Virtuous Sisters

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, January 2013.}

Part 1

This old story took place many yrs ago..Well i was pregnant with the Rock Star "Dan " and he will be 31 this Spring..My memory takes me back to a special day in the fall..i can hear my precious children in the car playing in the backseat..No car seats then ,,so they jumped all over the car,,Papa didnt care..David wud swing on Jims neck from the back seat,,"Hey thats my neck you are pullin on.." ..Me and Papa had promised the children a puppy for an early Christmas present,,We were chasing down an Address in the newspaper..."Free Puppies"..Finally Jim found the house ...It was a lovely old white farm house nestled in a cluster of Autumn maple trees....The husband came out and we all visited a while..i was to find out that we had come for more then a puppy..i was about to meet a Virtuous woman that i was never to forget,,i dont even remember their names..i will just call the husband Fran as he looked French and his lovely wife i will call her Mother..As we visited with Fran he kept mentioning his wife...This couple was in their late 40s..i was about 31 and Jim was about 38.,,Fran told us about Mother and all the things she made especially in the fall..He showed us her garden ...It was done for the summer and put away till next spring time...But then Fran wanted to show us Mothers Summer Kitchen ...Oh Mercy ,..it was a feast for the eyes to behold..Jim had only been saved for about 3 yrs..i was seeking hard after the virtuous woman,,"Who is she i kept asking the Lord" .?.Well the Lord was about to show me one of the virtuous sisters that was to hold me in place for alot of yrs..

Part 2

So Fran tells us to follow him and we went to the Summer Kitchen,,The puppies were in a box waiting for the children to come and get them just inside the door of this lovely old kitchen,,Ok i will tell you what it looked like..You walked thru a grape arbor that was shaped like a hallway to the front door of the kitchen..The kitchen was a long old out building that was not insulated and had a dirt floor in most of it,,,This precious wife and mother was cookin up a storm in there..She had a big old wood burning stove..But then she had other stoves in the building too,..One she was making cheese on,..and it had to be kept at a certain temp..Then she had another stove too ..i dont remember what that one was for..In a corner of her kitchen was a huge pile of bright orange pumpkins and gourds that she had grown in her garden.Also she had piles of fall flowers that she wud dry..Mainly the Giant Marigolds and Zinnias ..Over our heads was the wooden beams..Mother tied her flowers upside down so that they wud retain their colors and wud dry out ..The kitchen ceiling was awash with colors of Fall..It was gorgeous.. She also had dried herbs tied to the beams.. Then she had shelves of Mason jars and baskets of tomatoes waiting to be canned. Also baskets of cucumbers to be made into pickles..Well Fran introduced his lovely wife to us..And the children played with the puppies for a while.,,After Mother met us and all she told us that she was a Christian.. They had 2 teenagers a boy about 14 and his sister was about 16..The children came out of the house to see what Puppy our children was taking,..And the teenagers so admired their mother...and their dad,,But especially their Mother.. That sure touched my heart..

Part 3

Ok..here is some more of the writing.. its about when we first met Frans
wife.We entered the shed{kitchen} thru a grape arbor..The arbor brot alot
of shade and the vines of the grapes went all over the front of the shed
and kept things cool in the kitchen..As you entered this kitchen it was as
tho worldliness just fell off of you and you were entering the hallow of
Gods Hands..When i saw Mother working in her kitchen i felt so
peaceful..Fran introduced her as his bride of many yrs..Mother was quiet
and reserved..i felt like i had entered her sanctuary and interrupted her
prayers..This wife had moral dignity and strength..Thru her domestication
she brot out the natural ways of her husband..She was discreet and
chaste..i was a young wife seeking the older Titus mother...That day the
Lord showed me a part of what all of this meant..Mother didnt need to
preach to me..her life showed me what being domesticated meant..To close
this up i will tell you one more thing Fran said about his bride..He said
that he bot a herd of cows to care for just so he cud give his pretty wife
fresh cream for her coffee every morning..Later i was to find out that
Mother taught classes on Housewifery..i didnt get to go to them as i was so
busy with my big family..But i was thankful i got to meet this precious
family. When i first started the Happy Housewifery Newsletter this was the
first story i wrote..i didnt get this one sent out..But i think this mother
had alot of influence on me as a young mother with alot to learn..Love
connie

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

The Romance of Thrift

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, January 2007.}


Ya know some of you Mothers with large families, make the world think you
enjoy being poor. Become love slaves to your husbands. Let your kitchens
come alive with cooking and baking. Enjoy going to second hand stores and
finding old time pots and pans and aprons. I have a pink hand mixer I found
a few years ago.

The old time Mothers loved their families and they gave themselves whole
heartedly to their husbands and his children. She was sold out to her
family and home and she could give a hoot what the world thought of her.
While the other ladies were out shopping and catting around, she was at
home in love with her husband and her kitchen.

And ya know in all the good Fairy Tales you read, you never hear of a
haughty lazy wife whom everyone loved or admired. No, it was the
Cinderellas and the Snow Whites who had good and loving hearts and loved to
keep house. The ladies of yesteryear were always lovely to look at with
long pretty hair and flowers in it. Flowing cotton skirts with a broom in
their hands. She loves babies and her Prince Charming loves her for her
womanly ways. A home graced with contentment will make your bread
rise. Happy bubbly bread always rises first.

The feminists of this day would have been called crabby fish wives in the
old time Fairy tale books. Mostly wives with tall black hats and scraggly
teeth. Instead of sweeping the floor with their dirty brooms, they ride
them on dark windy nights. But the truly romantic wife is at home sewing
and making soup. She doesn’t care if her husband brings home rotten apples
for supper… she praises him anyway for bringing something home for supper.
She is a true Pollyanna and her true Prince is Jesus Christ. And if her
husband is truly poor, she takes a vow of poverty and lives only under her
beloved as she sews and cooks and bakes. She does him good all the days of
her life.

Love,
Connie


{Connie's new book of letters was just published!  "Dear Christmas Mothers" is available for sale at Amazon.}



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paperback, 116 pages.

Homestead Mothers

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, December 2012. This is one of the many letters Connie writes to a group of homemakers. She would love to hear from you too!}

Good Morning Homestead Mothers, The word homestead is like the word
bedstead..Bedstead just means a place for a bed..Homestead is a place for a
home..So even if you live in a one room apt you can call your room a
Homestead..i just call my house The Hultquist Homestead.. Home of the Happy
Housewifery Newsletters and H.H.N. Radio............Homemakers of America
you are on the air..!!!! "Cindy what is the weather like on your
Missouri Farm this morning ?" Whats cookin in the oven for the day "? I am
Connie ..and i have a big pan of Chilli from Christmas Eve ..i plan to put
some big elbow macaroni in the chilli once it begins to boil good.i will
add more onions and maybe some corn to it..The grandkids and Tiff will be
over this afternoon to visit.. i think i have cornmeal i hope..i will make
us some cornbread to eat with the Chilli..If i dont have cornmeal i will
just make biscuits...They arent picky..we will have a good time..I told
Tiff to be careful on the highway as it is snowing..So what is Jenn up to
this morning ? and the rest of you girls..? Wendy are you on?
Whats up for your day?...Gotta go check the soup...Just jump in and hang
on,..Love connie Ps Aunt Toots are you still with us and Jill...?


{Connie's new book of letters was just published!  "Dear Christmas Mothers" is available for sale at Amazon.}



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- "Dear Christmas Mothers" at Amazon.

paperback, 116 pages.

