Letters to Our Daughters; A Letter Worth Reading

by Jenny Irvine // April 8, 2015 // 6 Comments

It’s been a month since our physical move and yes, I’m slowly making my way back to this space (notice the new URL) . So please pardon the dust as I am doing a bit of ‘blog spring cleaning’.

I’ve wanted to come back to this space and write for sometime but haven’t been able to find the words to do so. My motivation has been low, my attitude has been bad, and well, today is the day I’m finally jumping back into the blogosphere linking up with Brooke over at Bye, Comparison and accepting a little blog ‘challenge’ from my dear friend Crystal – I’m joining these lovelies and writing a letter about worth to my daughters…

Nearly 9 1/2 years ago I quit my job to stay at home with our little bundle of pink cuteness. I still can’t think of anywhere else I would rather have been at that time; other than with her. The days were long but, I was so very blessed. There were diaper changes, walks to the park, cuddles, snuggles, books to be read, and hours upon hours of bonding. I was so in love-

Then, something changed – the ‘norms‘ of today’s society and the cultural expectations of women took a hold of my heart strings. My once felt feelings of bliss quickly turned sour. Although, I was (and still am) so grateful to be home with our baby (quickly followed by babies two, three, and four) it has at times seemed as if my personal worth was deflating with each passing day spent at home.

Sure, the constant juggling act of raising four kids, being a wife, and homeschooling keeps me on my toes but, I still frequently feel the pressure of society to work outside the home; you know, bring in a paycheck, help with finances, have a title, dress up, and ‘be important‘. With all of this said – what is it that measures worth?

Is it the number of diapers changed in a day?

The number of home cooked meals?

A degree earned?

Or is it bringing in a pay check and sitting in a corporate chair?

Isn’t being a Godly wife and mother worth something?

Sure, well meaning friends, family, and total strangers are quick to tell you that staying home is the hardest job on earth or that being a homeschool mom IS a job – but, do they really mean it?

I struggle- everyday! I struggle with the voices in my head telling me what I “should be doing ….” but, are the voices real or simply that of a culture that has gone astray? Who am I? And more importantly who has God made me to become?

I am after all worthy and so are you!

Dear Sweet Girls,

My wish for you in this life is to find the strength within to fight life’s battles – so dear child, choose your battles wisely as there are many along the way.

Dream as big as the mountains and may mankind never hold you back from doing great things for His kingdom – may you always remember to stop often and help others who may have gone astray.

Love deeply, love unconditionally, and ask for forgiveness often.

May your life’s journey be filled with adventure – as your life’s worth will not simply be measured by that which you reap but, rather what you have sewn along the way.

May the works of your hand sew seeds of grace, gratitude, love, respect, integrity, purity, and respect each and every step.

Remember you are loved and your worth is not mearly measured by what you wear, the money you make, nor the sacrifices you have made along the way.

He has made you worthy! You are a child of God!

Your worth is in the journey and the ever lasting mark you will one day leave behind.

Love always, Mommy

Are you a mom who also struggles with staying home? Are you a mom who is trying to run your own home business or juggle the many hats of a working mom? Then stick around – there is a lot more coming from this writing ‘well’.

A Call to Quiet; The Future of This Space

by Jenny Irvine // February 24, 2015 // 2 Comments

It’s been brewing for quite sometime – it’s been overflowing in my mug. That tug at my heart strings calling me to a season of quiet- a season to learn, absorb knowledge, and pass it onto my kids. Can you relate?

With our upcoming move there will inevitably be a lot of change and a whole lot to learn. These changes don’t worry me ~~any~~ much but rather, bring about an exciting challenge. If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is God doesn’t do “comfort” but, God certainly does “rock the boat”. When we are challenged we grow and we seek Him more- we have to trust, and make the conscious decision to be present in our daily life.

With the noise of the outside world these days of being fully present in our lives has proven to be quite a challenge. Take a drive to a nearby restaurant – take note how many times you see someone having a conversation and now take note of how often that same individual glances at his/her phone during that conversation. Take note of how many ‘selfie picture’ takers you see sitting in the corner booth – or how many people you see whipping out their phone just to capture the perfect mouth watering plate of food picture. Then there is my personal favorite – take note of the child sitting in the high chair with a tablet in hand just to keep him/her ‘quiet’.

We have become a society of ‘quiet‘ not because we are learning and growing; but, simply because we are no longer talking. We have become quiet but, all the while we have become so very loud.

We no longer only look to those around for acceptance we look to the world. We are constantly searching for the ‘pat on the back‘ saying “well done sister, that apple pie looks amazing”, “wow, you look gorgeous“, “nice deal“, and on and on…

I say all of this not to shame you as I too am guilty of such behaviors. We all are!

