Monday, April 17, 2017

Warm and Happy Kitchens





 {From the Archives of Connie's Letters. Fall 2006.}


Mothers who have busy warm kitchens and happy hearts can make good bread.  Your yeast is alive and loves to be warm and active. I think old houses seem to make good bread. I think it is because of all of the other yeasts in the house.  Yeast is in the air and a housewife can learn to harness and use whatever yeast she needs. Like a sour dough starter is harvesting yeast for bread and rolls.

I know this house is loaded with yeast of all kinds. The Old time mothers knew all of this and used what she had to make her food.  But I usually tell a young mom that if she can’t make a good family bread then it was because she didn’t love it enough.

A happy kitchen with steaming soup simmering on the stove and the coffee pot perking is a joyful place to make bread. Your bread won’t rise in a cold kitchen and if is too hot it will die.

The old time mothers used to sing in their kitchens. An old friend of mine used to say that her Mom always sang a certain song when she made bread. When she got done with all of the verses then she knew the bread had been kneaded enough.

My friend thought as a child that the song was a part of the recipe. So when she grew up and was a young bride in her own kitchen she thought she had to sing the same song. So she did!

In the old days when the family needed to be cheered up, mother seemed to be the inspiration to get them up and going.  Mother would announce, “Well, you all are hungry so I will fix supper.” 

Maybe the afternoon was quiet and not much going on. But as mother would get up to put her apron on things would begin to move about again.  She would scurry the children about to pick up their games and get ready for supper.  She would tell the boys to bring in the wood for her cook stove and some for the fireplace.  Mama would tell the girls to help peel potatoes. Pretty soon the family would smell Mamas biscuits and fried meat on the stove.

Last of all before the family sat down to supper Mother would stir the gravy. As she stirred she would tell the girls to set the table and slice the bread, Light the lamp on the table and call Papa in for supper.

Meal time was an event, a time to fellowship with the family. After supper mother would set out a starter for bread making the next day.  After the supper dishes were done and the girls dried them and put them away, the table was cleared and Mother got out her mending. Papa read the evening paper and the children played games and did  homework.

The winter kitchen was the warmest place in the house and the family stayed in there and kept warm.

Is your kitchen warm?

 Love, Connie





* Order Connie's book, "Dear Kitchen Saints," available on Amazon. It is autobiographical and tells the beautiful story of her marriage testimony!* 

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Do Not Mother Your Husband






 {From the Archives of Connie's Letters, October 2002. "Men of God"}



 Dear Wives,

I have a bit more time to write so wanted to share some
thoughts. . . Speaking of men of God. . . don't mother your husband.  Let him be responsible for his own sins. . . Don't be like Moses and stand between God's wrath and the sinners. Get out of the way, and let God deal with your husband. 

 And how does this  work?  Quit being the Holy Spirit to your husband. . Learn in quietness and submission. . Learn in silence.

Your husband is not your god. Jesus Christ had better be your God.. Your husband won't take ya to heaven. . And - NEWS FLASH - we as Christian wives aren't here to be comfortable and go to Women's Bible Studies all day..We are here to bring our families to Jesus Christ. .We are to be helpers to our husbands. .by following them. If they don't treat us as weaker vessels, then their prayers won't be answered. 

Oh yeah, they had better treat us right. .Trouble is that God can't
chastise them, as he would have to blow us to kingdom come to get to our men. . We mother them and stand in the way.

No man of God needs to be mothered. . He has to learn to stand on his own two feet; and if he sins, he gets to pay for it. . But when your husband sins, you don't need to get after him about it. .You can just enjoy him and love him and pray for him. . . Let him do his business with God.

Often wives worry so much over their husband's sins that all they do all day is sit and worry. . This is crazy and causes you wives to sin. . You aren't doing your housework, or looking after the children. You are in sin, and worry, and fear. 

 You must pray like crazy for your man. . and get the victory, and treat your husband like he is a preacher of the Gospel. . .You WON'T make it no-how on your own .  . keeping your husband in the DOG HOUSE.  . And chewin' on him all the time like an old dog. . No, be free in Christ. . God brought you to the Lord without anyone chewin' on you. . Let that poor man go and quit buggin' him and watching him like he was a baby.  

He is a man made in God's image. . He is the glory of God, and you are the glory of your husband. . You are to help this man to the Lord. . Not by your mouth and your vain instructions. . But by your silence . . by your good works and example.

You must never lie to your husband. . . Don't sow lies into your marriage.  No .  . not at any cost. . Don't lie about how much money you have in your purse hoping to save some back for a rainy day.  No. . tell the truth to your husband even if it brings you harm. . I mean don't tell him about past loves or whatever . . no. . That's under the blood.  But I mean about household matters of business. . Some men have lied so much they don't know how to tell the truth. Well you must never lie. . let them see this example of Godliness. 

 Don't let them be babies by taking their place as breadwinners. . Don't lighten their loads by taking over for them in matters of manhood. . Be a woman to them. . Stay in your place as keeper at home. 

There used to be an old saying, "If you want your man to be more of a man. . then you be more of a woman." And that is so true. . . Don't cross over your line of womanhood to instruct your sissy husband. . Let him sink or swim.   Stand on the scriptures that say that his prayers won't be answered, if he doesn't treat you as the weaker vessel.


Love Connie


* Order Connie's book, "Dear Kitchen Saints," available on Amazon. It is autobiographical and tells the beautiful story of her marriage testimony!*