The Old Time Thanksgiving

   I remember the old time Thanksgivings we used to have..Uncle Clarence loved to tease us kids..The cousins all played outside in the cold ..Our mothers wud call to us..from the door."Get your hats on and button your coats..Uncle Clarence lived on a farm..with his big family..And my 2 brothers and me loved it..When we wud come in the house to get warm..my uncle wud tease us and try to get us to laugh..But he wud say.."Well Connie cudnt come this year for Thanksgiving..? "i was about 5 or 6 yrs old..i wud say to Uncle ..i am right here uncle Clarence"..And he wud pretend that he didnt see me..Then he wud say "Well you are growing so big i didnt know it was you Connie" i wud say "oh yes it is me"! Then i wud tell everyone that i had grown so tall that my uncle didnt know me..All the uncles and aunts loved to joke and laugh with us children..
   We always had fun at Thanksgiving..They were precious days..Happy days..Days that gave us a sense of family and feeling like we kids belonged ..We learned life lessons as we sat around the table listening to the wisdom of the older folks..Gleaning their spirits and hearts ,not only their words of wisdom..
   When the holiday was over we children left for home with much more then we came with..We left with many happy memories...of Thanksgivings and days gone by..Love connie

Wifely Submission

Part 1

Dear Wives..Ya know the story of my life wud be summed up "in the heading
of "Duck and Run.."......When i talk about wifely submission my friends
try to change the subject..One friend will start to tell a story about how
mad they are at their husbands..Then they will say "Well i know Connie
wudnt agree " Then i will say under my breath "Oh i dont know?"...well i
know all right..But ya know i dont wanna get all steamed up too early in
the day....But there is so much confusion in the body of Christ concerning
the Authority of Christ...Modern day preachers have been raised for the
most part by single Christian Mothers..So the son preaches sermons to stand
up for his poor Mother who had to raise 10 children while her knot head
husband sat in the corner smokin weed and drinkin whiskey..And if it wasnt
for her the 10 children wud have starved to death..and Ooooh i love the TD
Jakes who loves writing books about "woman thou art loosed" ..Nothing makes
me bite a bullet faster then that sentence..Just How loonng will you all
fall for that one??? So what is the Pastor looseing you girls from?Well
ya know he wants you to feel proud of yourself..so you can get a job..Ok
then the next sermon is on Giving to the Lord...?? Well ya know what? A
bunch of dear HOUSEWIVES who love their families and love being Keepers at
Home aint gonna make any church RICH..PREACHING ON FRUGALITY AND Dumpster
diving smacks the devil right in the face..I had to Dumpster dive when the
kids were little and i enjoyed it..i was always cutting deals with the
fresh produce man in the back of the store..Then when i got good deals i
wud trade with this Mormon Mother who got good deals on Fridays from the
bakery ...I wud give her a box of lettuce and she wud give me 3 loaves of
bread..i baked alot of bread too but it was nice to have store bot too..I
mean yes Jim worked.......But it seems now as never before .we were
introduced to the term " the working poor"..Usually if you work you can
at least put food on the table.but not anymore.The wage law is so low ..rent
and food is so high ..We need a new plan....

Part 2


So now its Monday morning and the Christian housewife is loosed
supposedly..and she goes lookin for a job...She is mad at her husband of
course..Because she thinks she cant be a real kick ass Feminist unless she
sports an attitude..And the Cafe she applys for a job at makes the manager
feel like a REPUBLICAN...WHO DONT know the first thing about womens rights
in the work place...So this woman who is more interested in HERself and
her confidence as a woman ..ditches all the dumpy FRUGALITY ideas and
depends on her paycheck to save the day..She gets the paycheck in 2 weeks
and crys all the way home..Now what is she to do ?She cant be frugal
because she has a job..So she buys "Hurry up frozen dinners that are bound
in plastic and make her family sick with..well you name it...the sky is the
limit...And you all know its the truth..But the voice of WISDOM is so faint
...And the voice of the WORLD is so loud...And when the HOUSEWIFE is
tryyying to get a tight pair of jeans on before work its hard to hear the
voice of God?And its hard to remember to put the dried beans in a pan to
soak so they will be ready to cook for supper..Why not just serve some more
plastic covered food.."? i will tell you a secret...Only the Lord knows
what to do....He gives us our daily bread..He calls us as Keepers at
Home...We are to be At home..When the Bible speaks of submission it also
means submitting to your place as Keepers at Home...Keeper at home means
that you are the guardian of the HOME....If things go wrong at HOME then
the Lord has given you the ability to fix it..through prayer....You are the
special agent from Heaven that God will use..You are the minister of the
Home..I mean when Jim was running all over the country..he didnt send Money
home? Hello? But i always figured a man wud work if he got hungry enuff,..i
had a few part time jobs that lasted a few days...But Jim was convinced i
wasnt going to work.i didnt tell him that No..Heck no...!!! But he cud
tell by my attitude i was going to support him..The bills Jim cudnt pay
when he left were the same bills he cudnt pay when he got home..Ya know no
one can tame a "prayin woman" I wasnt smarter then Jim but i knew who
was..JESUS CHRIST..Jesus Christ made we women as the weaker vessels..the
keepers at home..And if you have a husband who wants you to stay
home...dont mess with God plan..Be glad about it..Look at your home..Take a
goood long look at it.".Its your work place" ..Now if you think you can run
a business ? well if you think it wud be easy then try to run a home
first.Start applying the scriptures to the problems at home........First of
all ...get some anointing oil and mark your windows and doors and pray for
your homes..Rebuke the unholy fire of Christian Feminism..and throw that
God forsaken spirit out and command it to go back to the pits of Hell..in
Jesus name..

Part 3

Dear Housewives....
i was going to write on wifely submission..But man alive !!! Its so much more then Husband
says "Go jump in the lake" and so i did it..The heart beat of the Bible
screams out the covenant of marriage..Its what the Bible is all about..its
all about making commitments ..Its about giving your life ..Its about dying
for Christ..Giving up your life for the precious Word of God....MARRIAGE
IS THE TEST..The cloud of witnesses watch you in the arena of life..They
call to you but you cant hear them..The lies of the devil interrupts the
voice and the presence of God..But marriage tells the Lord who you
really are..God calls we wives to submit to our husbands as unto the
Lord..But wifely submission is alot more then just doing what husband says..It is submitting to all of the teachings concerning the womans place in Christiandom.The power of God
comes when we imitate the Heavenlies..We are the church..the body of
Christ..Some of us worship in a building ,,some of us worship at home..Our
homes are our sanctuaries..As we clean the house and make the meals and
rock the baby, we are walking in His steps..as we learn in silence and
subjection...As we teach the children the precious Word of God we are
doing Gods will..But no ..submission to husbands is alot more then just
obeying husbands voice...In fact wifely submission has little to do with
your husband..really...Your life with Jesus Christ is the most
important..Marriage is hard..its meant to be hard...It is designed to call
you to Jesus..it calls you to the gifts of the Spirit..It calls you to pray
and to seek answers ...You ladies know just enuff about wifely submission
to bug you ..but not enuff to bless you..Living with your husband in Holy
matrimony is a gift from God..But ya know your husband is not your way
maker ....God is !! No marriage is perfect.. It takes alot of prayer and
seeking God to be in subjection to your husband..You have to spend alot
more time with Jesus then with your husband.Love connie

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

Good Morning Sisters

Well yesterday morning i was supposed to be cleaning my livingroom...but was writing to Sheila instead ..that was more fun..Anyway here i am in the midst of my papers flying around and 2 pairs of shoes in the middle of the floor..And a pillow and blanket half off the couch..and someone came to the door..It was these ladies from a church asking me to come.Well i invited the ladies in..I threw my pillow and blanket over the back of the couch and quick got my shoes out of the way..All the while apologising..Oh what dear ladies they were..The younger lady introduced herself"My name is Jaunita" she said..i said to her "that was my grandmothers name..i hardly hear that name anymore" i thot it was odd as she sort of reminded me of Grandma Jaunita...The other lady was older..i said to her as i was throwing things out of the way..."Well i am a writer and i was sposed to be cleaning and i started writing"..The older lady said "Oh yes i know"..Well we talked and visited..The older lady told me she had an eye operation etc.well this older woman was very pretty..i will call her Ruth..As they were leaving Ruth came over to my chair to show me a Bible verse..i said "well you sit down and i will stand up.."No..No" she said i am fine." So she stands there showing me things in the Bible..then she told me she was 90 yrs old..and she said her husband had died 3 yrs ago..i tried not to cry ..i cud barely say that i had lost my husband 7 yrs ago..She looked at me with the most courageous face...Her face was like a flint straight ahead..The look on her face was the only thing in the world that kept me from breaking down and crying..Then she said " I was married to my husband for 70 yrs.."and she was a strong woman,,Very pretty..She was not shakey or frail in any way.She was very pretty,,She wore a purple wool coat..and her hair was pure white.i said "You are in good health."? and she said yes except she had an eye operation and it all came out good..She said when she had the operation she was awake and well..Then she told me that we wud both see our husbands again in heaven..She said that was her only hope that she cudnt have lived without knowing she wud see her husband again..She had a God confidence on her face like i have never seen..She walked tall and confident.and spoke with such strength...i said that i had been married for almost 40 yrs when Jim died..There was 110 yrs of married life between us..Forty years seemed such a short time ..after that..i kept thinking..."She was married 70 yrs? She acted like she loved it too.."i do wonder if she was an angel? and her friend Jaunita? As she stood by me and i looked at her hands as she was showing me this verse..Her hands looked young,not old..And her face was pretty.....very sweet..love connie

