Soooo . . . today I want to encourage you all to take the time to knit (or cook or sew, or scrapbook, or hot glue pom-poms onto your daughters keds, or whatever lovely crafty thing you like to do), Because I find it impossible to read a science book, or go to an aquarium, or to exposit the first couple of chapters of Genesis and not be overwhelmed with God's delight in beauty and variation, and in the actual process of design in creating. It's fascinating, don't you think, that in the tremendous act of creation, God chooses, not to speak the completed universe into existence all in one shot, but instead to spend six days creating and ordering the earth (days 4, 5&6 of creation filling up what was created on days 1, 2&3 - - look! it's there!) and its inhabitants into the final "very good". Do we not, then, reflect the image of our creator when we ourselves order and create?
A special thanks to you, mom, for living this out for me- -You have been Faithful in your study of the word, complete in your love and care for Christ's church, and always an example to me of a woman who reflects God's love for beauty and creation - - in different cultures, with eight kids, with a pretty much non existent decorating budget!
a good book to read on this topic (recommended to me, of course, by the lovely Darcie Newton)- - Edith Schaeffer's The Hidden Art of Homemaking
I took these pictures of home - - last time I visited mom
11 comments:
Naomi, thanks for putting this into words. I had been trying to explain it to someone the other day. May I print this off and use it for our Creative Homemaking call? Love, Janie in Nampa, Idaho
uh, that would be "class", not "call". Sometimes I type waaaay to fast!
print it off till you weary of it, Janie! and please DO mention Edith Schaeffer's book - - she says it all much better than I do!
I love the Newton family...your mom is so awesome and I really learned the full extent of it during your wedding weekend (which I was JUST thinking about yesterday).
God is good and He's good to have given your mom SUCH an amazing love for Him and the family He gave her...she's been impacting me for years through you guys!
I was going to email but it wouldn't work. Dennis got a job!!!!! We are going to sign the contract with Geneva Christian school tomorrow. It is the classical school in Boerne. Drew Allert used to go there and the Slaytons and Stanleys are sending their girls there next year. He will get to actually teach history as well. Hurrah!!! God is so good and we are so glad the wait is over. I will probably blog about it tomorrow. Stay tuned. :)
I've been lurking for awhile now but this post deserves a thank you. I've always struggled to put into words why I feel the need to be creative. I'll have to add the E.S. book to my long "need to read" list. Thanks.
Hi Sam!
Steph - - we are praising God with you for His provision; what good news!
Jacquelyn - - Thanks! I think you will really, really like the book; it is such a quick, enjoyable read. let me know what you think of it when you get to it.
Naomi, I remember first reading "Hidden Art" maybe, Ah. . .30 years ago, and how ES planted morning glories on their apartment porch, how then the climbing vine masked the ugly view; she created a beautiful ambience with something so simple-- the humble morning glory! From your pictures, I detect that you and Rachel have created a lovely place for summer dinning and gracious hospitality on your porch in Pamplona. . .you girls encourage me.
Mom
Naomi--thanks for the tip on the book. I recently ordered a similar type book about creating family traditions, so I went ahead and ordered this one too--especially since Edith Schaeffer is one of my heroes! I just don't think creatively but would love to get better at it...so for now I'm just good at borrowing ideas from others!
Naomi,
I found your thoughts here so encouraging, and I definately wnat to check out that book! I'm not very creative myself, but it does lift my spirits when I am able to make something look prettier, or cleaner, or more helpful to others.
Thanks for reminding me that it is a God-given thing!
Thanks for the book!! What you said makes complete sense and I love the reasoning behind having a restful, worshipful time of creating order, calm, and warmth in a home. I am going to add this book to a long list of need to reads. :> Love you guys!
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