I am a Mennonite housewife. Recently a non Mennonite friend told me his work colleagues talk about how oppressed Mennonite women must be. I said, What did you tell them about that?
He said, I told them they have it made! They’re not out here stressing like you are to work a job. They get to stay home and cook and keep house. They aren’t oppressed, they have it made.
(He lives with my amazing sister who is truly a queen in her home.)
Most Mennonite girls graduate between ages 14-16 and spend the years between graduation and entering the work force learning how to do all the homey, domestic things that today’s women struggle to learn on their own. It is such a blessing to carry these skills along in your pocket for the future. The majority of Mennonite girls become wives and mothers. The homemaking skills they learn in their mid teens from their own mothers are more of an asset to them then they realize while they are acquiring them.
I just want to bless and encourage all you ladies out there who are taking initiative to learn these skills. I know there will be many women in heaven who have never sewed a dress or canned a peach. These skills are not essential to the saving of our souls. But they do aid in living frugally and creating beauty and peace in our homes.
I may have pulled over to the side of the road and asked my kids to pick blackberries on our way to town a few times. So worth it! It was reassuring when an older couple stopped and shared how they too did this in the very same spot with their own kids! They were so pleased to see younger families doing this again. Yay!
Excellent and heartfelt, naturally spoken and very approachable. A wonderful exhortation to return to those timeless skills that brought us closer and kept us true, in the heart of the home, the Kitchen!
Indeed! I've been baking most of the bread for our household lately, and I'm loving it. There's nothing quite like the feel of kneading dough by hand. We have a bread machine, but I use it rarely because it's just not the same.
We're trying to fast from meat, eggs, and dairy for Lent (the little ones can have milk, I'm only really avoiding the whole list in the meals I cook and serve), and it's been really fun to explore new recipes. Sometimes they're a hit, sometimes not.... But it's always fun, and I think the majority is going well.
I spent some time last week prepping food for family to visit and celebrate birthdays (they came yesterday, it was about 20 guests plus our family of 5). I loved having everyone over and feeding them! I'm so glad my mother and grandmother (and other grandmother, by influence through my mother) taught me to love hosting and setting up the food and house for everyone to enjoy and feel welcome.
I'm planning the cookies/muffins I'm going to make for backstage at choir this weekend. It's one of my favorite things that my mom taught me--cooking and sharing good food, baking cookies for others. (It's also a choir tradition to have people bake cookies to share backstage at the concerts.)
Thank you! I have been making food prep from whole, real food a priority these last few years, and found it get easier and easier as you learn and make routines that work. Now when I want something I would have bought in the past, it’s often in my freezer or I can whip it up (Chocolate chip cookies was today’s item). Can’t wait to check out more of your writing!
I am a Mennonite housewife. Recently a non Mennonite friend told me his work colleagues talk about how oppressed Mennonite women must be. I said, What did you tell them about that?
He said, I told them they have it made! They’re not out here stressing like you are to work a job. They get to stay home and cook and keep house. They aren’t oppressed, they have it made.
(He lives with my amazing sister who is truly a queen in her home.)
Most Mennonite girls graduate between ages 14-16 and spend the years between graduation and entering the work force learning how to do all the homey, domestic things that today’s women struggle to learn on their own. It is such a blessing to carry these skills along in your pocket for the future. The majority of Mennonite girls become wives and mothers. The homemaking skills they learn in their mid teens from their own mothers are more of an asset to them then they realize while they are acquiring them.
I just want to bless and encourage all you ladies out there who are taking initiative to learn these skills. I know there will be many women in heaven who have never sewed a dress or canned a peach. These skills are not essential to the saving of our souls. But they do aid in living frugally and creating beauty and peace in our homes.
I may have pulled over to the side of the road and asked my kids to pick blackberries on our way to town a few times. So worth it! It was reassuring when an older couple stopped and shared how they too did this in the very same spot with their own kids! They were so pleased to see younger families doing this again. Yay!
Congratulations to you and a very happy birthday to your cake maker!
Excellent and heartfelt, naturally spoken and very approachable. A wonderful exhortation to return to those timeless skills that brought us closer and kept us true, in the heart of the home, the Kitchen!
Indeed! I've been baking most of the bread for our household lately, and I'm loving it. There's nothing quite like the feel of kneading dough by hand. We have a bread machine, but I use it rarely because it's just not the same.
We're trying to fast from meat, eggs, and dairy for Lent (the little ones can have milk, I'm only really avoiding the whole list in the meals I cook and serve), and it's been really fun to explore new recipes. Sometimes they're a hit, sometimes not.... But it's always fun, and I think the majority is going well.
I spent some time last week prepping food for family to visit and celebrate birthdays (they came yesterday, it was about 20 guests plus our family of 5). I loved having everyone over and feeding them! I'm so glad my mother and grandmother (and other grandmother, by influence through my mother) taught me to love hosting and setting up the food and house for everyone to enjoy and feel welcome.
I'm planning the cookies/muffins I'm going to make for backstage at choir this weekend. It's one of my favorite things that my mom taught me--cooking and sharing good food, baking cookies for others. (It's also a choir tradition to have people bake cookies to share backstage at the concerts.)
Love this! Thank you for sharing! Yes—we women were robbed!
That was delightful to read. I like your son too.
Thank you! I have been making food prep from whole, real food a priority these last few years, and found it get easier and easier as you learn and make routines that work. Now when I want something I would have bought in the past, it’s often in my freezer or I can whip it up (Chocolate chip cookies was today’s item). Can’t wait to check out more of your writing!