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

Remembering Homeschooling

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, January 2012}

 

Good Morning Mothers and Wives of a New Revolution,

 

As the day went on yesterday i kept thinking of our little Homeschool we had..i taught the children the basics of reading music..They practiced the piano about 20 minutes a day in the afternoon..We had 2 pianos and one little cord organ,,The kids wud play all of these at the same time,,i enjoyed it.i mean not if they pounded on the piano,,no..But i sure liked the sound of the piano better then the sound of tv..But the kids cudnt play the piano if Jim was resting and getting ready for work..Thats not fair to make a man go thru all of that before work..i cud stand the noise but it drove Jim nuts..My husband was first in my Life,,i made a quiet home first for Jim and the schooling was 2nd..And Jim knew i homeschooled in the mornings so he never had the tv on in the mornings..But then in the afternoon he wud turn it on after lunch to watch something and rest before work,,But in the mornings he wud run errands and made out his bills..He knew he was first in my life and he tried to be quiet when i was homeschooling..And i ran my school very privately..i knew i wud only have the 3 youngest for a short while..i put everything i had into them..And Papa did too..He wud talk to the kids in such a personal way..Jim was a good father to them..And he told the oldest 3 how sorry he was about his life as an unbeliever..As i schooled my children i appreciated my time with them,,it was golden..i taught them from old books of wisdom..i submitted myself to my husband as far as the teachings,,i never taught my children things that wud have been against Jims teachings,,To me it was a sin to try to go over Jims head or his authority in the home,,You will make or break your school over this very thing,,A man wont support you in your place as teacher if you dont respect him..

Ladies Home Companion 1800's

Part 1

This old book is my favorite ..or one of my most favorite books..i just
looked it up on the net..It is one of the first books of the modern Ladies
Home Journal that we are familiar with today..i got this book in about
1988 or so..This book oh man alive ...what a spirit it has on it..This book
taught me so much..Well here is how i got it..I love Antique Stores..Well
Wildman and i were out spending some time alone together and we were in
this one Antique Shop..Well i saw this book i am telling you about..I mean
when i saw this book ?..inside i went balistic..i picked the book up and i
prayed like a hound dog that i cud get this book..But it was 18 BUCKS..So i
held the book and i tried to eat it with my eyes.. i tried to read it as
fast as i cud..i mean the book is about 2 inches thick..Jim is watching
me,,,from about 20 feet away..I saw him out of the corner of my eye..I knew
he wud tell me its time to go..So i began reading even faster..Hoping that
some how i cud get this book inside me..Jim comes up beside me..."Are you
trying to read the whole book while we are here?" I said "Oh yes i am"
..."How much is it"? i said "its 18 dollars"...Well we didnt even discuss
it any further..But when i got home i tried to write down as much of it as
i cud remember..

Part 2

Well anyway we had to go and i had to leave my lovely book at the Antique
Shop..But ya know back then in the 1980s ..18 Bucks was alot of
money..Papa was never stingy with me,,No if he had the money in his pocket
he wud have given it to me..Ok..well the next day we had to go to the
store..When we came home with the groceries we set them on the table..And i
looked at the table..Was that my book i saw? It was like seeing a
ghost..really..i thot "How did that book get to my house?' ....." MaryL
brot it over Mom" Sissy tells me....Jim and i were only gone about an
hour..So anyway i called Mary to thank her..Well i told her about my book a
few days before but i never expected her to go buy it for me..And with all
the books at that shop ..how did Mary know which book i wanted? Now thats
the real question.. Well God knew where the book was..and He wanted me to
read it.. Well this book.. like i have said has brot me much joy for many
yrs..And ya know i dont even know that i prayed for the book .... i guess
the angels were just watching me tryin to inhale a book i cudnt afford..
and they prolly just felt sorry for me or something..and they gave Mary a
message to get me that book..and how they showed her which one..i dont
know..So yesterday i found some writing in my pink notebook that i know i
wrote after reading my book ..So i will copy that in the following pages..

Part 3

Ok here is some of my old writings from about the 1980s.. "A Mothers
heart shud never be fettered.. She shud have a lite musical merry
heart..Other families problems shud be their own business" Note; Jim had
just gotten saved and i was about to Homeschool..so i lived a more private
life.. Few people even knew our testimony..i mean close family friends did
..but i sure wasnt tellin anyone else} For it is quite enuf to be a love
servent to her family..a salve to their weary worn hearts..A prayer warrior
to purge them thru danger..She must pray for their protection and ask the
angels to protect them..and ask God to give them wisdom.. Note: we were
getting ready to homeschool also in 1988..So the Lord was really calling us
into hiding more then we ever knew..We only knew 2 other homeschooling
families}"She must teach her children the Word of God. Teach them the
fruits of the Spirit. She needs to cultivate in them a love for music..To
play an instrument and teach them to sing to Jesus..She must instill
harmony and love in her home..and tender heartedness towards each other
and others outside the home.. Most of all she needs to be an example to her
family ..Her example is the foundation of all of her teachings..Mothers
shud not underestimate their work ..They shudnt feel that because they are
house bound that they are unimportant to society..For what a mother speaks
to her children secretly they will shout from the roof tops..Her voice isnt
heard now ..but some day it will..Her life will be heard thru her
children...So Mothers hearken to the voice of the Lord..In malice and
deceit and wickedness be children..But in wisdom , understanding and
knowlege be as queens..Know the ways of your household and know your own
hearts".Well i have to stop here..things are gettin busy....love connie

Homemade in the Old Time Kitchen

Part 1

Dear Mothers, Do you know how to make homemade noodles..? Here is how i
make them...I get out my middle sized crock bowl and i throw in about 2
cups of flour..Then i rub in about a Tbs of butter... and a lil salt..Then
i make a lil well of flour ..and into the lil well i add 3 eggs if i have
them if i dont i just add 2 eggs..And then i stir them all up..Make a dough
out of the mixture like you wud play dough? If it is too dry add a lil
water.If its too wet add a bit more of flour..But it shud feel like play
dough..You have to have your dough dry enuf so you can roll it out..Ok now
i used to roll my noodles out on my table ..i always had a plastic table
cloth on my table because i had no space to roll dough out. . .. No counter
space...i have some now as Mary and Brad remodeled my kitchen,,But you can
buy the plastic tablecloths at the Dollar Store..Thank the Lord for the
Dollar Store..!!! Anyway to roll this dough out just sprinkle some flour on
your work space and roll your dough out with a rolling pin..Or use an old
washed out wine bottle or something like it.Wash the bottle really well and
dry it good..Then just roll the noodles out very thin,,,but not so thin you
cant get them off the table..Ok just roll your dough out and then cut
strips with a pizza cutter..Or just use a sharp knife..Have a big pan of
water on the stove and when you are ready to put the noodles in the water
...it shud be boiling ....But dont put them all in at once..Just cut some
noodles and put them in and then cut some more and put them in..Other wise
you will get them all stuck together..Boil for about 20 min or so..Just
stir them gently ..whenever ya think about it. continued

