Keeping the home fires burning

Last night I just had to...I had to finish the novel myself, before I finish reading it aloud to the children—it was just too good!

The Winged Watchman

It was The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum. In this novel, a Christian family struggles through Nazi occupation, secretly taking in people who are hiding from Nazi brutality and assisting the underground during the final days of the occupation. The Nazis were very cruel to the Dutch people, many of whom died of illnesses related to malnutrition or direct starvation, even exposure due to the shortage of heating fuel.

Through it all, the mother of the family finds ways to keep things going. She washes clothing and dishes without soap, mends clothing without thread, creates new clothes out of old ones, takes in a small infant and two little girls when there is not even enough food for her own family, feeds beggars from the cities who come to the country looking for food, etc. She even finds ways of making the last Christmas of the occupation festive by unraveling her own muffler and knitting mittens for her boys and using scraps to create thumb-sized dolls for the little girls under her care; the children were all blessed when they awoke to find these treasures in their shoes on St. Nicholas' Day.

There is a quote at the end of the book that is quite touching:

Do you know who suffered most during the war? The mothers. Do you know who worked the hardest? The mothers. And do you know who will get the least praise? Again, the mothers. You haven't any idea, and you never will have, what it cost your mother to keep going, never daunted, never giving up, taking each new blow in her stride and keeping you all happy under the worst possible conditions.

We, especially as women in Christ, should consider the times. Many of us are now experiencing reduced incomes due to the printing of money ("monetary easing" or counterfeiting) that has been going on by the Federal Reserve. Millions of families are experiencing unemployment due to the recessed economy. Our country and way of life is under siege and it is uncertain what will ultimately become of us. What we should realize is—we are in His hands!

While things in the world may look bleak, we must find ways to keep the darkness outside! Whether we live in a huge house or a car, we are responsible to keep our environs filled with the warmth, hope, and love of the Lord, and we must do this physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

First of all, we must stay engaged and in constant communion with the Lord. There is no way that the tremendous amounts of creativity and vitality we need in these times can come from ourselves! We must be students of His Word. Amazingly, even when I read the historical books (which I dearly love!), God reveals things to me about the condition of my own heart, the corrections I need to make, the direction I need to take.

Migrant mother & children in 1936 Dust Bowl

Secondly, we must be women of great faith. This is not the kind of faith that expects to have a Learjet and fat bank account; this is the kind of faith that gives when there is nothing, hopes and believes when there is no way to be found.

The other day I was staring at the clothes in my closet. There is a change in the season and my wardrobe for last season looks pretty shabby! The children are all well taken care of, with recent thrift-store shopping and deals we found for the boys by shopping for clearance items on the Internet. I am not a "clothes-horse", in fact, it is hard for me to break down and buy for myself (may I say that I hate shopping for clothing?), but it is very necessary for me to look decent so that I can encourage my family—my appearance and the way I carry myself affects the atmosphere of my home (a wife and mother is the spirit of her home).

So I said to the Lord, "What are we going to do about this?" and then left it with Him, not thinking about it again.

The next day, my dear, generous husband was expecting to spend $50 for a necessary repair, but the fee was waived. In his excitement, he asked if there was anything I needed. My mind went blank—I honestly couldn't think of a thing! He then took me to a thrift store, anyway, and it was only then that I remembered I needed some spring clothes!

I am happy to report that I have four decent, near brand-new shirts and a cute skirt hanging in my closet! God is so good (and there is still money left over for other necessities)!

Jesus receives the children

These are the types of miracles we need to believe for in the coming days—the "regular" type, where God meets us in our simple lives—no huge crowds to even notice them, but the hearts of our loved ones filled with hope and faith as they witness them.

A godly atmosphere during these days is so necessary. Learning how to arrange special times with what we already have on hand. Creating happy memories just by our own attitude. Speaking the Word of God over situations brings peace and dispels the darkness. This must become our work, our "ministry".

This is how women since the beginning of time have gained favor in God's sight—women who, in this life, may not receive any recognition, but are looking to a crown incorruptible—in the life which is to come!