Here is the thing, that constant tug of my heart and so much of our move to the country is far more than a ‘just’ a move – there is a purpose and a challenge being set before me (and, you!)

The purpose – I no longer want to be the one ‘just‘ sharing my “berry crisp” in picture form on the world wide web for all to see – I want to invite you to my home; open my door, sit, talk , laugh, cry, and yes, share it over berry crisp (by the way if you aren’t signed up for the “Homestead Happenings” you should be – I shared that recipe last week ;-).

This upcoming journey is a call to be quiet over tea without the noise of the world and buzzing of electronics, a call to be present in each day, a call to open our door, learn, and grow together.

So what does that mean for this space – it means anytime I write in this space it will be from the heart, it will be a truth, a tug of the heart strings message, a story dug up from my well. This space will be reserved for family and friends to ‘gather around our table‘ without physically being there. It will be a place to continue to learn and grow together- without the burden of not feeling ‘good enough‘. It will be a place of raw truth, pain, and the journey that makes us who we are called to be.

(Also for the latest in “Homestead Happenings” SIGN UP HERE (its free!) I promise I don’t spam your in box – no one has time to read 100 emails from me (ha, I don’t have time to write that many anyways) Its simply a way for me to connect to you better and bless you with “little inbox surprises” periodically from my homestead to yours….you know things like berry crisp 😉

My Happy Homestead; Goes Country

by Jenny Irvine // February 9, 2015 // 1 Comment

Homestead, self sufficiency, new start, family, faith, hope, love,

My Happy Homestead; Is Going Country

That’s right, we are moving! We are packing up and heading to the country.

Some might say us suburban raised “city slickers” have no idea what we are in for. Some might think we have lost our beloved minds. Some might have feelings of sadness, anger, excitement, jealousy, or just pure joy for our family. Some are still sitting there shocked by such a change -while others have seen it coming for years.

Here is the thing, although to some it may seem the decision to move was made nearly overnight – it in many ways has been nothing shy of the opposite – it has rather been a life long journey.

This winding road of foundation building has truly been going on for years and, I am only just now beginning to see some of those very intricate pieces God had layed before us so many years ago. I also venture to say we will never fully know nor understand all of the individual pieces; while, other pieces have been so perfectly set before us one can only believe they were set there just for our awe and wonder.

Growing up I was always somewhat of a dreamer. (Ha, who am I kidding ? I still am!) I would play for hours creating families of paper dolls, swinging on our swings gazing off into the clouds, or playing with my doll house built by my grandfather. I would dream of houses, families, and simplicity. The things I remember and cherish most about my childhood were “simple things” like 80’s music playing 24/7, visits to grandparents houses, boating, swimming, jumping rope, going to plays, mystery trips, and just being a kid. These are the things childhood memories are made of.

Childhood memories are made up of faith, intentional parenting, planning, purpose, and being present.

You’re probably wondering what my childhood has to do with moving and here it is; 6 months ago Ed and I didn’t have any clue where we wanted to move – nor did we ever imagine we would go from deciding on a location to buying a home in less than 2 months time. Did I happen to mention ‘our plan‘ was to not move for another 3-5 more years?

Ah yes, and that childhood I remember so vividly – could it really be one of the original pieces of our foundation was built during that very time. The very place I loved to drive with my family – the place with the winding road, the hills, trees, and fresh air- that very place on the way to our annual family mystery trip to see “The Christmas Carol”. Could it be that same road of childhood comfort would one day be the path that led us to our new home?

faith, hope, love, homesteading, self sufficiency

It is only now, that I am beginning to see each piece- so perfectly layed before us. From childhood gardening memories, skills passed on from grandparents, to childhood friend’s (who just so happened to mary your cousin and will now be your childrens’ new dentist) because of coarse they will be among your new neighbors.

How does this stuff happen? For real people, I could not make this stuff up! Who moves an hour away only to be brought back to their childhood-

During our dating years – we would venture north and scour real-estate catalogs looking for property; we would talk about cottages and various locations. We would discuss blueberry picking in the wild, hunting, and spend countless hours searching for the northern lights over the lake. These are the things that brought us together. These are the things by which God has built our foundation –

God sized dreams that seemed insignificant and at times maybe even a bit unrealistic –

Faith

Family

Friendships

Love

Hope

and, Trust

So although to some our move might be a shock – to others it’s exactly where God has called us to be.

The road doesn’t always make sense and it certainly doesn’t always seem fare. No one promised this life to be easy because it certainly isn’t going to be so – but being faithful, living intentionally, and being present in the very place you’re called to be at this exact moment is truly priceless.

Be sure to take a seat and stick around as I dust off the shelves of this space, add some new ‘decor’, and take you down the dirt roads with me!! Sign up here for our “Homestead Happenings” news letter for the newest and most up to date behind the scenes happenings.