised."

You will find this through out the bible and Proverbs especially...examples...

Proverbs 1:2

Proverbs 10:1

Proverbs 3:6

The next example we find in Proverbs 31 is Synthetic Parallelism - here the second line simple continues the thought of the first line with the second line usually starting with "and"....

Proverbs 31:13

"She gets up while it is still dark; and provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls."

Overview

I am glad we took the time to discuss this important aspect of the Proverbs in general.  I learned something new.  I hope you did too!  It will help us to have a better understanding of our God and the Word in my opinion. 

The next section will focus on Godly Excellence.  The writer has us again read Proverbs 31 in it's entirety and pick out all of the characteristics of the Godly Woman...or the Wife of Noble Character.

Some Characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman translated

into the 21st Century.

1. She is valuable, there are not many woman like this to be found!
2. Her husband has full confidence in her, he lacks nothing that he needs to be happy.  In other words, ***at the top of her priority list is the happiness and comfort of her husband.
3. She is kind to him and brings him ONLY good, not harm.
4. She is a SMART shopper.
5. She works very hard and is a prudent business woman - at times she will have to leave the house to provide - "she is like the merchant ships bringing her food from afar"
6. She is frugal
7. She gets up early in the morning and may work late into the night to provide 
8. She MADE food for her family and servants.  She also made sure they had appropriate clothing and were warm and well dressed.
9. She was charitable
10. She was crafty, she knew how to sew, cook, clean, manage finances.
11. She made sure that she was well dressed.  Fine linen and Purple were expensive and pretty fabrics of the time, not to mention the time it took to keep those garments well kept!

WOW - that is a lot.  The writer asks us to see which of these character traits we have and those which we lack.

I can be MUCH better in managing our finances and being more frugal....and have taken steps in the right direction.

My goal this week in my journey to becoming more like this Virtuous Woman....is to also make bread daily and use what we have in the house for our nightly dinners. 

I also want my thoughts and speech to be pleasing to God.  I often find myself reciting proverbs that I want to remember (Proverbs 3:5-6) when I am feeling less than virtuous, and singing hymns of praise while doing mundane chores around the house.

What is your goal this week?

Since my accident it has been hard for me to plan and cook but last night I was able to and I felt like my old self again. 

I put on my favorite vintage apron and felt like the woman of the house again as I slow cooked some country style ribs for my Stepsons.  I also made some french bread! 

Tea Time...My favorite is a thick toasted slice of hot fresh bread with hot tea,

butter and blackberry preserves!

Corey was happy that I was back to cooking as well.  What a fine gentleman he will be!

  

Kisses and Hugs!

Jenny