Hidden Art and Passionate Housewives

I have derived much encouragement and inspiration from these to books in the last week. Both were birthday presents from dear friends. Actually, “Hidden Art” was a gift from my mother for my 24th birthday. The inscription in the front reads,

“Dear Trina,

Happy birthday to the person who is the epitome* of what my mentor writes of…
Love, Mom

*a person who possesses to a high degree the features of a given class.”

How silly of me to put off reading it until now, for this book indeed is an inspiration to me! Edith Schaeffer was one of my mother’s favorite mentors (right up there with Elizabeth Elliot), so this is not the first of her books I have read, but it is by far the most applicable to me, personally. Edith explains so clearly and perfectly how we, as beings created in the image of a Creator God, are called to express that aspect of His divine character, both in the majestic and the menial tasks in our lives.

“There should be a practical result of the realization that we have been created in the image of the Creator of beauty. Whether you are married and have a family; whether you share a house or a flat with on or a number of people; whether you till live with your parents; whether you live alone and have guests from time to time; whether you are a man or a woman: the fact that you are a Christian should show in some practical area of a growing creativity and sensitivity to beauty, rather than in a gradual drying up of creativity, and a blindness to ugliness.”

She addresses all areas of creativity in the various chapters titled, Music, Interior Decorating, Food, Drama, Clothing, etc. I am only a few chapters into it, and am so excited! If you have opportunity, grab yourself a copy of this book and see why I’m loving it so much! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the excerpts I plan to share periodically on the blog.

“Passionate Housewives Desperate for God” was a gift this year from my friend, Alyssa. I was delighted when I unwrapped it to see the new book by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald I had heard about on my favorite message board. Again, I am a little ways into this one, so I can’t give a full review, but the purpose of this post is to encourage you to get your own copy, ’cause it’s “so far, so good!” It’s never too often that we, as wives and mothers, and even keepers-of-the-home in training, are reminded of how important and beautiful the role of a housewife truly is. As Mrs. McDonald says in Chapter 3,

“Using our gifts and talents to glorify God in our role as helper to our husbands, all within the well-choreographed dance of home life, imparts a quiet lesson to a watching world and communicates true contentment in the loveliness of womanhood. It declares ‘His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all the people’ (Psalm 96:3) and multiplies generations of those who love and glorify God.”

I have been greatly encouraged amid the ever growing piles of laundry and repetitive chores, and been given a perspective that gives even those dirty dishes in the sink a certain glow. I hope to share more with you soon, but meanwhile, put these on the top of your wish list, or find one or both as a mother’s day gifts!