Part 2

Dont worry about cooking the noodles too long.. i have made homemade
noodles with vegetables and i have cooked them all day and they are so good
and tender..Like if i had a beef roast for supper ,,then we wud have left
overs..So i wud just add some more vegetables..to the pan and cut up the
left over meat...i wud then add water to the pan and a can of tomato
soup..stir this all up..Then add the freshly cut noodles.. Just a couple
handfuls of noodles..Then i put this all in the oven to bake. This is a
delicious meal..The noodles will float to the top and brown ...i wud bake
this at 350 degrees, for about 45 minutes..or until the noodles are brown..
dont forget to salt and pepper this..I use garlic too..Ya know if we
homemakers can learn some basics then we can save alot of money..Like to
learn the feel of the pie dough and how it differs from biscuit dough..I
mean for yrs i cudnt make a decent pie. i was so used to making biscuits
..and i just cudnt understand how to make pie dough..i mean i made pies..they looked good
but oh man the crust was like cement..But one day i was watching the
cooking channel and some one on there told us the diff between pie dough
and biscuit dough..Ok here it is..When you make biscuits the dough can be
shaped ..like into a ball.. It holds together,,But pie dough will fall
apart when you try to shape it..You will want a real flaky dough for
pies..Pie dough is very delicate..and it needs to be cold when you use
it..Pie Dough has more fat in it then biscuit dough..But ya know each cook
is different.. But just try to make a nice pie crust from just flour ,
shortening , and cold water..i have made all kinds of pie ,,,it is my
favorite desert.. ..And also learn to make muffins..Learn the secrets of
good cooking.. And when you get low on groceries..but ya still have flour
in the cupboard..and maybe some hamburger and some potatoes then the sky is
the limit..love connie

Homemakers of the Wild West

Part 1

 

Dear Mothers, i remember yrs ago reading this story about the pioneers traveling West.. i was thinking of this story today..Anyway the author was writing about how the men wud bring their families acrossed the plains to find land and to be established..Many of the women died because the work was so hard..These women were from the East and had lived pampered lives..Sooo many of the men cudnt find wives to take West..So the government let some of the women out of prison to go West to meet and marry these cowboys as they needed strong help mates...The pampered women werent working out..And ya know i have always said that if it werent for the babies being born out of wedlock there wudnt be hardly any babies at all..The more sophisticated women are on birth control..and can afford abortions.. It really gets me how women can carry their sign in Christiandom against abortion and they have the same heart as the women who are for it..But the more high class can hide their sins better then the poor woman..Neither side is trusting in the Lord for the size of their family..But anyway thank the Lord for the more poor class of people that keep their babies and raise them...and many raise them for the Lord..

 

Part 2 

 

But anyway the women prisoners were used to the cold nights and hardly any blankets.. They were used to not having enuf to eat or drink..Indians didnt scare them ..They knew what to do when sickness came and no Drs were around..They were not skilled in sewing a fine seam or drinking their tea correctly ...But they were what many of the men needed for a help mate..They were poor women who were given another chance at life out of the prisons..And many took that chance and some proved to be strong and faithful mothers and wives..The Government also emptied the poor houses and orphanages where older women lived..These women were given another chance to make it in this life..and they took it.. The women had courage and knew the laws of nature and common sense.. A piece of land cud be theirs too if they cud only hang onto it..and prove up on it...If they didnt get scared and run off some place..and give up..And today i think we Christian women need to show another side of our character.. We have to build strong spiritual homes and learn to live in them.We need MOXIE when we pray..We need an ornriness that wont let go when satan trys to lie to us..i read a story too about this young bride during the Depression..She cudnt afford any garden tools to make a garden in the Spring..Her husband plowed up an area for her..But she had no hoe or rake...So she took her broom and she poked holes in the dirt with the handle and put seeds in the ground..Then she took the broom part and swept the dirt over the seeds.."Where there is a will there is a way"We shud embroider this on our pillow slips and let this be our motto..Because when Jesus calls us to do our great work He needs our will..And in Him we are strong...Love Connie

Mother's Home Sewing

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, November 2005}



Ya know, in the old days, the Mothers sewed all their families’ clothes. And when a garment would get a hole in it, the holes were patched.

I raised my first 3 children in the 1970′s. And, ya know, back then the boys just had about 2 pairs of jeans “for good” that they wore each week. Little boys love to play in the floor and the knees to the jeans often wore out long before the rest of the jeans did. So I had to patch their jeans. Then, if it was a big patch, the jeans would just be for play, not for school. Then the stores came out with the iron on patches, and they were nice, and the boys could wear these patched jeans to school. But most of the mothers sewed back then and we all had to do mending. There wasn’t the garage sales, etc. like they have now, or the second hand stores. I mean, there were a few. But once you bought your children’s clothes, you took really good care of them. And we always mended socks and underwear.

Often, after supper in the evening, I would do my mending. I just had a little basket I put my sewing in. At the Dollar Store, they have all kinds of needles and thread for cheap. You can buy all you need for a couple bucks there. They have light and dark thread to match anything ya need to mend.

Also, the old time mothers had boxes they put their scraps of material in. Like when a garment was old, then they would use the good unworn pieces for quilting. They always cut the zippers off and the buttons to use on other sewing projects. Or they would cut an old dress or boys’ shirts up in strips. And then they would sew the strips together and make long strips. Then they would braid the strips together and then sew it in a round flat coil. You can make a rug this way or little mats for your dinner table chairs. You can make little ties to hold them on the back of the chair. Or make a small mat to put hot dishes on the table. This would be a good project for the children this winter, to make these braided mats. Or you can crochet them, too.

My children all loved to sew and collect buttons in their own little button jars. I taught Christian Joy to sew at age 3. Well, Mary, too. Mary’s dog bit a hole in her couch and Mary just patched it with a little piece of matching material and needle and thread. My grandma taught me to mend and I taught my children. They all loved to embroider, even the boys.

Jim’s father, back in the late 1800′s, was 25 when he married his wife at 14. He taught Jim’s mother to crochet, knit and cook. She was almost an orphan and she married, really, to have a home. But Jim’s father was a good and kind man and taught his wife how to set up housekeeping. And all of Jim’s sisters also loved to hand sew and do crafts.

So way back in the old days, the mothers didn’t usually pass clothes on to another family because the clothes were too raggedy once the family used them. But like in the 1950′s, folks began to pass clothes on. And the clothes were in good condition but maybe were out dated or out grown. So mothers would take an adult winter coat and cut it down for one of the children. This is how they would do that. They would take the coat and carefully rip out the lining. I mean, on the seams, with one of those little tools to rip the seams out? Then they would take the wool coat, after the lining was out, and carefully take the seams apart. So the coat would then be in parts. Like maybe two front panels and one back. Then they took the sleeves off and took them apart in 2 pieces front and back. Then the cuffs came off and the collar to the coat. So you end up with about 10 pieces of the coat. Now, I am talking about, like, a woman’s wool dress coat or a man’s simple long wool coat. Then they would take newspaper and pin each piece on the paper and cut around it, making a pattern to follow. Then they would take each paper pattern and cut it down carefully to fit the child they were making the coat for. So the child would have to stand still and let mother pin the paper pattern to her sleeve to make sure it is long enough. So then, after making your pattern, you just sew the coat back together again. Now, I guess you would do the lining the same way. But, if it is a nice silky lining, I wouldn’t bother too much with it. If the coat is heavy wool, then the child could wear sweaters under it. But the wool cloth that you cut off the coat could be used to make a scarf or fancy muff to put cold hands into.

You need to draw your pattern on the newspaper and then cut the paper. This way you have your pattern to use again or to pass it to a friend. Make sure you write on the paper what is the front panel or back panel and left and right sleeves, etc. Then just carefully fold your pattern up and put it in your drawer.

The old time mothers would take garments apart if they liked the material and would carefully iron it flat and store it to make other garments with. If a man’s shirt collar wore out before the rest of the shirt did, this is what the wife would do. She would carefully cut the collar seams from the shirt and then sew the collar back on the flip side where the collar wasn’t worn. An old worn out shirt that was still good in the back part was taken out to make a mother’s apron.

