I just spent three hours ironing. Yep, ironing. And, I know, in this day and age you don't HAVE to iron, but... I was ironing things from a previous day and age. From a time when housewives spent time creating beautiful spaces in their homes, and when that was okay to do.
As I was ironing I kept thinking of all the other things I could have done:
- created art
- read a book
- gone to the YMCA
- worked on a lesson plan for school
- worked on a lesson for the new art classes
- worked more on the book I'm writing
- anything
- everything
- nothing
But, I kept ironing. You see, for me at least, creating a beautiful home is part of recognizing who God made me to be. Wife. Mother. Keeper of the Home. creator of things beautiful. Today the beauty meant caring for my home. Making it a place of rest and enjoyment for myself and others. It meant caring for what God gave me, and being grateful. And, I'll be honest... I like to iron. I like ironing our linens.... tablecloths, doilies, runners, napkins... As I iron I watch a show, I think of all the times I've used that piece of linen, of all the people who've used that linen, I think of the colors that give me pleasure, I enjoy the texture of the vintage cloth. I even enjoy the little stains that remind me of past celebrations.
Ironing helps me to create beauty (by making a clean house) and to enjoy beauty. Hope you enjoy my table cloths as much I do. Come over some day and sit and have tea with me, see what I pull out. Enjoy it. Ask about it. Dream. Dream of beauty, color, texture. It's all art. It's all part of creating something special.
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