Urban Pioneer
• Feb. 17, 2006 - Satisfaction in being a Homesteader
There is something satifying about making something and then using
it. I was thinking these thoughts as I was washing dishes th
other night. What does washing dishes have to do with making
something. I was thinking of the lemon peels that I was using in
my dishwater (I know it sounds weird, but I love the smell and I know
lemon have some good cleaning qualities to them). I started
thinking about the household cleaning products that I wanted to make
and how much better they would smell than the toxic all-purpose cleaner
or even the dish detergant
that says it has a lemon scent, but is quickly lost when added to the
water. I then went on to think about crocheting what I meant to be a
hot pad but works better as a dish cloth and how even satisfying that
is. It is something that I made and liked and could use. All
these thoughts reminded me of the new title of my blog "The fruit of
her hands". and how appropriate that is to the homesteading life.
I have found that women seem to be more contented with life when we
feel useful. Going to a 9-5 job and producing something for
somebody else or doing something where the benefits cannot be seen, has
not been satisfying in the least to me even if it is a job well
done. I am happier and more content now that I am a stay at home
mom. I can see the benefits of my labor in my children, oh
maybe not everyday, but sometimes I get a glimmer of something that
will last for eternity. I can see even the physical benefits,
that my children are clothed and fed, that the house is (sometimes)
clean, .that what I make for dinner not only tastes good, but is
nutritious, that my pictures are in an album preserving our memories
for the future. The thoughts of having chickens and being able to
share eggs with my neighbors (if NAIS doesn go into affect) or making
bread from scratch or my own homemade cleaners. These things are
very satisfying to me and I believe this is the way God meant for it to
be! |
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• Feb. 17, 2006 - Bravo
Amy W