When my little children were young, they loved to play in the snow. And their mittens would get so wet and their little hands would be so cold. So I would make little mittens without a thumb just for second hand mittens to finish a snowman in. Just sew 2 pieces of material together in the shape of mittens. Just make them big and use really heavy material. I made mine out of heavy sweater material. You can just cut the wrist part off a sweater and make mittens out of them. And in the cold weather, I always made sure my children had a lot of stocking hats and the big scarves to wrap around their necks and faces. You can get these for cheap at the second hand store. But you could make them, also, out of old heavy winter clothes.

I read a story once about a lady back in the old days. And she had a room just for sewing. And she saved all of the old clothes she was given. And when a family needed something, she just went in her sewing room and took something apart and made something new with it. Once a new mother came to her home with her little baby. And the mother didn’t have a warm blanket for her baby. This lady went in her sewing room and cut up a worn blanket and made a nice baby blanket out of the cloth that was not worn out.

And if you need a big heavy blanket and you have several lightweight ones, just sew them together. Sometimes it’s hard to keep children covered up at night when it is cold if you have a lot of little blankets. But if you have a big heavy blanket, it is easier. Just take your blanket and spread it on the floor, cut the other blanket the same size, and then sew it together. Then just sew some seams in the blanket so it will stay stable.

Always use the unworn pieces of your worn out garment to make quilts, etc. Because you have to go to so much work, you don’t want the garment to wear out quickly all in one place. So, yes, just use the good parts of the clothing.

I used to patch and patch jeans for Jimmy, who is now 39 years old. But when they were too worn or had gotten too short, I would cut the pants off for shorts for the summer. Also, I did the same with his little button-down shirts. I would cut the worn sleeves off and hem them up for the summer. But, see, back then, almost 40 years ago, you didn’t have a lot of clothes. You just kept the ones you had in good repair.

Little boys always wore a suit to church with a tie. Jimmy went to a Christian school. So the church outfit he wore on Sunday I put him in for school the next day on Monday. Since he had only worn his suit for an hour or so. And kids weren’t picky back then as what they wanted to wear. The Mother always picked out their clothes.

The family’s clothes were always under the mother’s care. And they were precious to the mother, as they were too expensive to replace. Like I said before, there weren’t garage sales like there are today. It was only in the 1980′s that I ever shopped at a second hand store for family clothes. I mean, we Mothers would pass clothes on to each other. But you couldn’t really count on that like you can the Thrift Shops of today.

And, ya know, making rags, too, for household use is such a good thing. Why use paper towels and all? Just tear up the old T-Shirts the kids outgrow. I just use the back and front, not the sleeves. Just cut up the flat material and have a special drawer for rags. This is a good project for the older children. Give them some clothes to cut up for rags.

Cut up old bath towels with holes in them and make several good rags for diaper changes. I can’t use those disposable wet wipes. I always use an old wash cloth to change my grand babies’ diapers. If it’s poopy, rinse it out and wash it. Poop don’t hurt ya! And, of course, I always used cloth diapers — except for the last 3 children, I used the disposable when I could afford it. The paper diapers do hold more and are less messy. The cloth diapers, you had to change after every time nature called. But, heck, ya get used to it.

I used to use old receiving blankets for night time diapers. Cotton flannel is nice for diapers if you have to make them up yourself. It’s not hard to get a bunch of cotton flannel and make some nice diapers. I think the homemade ones would be better than the store bought gauze type. You could make your own diapers as thick as you wanted. Or just look for the little receiving blankets at garage sales. These little blankets are so cheap. Some at only ten cents a piece. I bet you could find a dozen of them or more at sales in one summer.

Mother's Fur Coat

Part 1

Dear Mothers, yesterday Aunt Toots and i were on the phone talking..We were talking about Jim...and how he always worked..etc..He wud do any kind of work..i was always proud of him for that..I admired him..Ya know the man had alot of rejection in his life....He had every reason this side of Heaven of condemnation..he had alot of rejection ...Anyway i told Aunt Toots a story about my fur Coat..She said "Connie have you ever told this story to the grp"?? I said i didnt think i had...

Ok this story took place in about 1979..Jim had just come to the Lord.Well of course we felt we were riding on slow boat to China. . looking....4 a reason to hope..This story took place in the springtime..Jim was working for the City as a garbage man..He happen to be working on "Spring Pick up Day"This is when the city wud pick .up old couches etc ..The winter was ending..But all thru the previous winter i had prayed for a white fur coat..well i didnt get one..but i thot "Well maybe next winter i cud get one..." i had told my family i was praying for this white fur coat..So anyway i cud hear the garbage trucks down the street coming up this way.i loved to wave at Jim from the door..But here comes Papa walking up the street with a big white flat box..


Part 2

Papa comes in the house with the big box.."Hurry and open it the guys are waiting for me out front.."..As he laid it on the table he says "Here ya go..its your white fur coat" !!! The box was clean and the fur coat was beautiful..it was wrapped in white tissue ,inside a nice flat box..Some one had just laid it on top of their garbage ..The coat had a tag on it from the cleaners.And of course it fit me perfectly..Oh my friends all came over to see Connies lovely fur coat..OOh i loved my pretty coat..At the time i cud wear about a size 9..But in the next 5 yrs i had 3 more children..so i grew out of the coat..pretty quick..But i saved my coat as i thot maybe i cud cut it down for our Mary..but ya know with 3 little ones i was too busy to make a coat..But i think my coat is still in the attic..i will have to look for it..i adored that lovely white fur coat..But i especially loved it as it said to me that Jesus had my address.and He had heard my prayers...My prayer was so specific..and the answer was specific too..I was learning faith right then ..and that dear little coat spoke volumes to me.."Dear Papa in Heaven remember that fur coat? ..it was sure an answer, wasnt it?..Thanks my Dear for bringing presents to me and for loving me" Love, Your Beloved wife Connie

Trail Blazers

Dear Mothers of the home..

Ya know things in our country are so bad it seems...i dont even watch the news..i figure "Why scare myself half to death,,?" If we get all bent out of shape now..then when real trouble comes we will drop dead ...This is a time to get built up in the faith,,,Let the days trouble be sufficient for that day.Satan tells us we wont ever make it..He says we are doomed because of our sins.Well yes there is enuf sin goin on ..its a wonder the Lord lets us live another day..Thank God for His mercy..!!!But what our country needs cant be bot..We need Mothers with tender hearts towards their children..and their husbands,,Women who are wise and hear from God..A few wise women who know how to pray cud change our Nation..Mothers look away from the worldly and cry after His wisdom..When i first homeschooled our children ..it was 1988..i knew one other family who homeschooled in my town..Later i met more..But one woman told me how to get started...i had no idea...Homeschool books were no where to be found ..You had to order them in the mail..But i just got work books...i cudnt afford books..But i used to pray and ask God to help me to get the right books for my 4 children...Over and over the Lord wud get the books for me that i needed..But oh the devil howled at me every day ..trying to scare me into not home schooling..But all of we homeschoolers just kept on going...i faught the system for the sake of my own children,..i really wasnt thinking of fighting for the laws to be changed etc.i always said i wud hide out and teach my own but not someone elses children..But as i faught for my own children my life began touching many other parents ...And they began homeschooling....All they needed was an example...We lived 4 blocks from the elementary school..And the folks around me cud see that the police were not carrying us off..So people thot if Jim and i had the nerve to do this and that we werent in jail ...then they cud do it too,,,and they did..!!!...But we need the trail blazers..We need the pioneers to get us moving..A girl named Cindy was my example..She lived at the edge of town,,She told me how to do it and that is all..I thot she was goimg to take me by the hand and teach me...Surprise Connie she isnt..!!!It was all up to me..Jim had to go to work..and i was left at home to either make it or not..

