Cool Ladies

Charles Sims 1873-1928

Hello.  As many of us in this dry weather are cleaning, painting, decluttering and organizing while we can have the doors open, I decided to post some soothing pictures of ladies looking relaxed in summer. As vacation-ey as summer is, it can get quite hectic, especially if you are in the throws of re-organizing the house.  I'm taking advantage of a few days with no people here, to get all my rooms in order, but, as Emma said, "I have a grim job ahead of me!" and so, I wanted to come here and get my thoughts organized for the task ahead today.  I have a few more things to put away and then will try and finish my recent sewing and show it to you. 

In this post today i am using a lot of white, light and softeness because it is so hot here and it makes me feel cool.

The following paintings are by Frank Benson 1862`1951

In the 1990's the Victoria magazine editors did a Frank Benson layout using his granddaughters posing his paintings. Some of you might remember it. Click the link to see what I wrote about it a few years ago.

It also might be nice today, to look at some soothing pictures of a room already cleaned up ;-) and again I am choosing white for coolness. How about a bathroom...

...and a dining room..

...a laundry room...

...and, you know of that back porch or patio where you stash everything while you are trying to get the inside of the house clean? Speaking for myself, I am really looking forward to getting all that put away so I can enjoy something like this:

 These photos are not from my home. They are from Pinterest. They give me ideas of how i want to have it here. I do not know about the rest of you, but pictures certainly help me!!  I'm always sending my granddaughter a hoarder-type picture with a distress text: "PRAY FOR ME" and then I so enjoy sending the triumphant "after" picture.

Because I know so many people who are in a home upheaval--from re-locating, rennovating, planning a home wedding or a large event, painting, etc., I want to remind you to make a list and then to pray to be enabled to do it. I will also leave you with this verse to think about:

 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me[a] anything in my name, I will do it. 

John14:13-14

Often in Bible classes we encourage the youth to memorize the "future and a hope" scripture, but I would like to remind everyone that is past their youth, that God has a future and a hope for the rest of us, too!  I think of that often in regards to my housekeeping and home dwelling.

Ladies naturally want to help someone and often have a desire to go somewhere and participate in ministry. Let me suggest that you make your family and your house your ministry. No one can take your place because you were the one chosen by God for these people that you care for. You can begin to look at it with new eyes when you consider it a ministry of love to people who need you so much and depend on you. I am much less of a slacker if i can remember that house care and family care is something more lofty than the physical labor. My labor then becomes a mission.  Perhaps you can explain it better! Please be sure to comment!