It all started with Page 106 of a tattered old 1893 cookbook that I was flipping through the other night, nestled up with my baby girl, looking for some inspiration from our wise sisters of the past. And when I came upon the words on this page, I felt so strongly that they were written for me.
And you.
And I just couldn’t wait to share.
These words are for every homesteader, homemaker, housewife, stay-at-home mom, working woman, {or dads, guys, men- you are not exempt!}~ anyone who has ever given a second thought to what and how they feed their precious families. For all of you who make it from scratch or grow your own because you feel it is best, even if it means {a ton} more work. For those who give up your mornings to bake bread or your evenings to can another batch of goodness for the pantry. Those who are taking steps- even baby steps– toward a more self-sufficient, natural, back-to-basics lifestyle.
Know. Your. Worth.
These words could very well have been written by someone today. With the mass movement toward organic foods and safer eating, the fear of GMOs and chemical-laden products, this could easily be a page torn from a modern day magazine, blog, or book. But it isn’t. These are words written over 120 years ago. And yet they apply just as well today as they did then.
Perhaps even more so.
the housekeeper’s position is a very important one…her responsibilities are grave and sacred.
Just a friendly, uplifting reminder, especially for those who are tired. And at times wonder if what you are doing is worth it.
It is.
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Shared at:
This reminds me of a funny conversation my husband and I had last week. I was cleaning out my canning cupboard and found 4 jars of 5 year old produce. I told him I opened them and dumped them in the compost pile. He was surprised I just didn’t cook them up. My response to him was “It is my job to make sure I don’t poison you.” He said, “I would have cooked them and watched to see if anyone got sick.” I said, “That is why I am the homemaker and you are the provider.” I take my job seriously and am always careful at what I put on the table!
Haha! It’s amazing our natural intuition as homemakers. Beautiful 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing, Tracy!
Erin
Wow, that passage from such an old text could not be more relevant to today! It can be hard for those of us who were raised conventionally to understand why “returning the the old ways” is so important. We don’t all have to become homesteaders, but we all do have to make a choice “life-giving” food and sustenance or “poison.”
Thanks for the thought provoking post!
You are absolutely spot-on about our food! Thank-you, Shirley, for visiting 🙂
Erin
I too take the quality and health-full-ness of the food that goes on our table very seriously. I began to study nutrition when I was in my 20’s and choose a “heathier” lifestyle because my parents died so young. I’m age 64 and am now watching friends and family members around me getting sick with cancer, RA, Parkinson’s and more. This is when I am reminded just how important what we eat is (and how much we move) to our bodies. This is something I know in my gut and even though some around me feel that food is just food and does not matter, I know that it does. Eating healthy to feed our bodies for the long term potential, not just for this meal, is a sacred trust. Thank you for writing this post!
Thanks for the reminder! Sometimes I wonder if I really make a difference 😉
I think we all wonder that at times. Or wonder if the effort is worth it. Well, it is! 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting,
Erin
I’ve often felt like I was born in the wrong era! Thanks for sharing!
I can relate! Thank-you for stopping by 🙂
Erin
First visit to your blog and thought your post was so inspirational. Sometimes we do feel like we are not doing much, but we do have a very important role.
Terry, I’m so glad you found me! It’s definitely difficult at times to feel and understand our worth in our respective roles, that’s for sure. Reminders like this one are just what we need for those times 🙂
I found this wonderful post at Our Simple Homestead’s “Friday Fabulous Five”. I LOVE this quote you have shared! I love learning the wisdom of our sisterhood from the past. Thank you for posting this!
I’m so glad you liked it! And YES- our wise sisters…amazing, inspiring women. So strong. I love that their encouraging words are still available to us today for strength when we need it 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by,
Erin