Keep the Light in the Window

Part 1

Dear Sisters, Good Morning..!! i am getting ready to go the Dollar Store..i have 3 lites that are burned out in the livingroom window.Well they are like Christmas Lights..I first put them up there when our son Jimmy went into the Navy..Jimmy was a part of an air crew..Jim and i were very proud of him..Anyway i worried alot about our son...And i. wrote a poem about how i felt... i dont know where it is exactly..But the first part goes like this." .Keep the candle in the window Mother..and the fire blazing low..Keep the soup on simmer Mother ...just a few hours left to go"..Folks in the neighborhood wud pass by our house.."Connie did you know you still have your Christmas lights up in your window"? i wud say " I know they are on..They arent Christmas lights they are lights of my prayers..i keep them forever burning even after i go to .sleep at nite...The lights tell me that even tho i am asleep Jesus is holding my precious son"Jimmy"..Iva at 85 wud jog by my house ..One day, she stopped and ask me.."Connie are those Lights in the window for Jimmy?"..i said "Yes they are" In the Old Days Mothers wud keep a candle in the window in case her family was out in a dark night storm and wud lose their way home. They wud look for the light in the window to guide them home..


Part 2

Last evening Jill stopped by ..i loved seeing her and we had a nice
visit..When she got ready to leave she said "Connie , your lights are OUT
in the window..You shudnt ever let them go out"..i said i know it..i will
get some light bulbs and put them in.. .I had some little bulbs in the
lights a few yrs back..and the lights wud not burn out..They got so dusty
but wud not burn out..i think Aunt Toot will remember those lights that
wudnt go out..i finally just took the dusty ones out and replaced them
with new ones..But those lights reminded me that the Lords light is always
shining on us and it will never go out..Jimmy did come home safely from
the Navy..with many medals ..But i was to keep the candles in the
window..Always symbolising the LIGHTS of home..The Lights call...
forever call....my children and grandchildren to me..and to the True
Heavenly LIGHT of the world Jesus Christ.. Love Connie

The Show Must Go On

Part 1

Dear Sisters, Lately as i have prayed i feel the same thing over and over...i tell the Lord.."Lord some things are impossible to do on this earth.." i will never again be Jims wife on this earth..i will never have all of my children with me again..i will never be able to relive the happy yrs of raising them..i knew when i home-schooled that this was so special..it was a time i cant relive..My Darling Jim was so possessive at times and so many times he was afraid of losing me..Not to another man...no, but maybe to a friend or to an interest that he didnt know anything about..When i told him i was invited to give our testimony to the world..i know he thot i was kidding..He wud often say "Oh sure go ahead" but thinking " Oh please dont"..He did all of the remodeling around me and my email machine..i was trying to write as dust and noise flowed around me..He said it was fine that i wrote..He helped me to get my email machine..??? i loved him and our children..more then anything...i miss Jimmy, Johnny. Christiane Joy.i miss David Dan and Mary Elizabeth..I miss my husband..And when i think i will never be a young mother again or a stay at home mother..i will never again be married to Jim on this earth again,,,it breaks my heart..i thank God that i still have our old family home..Our home calls me to write..to remember the times and seasons of our home..Jim and i enjoyed the littlest things...When he really came to the Lord our lives changed..And even the littlest family things meant so much to us..`

Part 2

i say all of this to say "Enjoy your family while they are here.." i remember when we were raising Dan as a teenager..Oh he was a riot for sure..i wud get so mad at him and not talk to him..And my heart felt so broken because i missed wrapping him up in my arms and telling him i loved him..i just thot in my heart that i was the one suffering ..So i went to him and hugged him and held him close..i said to him.."I will always love you Dan.."...And when David left home to get an apt with a friend..i put a bouquet of flowers where he sat at the table..The flowers were called Bleeding Hearts..And as the children left home one by one .. it seems my writing became my counselor..The Voice of the Spirit had to lead me on..And after the children left home then my husband died..It was like the show was over...i had to walk out and turn off the lights...And yet i still have Jim and the children in my memories..And i can rebuild the home..i dont know how God will do it..but He will..And i am so happy i wrote a book..well many books not yet written.In this way my family goes on...the Show Must go on..  love, Connie

The Housewife and the Feminist

Dear Mothers, i have been thinking lately about who is really the free
thinkers among us ? The feminist is" yes sir no sir "to the boss at work
..Even if he is a man..but she wudnt "Yes sir" her husband if her life
depended on it..Then you have the woman who is scared of everything and
wont barely go outside as the sky will fall on her head..She wudnt know a
hardship if it came in a sack with the words HARDSHIP written on the
front..She certainly isnt gonna make any waves in any direction for any
reason..she is quiet all the time ...And a bit boring i might add..So when
someone thinks of a housewife they think of this little shrinking
violet..But when i talk to my daughter in NYC she says "Mom you are a
Feminist you wud have had to be to do what you have done in your life.."i
laughed over that,,But i think the wife who is a truth seeker ...who wont
go with the herd ...is the one who is the free-est thinker of us all..love
connie

The Hultquist Kids

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, April 2013}



Part 1


Good morning Ladies, Last nite me and Aunt Tootsie were yakin in the
phone,,Toot remembered my Mom before she died and so we were laughing over
my Moms sense of humor ...Heres another funny story before i get on to my
serious writings..I always had a Birthday Party for each of my
children..Usually we had Mom and Dad over for supper and for ice cream and
cake..Well i was always so busy with my family..So the kids had to help me
with dinners etc..So we forgot to get Gram {Mom} a fork for her cake..So i
told one of the kids to go get Gram a fork.. i forgot the whole thing after
that evening......So a few weeks later ,,,Mom comes over with a new set of
silverware..I cudnt figure out why..But i thanked her and all..Then she
pipes up..."Well that last time i was here for a meal one of the kids gave
me a cooking fork to eat my cake with.  i thot maybe you had lost some of
your silverware,,," i always tried to act matter of fact" with Mom ...Like
it was normal not to have matching silverware and all..The truth was that
my boys wud lose their tools and wud use my silverware for tools..But then
after mom left i thot about it.." a cooking fork to eat cake"? i thot "Omg
i bet one of the boys gave Gram a Bar-B-Q fork to eat her cake...??? I
never did find out if they really did...i still think of it to this day???
Like Jimmy our oldest used to say "The boys cud do anything crazy and Mom
wud just say quietly "Oh those boys"..

Part 2

My Mom was always a riot...but Dad most of the time upstaged her..Well there was just 3 kids in my family ..Just me and 2 brothers..But a household with 4 boys and 2 girls is really a different story.. The 1950s that i grew up in wasnt at all like what my home was like when raiseing my own kids..Plus i homeschooled for 15 yrs..so i let my kids make forts in the livingroom and i had 2 pianos in the livingroom too..One day my Dad is sitting in my livingroom looking at the 2 pianos on the south wall..He says "Connie one of these days the way this old house is? those 2 pianos will tip this house over..Well Dad was always saying things like that..scared the livin day lites out of me,..i finally got rid of the biggest piano..It was a really big piano.!!!. But what i will always remember that Dad used to say when he came in my house..he wud say to me,,"Son of a Buck what kind of an outfit are you runnin over here?"If the kids had a skinned knee or whatever.. he wud say "What are you tryin to do to these kids.?".i tried to give my testimony to my Mom about how after 12 yrs the Lord gave us a new marriage...Mom says "Well Connie you waited 12 yrs..for cryin out loud anything cud have happened if you wait that long"...Oh she was quite the old gal.. i loved Mom and Dad..no matter what they said to me..i miss them both..Mom died in 2007 and Dad died in 2001 ..they were married for almost 60 yrs,,

Part 3

But a know my Dad was a fair man..an honest man,,,of course all the relatives had a fit over Jim leaveing and coming back and leaveing etc.. Jim wud come back and repent etc..And Jim wud be sorry.. Jim wud take any job he cud get to support us..He got one job that he had to walk to work clear into the next city.It took him almost 2 hrs to walk there,,It was a nite job so there was no buses running..after work he cud take a bus home,,But i remember Dad telling all the relatives..."Well ya gotta say one thing for Jim..he is a hard worker..And not many men wud walk that far to go to work"...Jim said it was good exercise...But Dad said that deep down Jim must have been a good man...And Dad was right,,Jim did love us and he showed us his love .. Love connie

Holy Housewifery

Part 1

Dear Sisters,

Its so wonderful to be a housewife...i loved submitting to my husband and letting him be the head of the house..i remember visiting Jim in jail ...As i sat on this 3 legged stool balanceing myself ...the stool was sposed to be 4 legs, i had to talk thru this lil screen...so i had to scootch down and yet keep my leg where it was to be to hold up the stool...i prayed "Lord give me the words to say to this man.."The Lord says "Well he is the priest of your home....Nothing has changed,"So i said to Jim...i cant pay the light bill,,or the gas bill what shud i do?"he told me how to juggle the bills...and i followed what he said..it all worked out i guess,,I am still here....Nothing ever got shut off except for the phone did a few times..This was the old jail..i mean that place was rat infested and filty..you wudnt believe it,,Soon after this they built a new jail..But the door you went into to visit had no door nob,,The door was full of holes and a decent dump wudnt have taken it..You had to just pick a hole and put your hand in it to open the door,,That door just hung there dont ask me how.But this was my life. i followed Wildman where ever he went..i followed him in prayer.i had to get it settled in my heart that he was the head of our home..i did submit to Jim as unto the Lord...Submission to your husband is a verrry large part of your armor ..dont let your pride {satan} talk you out of it..



