Keepers at Home
Biblically-based Home and Personal Management
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
“I would rather attempt something great and fail than do nothing and succeed”
Robert H. Schuller
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
Author Unknown
Have you ever noticed that the most difficult part of anything we consider doing is actually making the decision to do it? You want to have a neat, orderly home but haven’t quite decided how. Maybe you are considering a way to keep from feeling that your time is not your own, but you constantly give in to the demands of others. Are you curious about a particular subject, but just can’t find time to research it? As I survey and interview people about the management of their lives and homes, there is a recurring theme: “I really should and want to...but.”
I want to explore in this book, and in particular in this chapter, some ways to change that theme to: “I’m so glad I saw the need and decided to…”
A Story
There are some tried and tested principles that have helped many before us to get into and beyond the decision making phase. The foremost factor in determining to do or not to do something is our level of awareness. A thing has to enter our consciousness before it can spur us to even consider going through a decision making process. My son, Alan, wrote a paper in sixth grade creative writing class that shows how a little awareness makes us see more clearly the possible contrasts around us.
Toothbrush
Hanging in the bathroom in my house is a toothbrush. This is no ordinary toothbrush. It hangs on a silver aluminum rack. It is very old and the bristles are brittle and they have hardened toothpaste in between them. My little brother chews on its handle and bites on the bristles.
He sits on the rack beside a cup and three shiny, red toothbrushes. Those are the ones me, my mom, and dad use. We always make sure that all the toothpaste is out of the bristles and that they never get hard. I bet that toothbrush my brother uses is in the dumps with all that new stuff around him. That toothbrush has gone through a lot from my brother in his day. I kind of wish that toothbrush got better care than it does. I feel sorry for the little thing.
It could be that Alan was just trying to rail on his brother, but as I read the piece, the sight of the unkempt toothbrush aroused some pity from me as well. I could also envision Alan helping his little brother take better care of his toothbrush. It drove home the point that before we can accomplish even routine daily tasks, we must be aware that they need to be done. We have to know some things . Being tuned in to our own life and our surroundings, plus the other people around us, is no small challenge, but it is the beginning of a positive approach to getting jobs done. How does one become aware? By practice. Before you move into your jobs as the keeper at home, see how much awareness you already have. Take the survey at the end of the chapter now and again after you complete the study.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Designed as an individual or group Bible Study, Keepers at Home brings the reader to first understand her position in Christ and how that can turn the most mundane task into service to God and others. Experiences from women across the country are combined with the author’s own experience to give insight into everything from making beds to grocery shopping to making a will. Each chapter has a catchy title about some aspect of keeping the home and is full of ways to better use time, energy and money with an emphasis on building healthy relationships within one’s sphere of influence. Readers are asked to evaluate their position on each area of keeping a home on a worksheet at the end of each chapter. An appendix with basic cleaning tips, helpful hints and further resources adds practical applications of principles in the main part of the book. A section for the group leader is also included.
About the Author
Jennie Chandler became a Keeper at Home “helper” as the oldest of five children growing up on a farm in
Moving toward retirement (maybe), she renewed an interest in history and worked as Historic Interpreter at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon Estate and Gardens for five years. She is currently a course leader for Christian Discoveries, a student travel company, in the spring and serves as director of Camp New Dawn during the summer. The rest of the year she is the keeper of a home in
About the artist:
Linda Sanford has dabbled in art all her life, in between serving with her husband, Gary (Sam to most folks) who was an Army chaplain for 30 years. She took time, too, to raise five children and do domestic things such as cooking, sewing, and crafts. Her love is being with people, with the desire that Christ will shine through her as she works with International Wives groups, visits assisted living facilities, and volunteers in other community projects. Linda prefers oil painting, and is hopeful that she will find time to pursue that seriously soon. Upon retirement from the military, the