The gentle art of homemaking...

 

Twelve years ago I began writing about a favourite book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity, and as the years rolled on I referred to it often, and even did a year long book study on the blog with my readers in 2019 (you can still go through that HERE). I had a block of the month with that theme (some of the patterns are HERE) as well as similar themed years for the blog along the way - you see, it really resonated with me as a homemaker and stoked the flames of my home-loving heart. 

I was thinking about this recently, especially during the cleanout of our bookcases last week, where I gathered all my homemaking books on the table, before positioning them together along three shelves, inspired to re-read as many as possible through 2026. No matter how many times I read, or flip through them, there's always something new to learn, or to consider, with regards to homemaking and living a homemaker's life.  

I was pondering the difference between what I once embraced as 'the gentle art of domesticity', and the way I think about it now as the gentle art of homemaking? I can't exactly express the difference in a way that would make sense to others, but in my own heart it is that the first was about the 'doing' (what we did in the gentle domestic life) whereas the second is about the 'being' of a homemaker, the core love in our heart for being at home, for tending the home, for making a home somewhere loved ones choose to be, for creating a sanctuary of safety and comfort that nurtures the creation of heartstrings in those who leave but know they are always welcome to return. 

There was a time when being a homemaker was quite normal, and everyone knew that the home could not function without her. Pop thanked Nana after every meal, appreciating the time and care that went into the dish she'd prepared for us. He was also keenly aware that if not for her, none of his shirts would be washed and ironed, the floors would not be swept and mopped, his lunch and mine would not be packed and ready when he left for his shift at the docks and I left for school, the pets would not be fed, and the various tasks that must be attended to in a home, whether tiny like ours, or a larger family abode, would fall by the wayside. He never held back his gratitude, but showed me by example, that her role as a homemaker was to be treasured and honoured. And I think that's the 'gentle art of domesticity' side of it all, because he saw what she did and loved her for it.

Truly, my own heart grew up longing to be like her, to care for my own home, and to be treasured and honoured in the homemaker role just as she had been - but I too saw it all as things she did, that I also wanted to do one day. And I genuinely did always love keeping house, even to this day!

But the gentle art of homemaking is something else, it requires there to be a deep love and desire in one's heart for the things we do within our walls, that we would pursue the everyday ordinary tasks with delight and joy, not feeling burdened or hard done by, resentful, or looking for a way to escape. 

I read this morning a very wise fact, "there are no greener pastures on the other side", and it made me think of women I have known in life, young mothers of the children I cared for in my home through the Family Day Care scheme. Most of them told me how much they lamented being tied to home and were now following their dream of building a career instead. Sadly, back at that time there were no time restraints on how long they took to collect their children each day, and it was common for me to have the babies and toddlers overnight, and in a few rare cases, it would be days before the mother would be back to get her child/children. They had their taste of freedom and ran with it, going out after work, and not bothering to even call me to ask if it was okay or if their child was alright.  

But some of the mothers changed their minds over time, and as their hearts returned to family and home, they would step away from the hustle of career building and settle back to where they had begun with relief and happiness. Initially growing tired of the 'doing', especially after having children and choosing to step away and escape what they described as drudgery, over time the desire to 'be' within their hearts overcame that negativity and they saw beauty in mothering, and a genuine desire to care for their homes. 

There were also other mothers who had no choice but to work, and oh how they loved their babies! They would linger for a while before saying goodbye to their little ones, and would never be late in collecting them. In fact they would sweep those babies up in their arms and hug them so tight - my heart would always swell with emotion. There was even a single father whose young son I cared for, and he worked a lot of nights so I'd have the 4 year old quite a bit, but he would get to my house as soon as he could to collect his boy, and ask his son a million questions about what he'd done or made or where he'd been during their absence from each other. When they eventually moved away to another state I received a number of postcards over the following months telling me how the boy was settling and what he'd been doing. 

Now I know many of you reading this have had, or do have careers, so you might read all this as me being negative about women and careers, but that is not so. I'm sharing the experiences of my own life, and how examining certain situations that crossed my own path are helping me right now to identify the difference between the 'doing' and the 'being' within a woman's home environment. Over the years quite a number of women have emailed me or left comments on my blog posts to tell me how much they long to 'come home' full time, but must for now continue working for one reason or another, and what I appreciate from this is that they are true homemakers in their hearts, for they long to be home. Isn't that the most important thing? No matter our circumstances, the 'doing' of domesticity can be taught, but the 'being' of a homemaker must be planted and tended in the heart, and that 'being' is not about where you are (whether in a kitchen or an office), but what's in your heart. 

I think that the gentle art of homemaking will be my theme this year on the blog, as it more accurately reflects my heart motivation, than the art of domesticity does. What are your thoughts on this?

THIS WEEK...

I have really struggled with my knee, more than over the past seven months since I injured it, so many hours a day have been spent reclining on the old soft couch with books, knitting, embroidery, old episodes of Agatha Christie, and my iPad. It's been important to get up every hour and walk around, and its in those times that I do the washing, bake bread, give things a dust, or attend to small tasks. 

I'm no longer able to drive as using the accelerator and brake cause extreme pain, but my beloved husband has tomorrow off work and will be taking me back to the doctor and we shall see where things lead from there. Dear Rosie came to visit on Monday, and kindly offered to take me to the doctor any time I need her, which means the world to me moving forward, as right now I have no idea how long before I'll be healed and back to normal movement. 

You can see the photos of my completed Japanese stitchery UFO and I'm loving how it turned out. It's also nice to have my January project in the 2026 Adventure challenge finished and hanging on the wall. I folded it over one of those art canvasses you find at the discount stores, and stitched felt across the back. 

Due to my knee, I've not yet been able to cut out the fabrics for the quilt pattern I chose to work on through this year, but I am enjoying knitting small woollen squares which shall eventually become a lap blanket, so that will be my 'extra' project to work on when each monthly UFO project is completed. 

ABIGAIL STUDY...

Part Two of the Abigail study is now up on it's own blog page, and ready for you to read or download. You will find it HERE and I'd love to hear your own thoughts as you've been studying her life. 

If you have been wanting a Bible based stitchery to work on, you will find "Grow in Grace" (photo below) as a free download HERE. It's quick to stitch up and a lovely project for gift giving, as well as displaying in your own home. Be blessed as you stitch!

God bless each and every one of you, and may He, during the year ahead, assist you to overcome your struggles, heal your heart, provide for your needs, and build your faith in Christ. 

And may we all grow in grace.

Until next week...

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