Part 2

 Ya know we learn obediance to the Lord thru the things that we suffer..As we submit to our husbands , as we humble ourselves...Preachers arent teaching this in the church..its so sad..The big message of the day is "Woman you are loosed".. Loosed from what ? Loosed from what the Bible says about your place as keeper at home..The loosed woman is the one who CAN trust in the Lord and His Word.Some of these preachers from the pulpit seem to be trying to give the Christian wife and Mother an attitude ..A smarty pants personality...What are they doing to our country? Its like these preachers are either ignorant ..or they have an agenda to chase the home makers out to get a job..A two income family can sure give alot more money then a family with a stay at home mother..i mean i am not telling you all anymore then what you know already..the problem is that we as Mothers dont want to stand alone..The social gospel will give us happiness for a while..But of all the times to be spiritually lazy ? i mean thats dangerous in this age..Truth ..Gird your loins with Truth ..its part of the whole armor of God,,Eph 6...Also 2 Tmothy 2;3 and 4 ..Thou therefore ENDURE hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Also `the 4th verse No Man {or woman}entangles himself or her self with the affairs of this life..that she may please Him who hath chosen her to be a soldier..love connie

An Old Fashioned Kitchen Garden

Dear Wives and Mothers,



In the old days on the farm the folks wud plant big gardens..But the mothers wud plant little kitchen gardens up by the house.. if Mother was busy with the children she cudnt leave them and walk down the road to get vegetables for supper..Our family had a large garden at the end of our property..Jim took care of this garden ..Then i had a little kitchen garden up by the house..Its just a friendly little Housewife Garden that you plant for convenience..In my Housewife Garden i used to have some herbs , and a few tomato plants and green pepper and a few cucumber plants..You cud plant all different kinds of lettuce too if you have room..But anyway my Kitchen is right out the side door of my diningroom..i could run out the door and gather a few vegetables before my Babies knew i was gone ...Now days i just have a smaller garden, in the back.

Submit to Your Husband

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters, December 2007}



Mary having gone to see Gram last nite has gone along ways with me.
Most of my burdens are gone..i was praying this morning and the
Lord ministered to me so much..I understood it to be like this..i
guess it was an angel speaking but i will say it in my own
words.."Connie all the time Jim was on the earth and i told you you to
submit to him as into the Lord you did.He guided you and you followed
him..But you werent following him you were following Me..So when he
died you kept feeling his presence that was Me? Jim and i were one
and you and i are one..Jim was your spiritual head..your priest..Most
wives dont understand this spiritual order and power..The rules i set
down thru Jims leading was My..{Gods} leading.Sure Jim was only a man
but he was called as your priest and spiritual leader.I led you as
Keeper at Home..Jim was a shepard to you.." This was the understanding
i got..See i was looking at some photos of our family after i got home
yesterday..in one i was with Jim and holding Baby Rose on the
couch..You cud tell i lived under Jims shadow..I gave Jim all of my
burdens to bear..He protected me from the world..From people who came
against me..or sharp comments from my children..When people wud ask if
i worked outside the home Jim wud say "Connie has already worked hard
enuf without going out to work..She raised 6 children and that is
enuf"..i was made to feel like a delicate flower that never got
bruised..Jim carried the burden of home and car repairs and all
financial burdens..Like Jesus he was my burden bearer..My ministry was
the work inside the home..Keeping the house clean and meals on the
table..caring for the children and later helping with the
grandchildren...But Jim was my guide..And he was my guide in the hard
times too..when he was in prison.before Jim was saved .When he left me
in our first yrs of marriage i abided where i was left..Yes i rebelled
and i hated it..But i wud pray and the Lord gave me peace in my place
as wife and mother..i had a marriage., before Jim was saved..Not a
good one but it was a marriage in Gods eyes..it was a place for me to
be tested and tried..And when the tests were too hard the Lord wud
take Jim away..And Jim paid for his sins against me..The Lord wud put
him in prison..Jim knew that it was not good to harm Gods anointed..In
later yrs he told the boys "Dont ever mess with your mother she will
get you in the end" Well the kids knew that God was my protector and
Jim knew it too..But if you go around standing up for yourself and
looking after your own way then God cant protect you..Lean on God and
God will make things right in your life..Be patient and let the Lord
guide you thru your husband..Love connie

Washing the Dishes

{From the Archives of Connie's Letters,  May 2013}


Good Morning Homemakers, I like to do the dishes..do you? My Mother used to say she wud never have a dishwasher in her house..But then Dad remodeled her whole kitchen and talked her into a dish washer ..Mom was happy with it...but she thot it was kinda silly ..i dont have a dishwasher and dont
have the room for one in my kitchen anyway..My friend MaryL had a bit of arthritis in her hands..She said she loved to get her hands into warm sudsy dish water especially in the winter..as it was so comforting.. As a teenager i wud pretend to be asleep when it was time to do the dishes at my
house..My Aunt Eileen in the old days always ran out to the out house when it was time to do the dishes..And she stayed out there until all the work was done..

The old-time housewives had a big enamel red and white pan that they used in the sink to wash the dishes with..They wud go outside and pump the cold water into their pan.Then they wud bring the pan in the house and heat the pan of water on the stove...When it was hot they washed the
dishes..Then they wud rinse the dishes with hot water poured over the washed dishes...The first things they washed was all the drinking glasses .. Then the cups and the plates ..and serving dishes..They had to be very careful in the old days as the dishes werent plastic..So after they
were washed ..they were dried with a dish towel and put in the cupboard..The dishtowels were only for the dishes..not to wash up with...We children growing up wud try to use moms dishtowels for everything..i can still hear Mom calling to us kids "Dont you dare use my dishtowel for
that". That...meaning about anything...So anyway after the dishes were washed then the silverware was washed..And the last thing to be washed was the cooking pans..

My mother was very orderly about her homemaking ..i cud never figure out how to use Moms new dishwasher..My sister in law wud laugh at me when we all came to Dad and Moms for a holiday dinner.."Connie why are you washing the dishes in the sink with a dishwasher right beside you"? Well i think i just missed the ritual of the women in the kitchen laughing and telling stories and washing the dishes and drying them with a white cotton dishtowel,,,Mom and Dad are both in Heaven now..i sure miss them ,,Happy Mothers Day Mom..love connie

Yielding to Righteousness

  [From the Archives of Connie's Letters - Feb 26, 2002]



Dear Mothers, last nite when we finally got home.. I fixed Papa a nice supper .. I fixed fried potatoes a sausage wiener and sour kraut...And then i had made a pumpkin pie..the day before ..so we had that..Dan and Mary were gone to their respective places..Mary didnt think we would ever come back home yesterday..What a LOOONG Day that was...I mean it was nice to visit with Mom..But i just hadnt planned to be gone all day and i felt anxious and undone as the car took longer and longer to fix..So of course last nite Papa wanted me all to himself..and we just did things here.. He sat at the table and figured out his bills and i read a cookbook..then we watched some tv. it was some show on the educational channel ..neither Jim or i could figure it  out..I guess we just wanted to be quiet and watch something and not have to talk...And sometimes we do that..No tv isnt good ...But again Mothers we are helpers and cant always call the shots..Sometimes a man needs to relax and watch something on tv..Papa watches clean things ..so i dont mind.. And he watches the news ..and i sometimes watch it with him..

But last nite i was reading my cookbook..It was an old book i had gotten from  some SALE...I looked at the pictures of the canning jars all neatly placed on the Mothers Pantry....Oh my eyes enjoyed a feast as i looked at these pictures.. The Holy Spirit touched my heart. and the Lord said.."Connie you need to do more canning this coming Fall" And i said "Lord why? ...I dont have so many to cook for as i used to "....He said "It isnt to prepare for hard times in the physical...But to prepare for spiritual "hard times" He said "Connie you need to yield your members to righteousness."

Oh dear mothers we are not fighting a physical war as the mothers of yesteryear did..We are fighting a spiritual war..WE must take on our cloaks of wifehood and Motherhood..We must wear them as we would wear the full armor of God.. Our aprons are breastplates of righteousness..Satan must not look at us and see a way into our hearts..Feminism is an unholy smoke that drifts into our homes and weaves its way into the cracks in our armor...Oh dear  saints we need to stay busy and about our Fathers business..As i write to you each day about motherhood i have become unfit for the world ..Because i write each day everything i do is like a burning arrow.. I am no longer sort of lost and aiming at anything.. I do encourage you all to keep writing..it does help you to stay focused..I mean dont exclude your family..But listen  to the Holy Spirit..See before i began to really write i was going under in a big way.. I think the worlds pull is so strong to destroy our families..I dont think this websight is a gossip and back biting place..But a place to be serious ..a hospital for broken souls i hope.. ...I write very early in the morning and this way i stay out of Papas way with it.. The Lord wakes me up each morning and gets me goin...I wonder around a while when i get up and pray and read some Bible verses...i make coffee..put the dog out ..clean the table off..Start a meal and write..But i do try to stay out of Papas way with it..As i am his helper to help him with his agenda ..his move of the spirit.Love Connie..

Walk by Faith Not Sight in Marriage

Part 1

ya know i really think any marriage can be restored.. Well no..if there is child abuse in the home of any kind..you wud have to separate..Mothers have to protect their children..But back in the old days when Jim and i were separated..i wudnt hear from Jim for months on end.. And yet i ask the Lord to bring him home.. So i wud  wait by the phone thinking the Lord wud have him call home...Or when i wud get home from the store i wud think,,"Well he will be home when i get there.." But no... i wud pray and see nothing..There was nothing to tell me that he had any intentions of coming back ..i wud pray and pray and see nothing..In the night i wud awaken thinking i had heard the garage door open..and that Jim was putting the car in the garage for the nite..But no it was only a dream..there was nothing to say that i shud have any hope at all..But then the Lord began teaching me about Mark 11;23 and 24...Believe that you have what you ask for..I began to understand that we are to BELIEVE and then RECEIVE..Not receive and then  BELIEVE..So as the Lord taught me... He wud show me to clean the house and make a delicious supper for the evening..He showed me to set the table and put Jims plate at the head of the table..Boy i felt stupid putting that plate at the head of the table..i hadnt  heard from Jim...Satan wud condemn me and tell me i was nuts..But i learned this spiritual law and no devil cud take this from me..

Part 2

So my physical sight told me i was nuts but the Lord was giving me an
 invisable faith and i cud feel it in my heart..And each day i walked by
 faith and i began seeing the impossible made possible..So i cud see my
 faith working as long as i worked it by my faith in God..The trouble was
 tho..i had enuf faith to bring him home ,,but not to keep him home,,Jim
 told me."I feel like a YO-yo..i come home and then i leave...and then i
 come home and i leave.."Well once i wud get my prayers answered i wud get
 so fearful that i scared Jim and myself have to death..Fear will always
 unravel faith if you let it...i think i read where the words "fear not" is
 in the Bible 365 times..We are always told in the Word of God to trust in
 the Lord and lean not to our own understanding..Like Noah ...He built the
 ark by faith on dry land..He didnt start building a boat when it began to
 rain..He didnt say "Welll even tho God told me to build an ark,,i will
 just wait and see if it rains a lil bit..and then i will hurry and build an
 ark..No Noah built the ark as soon as God told him to..And Noah saved his
 whole family..Noah was a righteous man..And what made him righteous..? His
 faith in God..Abraham believed God and it was acounted to him for
 righteousness..And so as the years of my marriage went on my faith grew in
 God..And the Lord began to rule..Love connie

Letters to Jim

Part 1

My letters wud begin "My Darling Husband"..His wud begin "To my Darling
Wife" or " My Beloved Wife"...At first yrs ago ..you cud only write 2
pages..So i wrote on notebook paper..i wud write 2 lines of writing where
only one line of writing shud go..You wud almost need a magnifying glass to
read it..But this way i got double the amount of writing on 2 pages..Of
course all of the letters were CENSORED....And our Jill on the grp gave me
rides to go see Jim atleast once a month...I wud go in the prison and then
i had to be frisked etc..and then put my purse in a locker..Then i went to
this big gate of iron and that wud then BANG shut..Then another gate was in
front of me and that gate opened and i went upstairs to a visitng
room..Well i didnt feel like a missionery but at times i was..The Lord had
called me to be married in a prison..and to help my husband.. i didnt know
the Lord when Jim and i met and he didnt know God either.i was only 18 and
he was 25 when we met..And our lives together were always marked by those
early days of walking from one miracle to the next...

Part 2

the Bible does say that a woman is not to take spiritual authority over the
man..They are to teach children and the older woman is to teach the younger
woman to to be keepers at home..But the woman is not to. take authority in
the church..This kinda put me between a rock and a hard place..as i am to
submit to my own husband..But i began to teach Jim very humbly about
faith..At the time there were prayer meeting and Bible Studies starting
up in the prison...Different preachers from the outside were starting
Prison Ministries ..It was about this time that Jim began circulating some
of my letters that were teachings on faith...i think some of those letters
are still there in the prison..Jim just felt that he wanted the other men
to know about faith too.. Isnt it something how God moves to get the Word
of God to those who need it... Love Connie

Our House Plants

I miss seeing house plants in a home..They were so much a part of my growing up yrs.. Mother and her sisters all traded slips of each others geraniums.. My favorites were the dark pink rose geraniums..My Aunts wud have little glass jars with branches of flowers sitting in the kitchen windows.. "When the sun shines on the stems of the flower then this causes the little roots to form..Then when the roots are formed you can plant them in the dirt in a flower pot.. " i remember being at Aunt Eileens farm..i wud see her flowers in her big windows in the diningroom.. She loved African Violets..and had every kind and color she cud find..i thot they were hard to grow and not hardy enuf for my family to have around.. Love, Connie 

Our Gardens

I have to laugh at my dear friend Bonni..We have been friends since she was  19 and i was 22 yrs old..She and i went thru alot together...She said to me  on the phone lately .."Connie sell that big old house and buy a  condomenium.". i said "Bonnie that wud kill me off for sure The outdoors  is a part of my home.." ..Each morning in the summer Jim wud get up early  in the morning..and go check the garden.. i wud look out the window to see  him with his coffee cup in his hand..Pretty soon he wud yellll "Mother  your tomato plants have little tomatoes on them" .,,i wud be busy in the  kitchen fixing Jims breakfast ..But i knew i wud have to go out and see the  garden with Jim before i did anything else..He loved his garden and i did  too...We really needed our fruits and vegetables .. Some of the neighbors  wud plant a garden and then let it die.,,i cud never figure that out.. i  used to take our children for walks in the neighborhood and we wud admire  the neighbors flowers..i always told my children that the poorest people  wud always have the prettiest flowers ..Well the poor people cudnt afford  to remodle so they wud plant pretty flowers to hide the broken foundation  on their house..Thats what the old time Mothers did too... And i did the  same thing with the tiger lillies in our front yard..when our foundation  was crumbling.. The old time Mothers decorated alot with flowers.. i miss  having the old time house plants too.. Love, Connie