“If you were born female, you may as well embrace it with all your heart and live your femaleness to the full. To do anything less is to shortchange the destiny of your life!

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…As you catch the vision to be the Enricher of your home, you will also be an…

Enabler – enabling your children to reach their full destiny.

Encourager – daily encouraging your husband and each one of your children for who they are and for the little things they do for you.

Endearer – endearing your family to one another.

Enhancer – enhancing the atmosphere of love and joy in your home, making it richer day by day.

Enlarger – enlarging your heart to embrace the poor and needy.

Enlightener – giving understanding and enlightenment of the ways of God to your children.

Enlivener – seeking to make your home alive with the presence of God.

Ennobler – making your children honorable and noble in all things.

Enthraller – enthralling your children with new ideas, creativity and the wonders of God’s creation.

Enthuser – enthusing your children to be ardent for God.

Entertainer – keeping your little children happy.

Enticer – enticing your children into the joy of prayer and reading God’s living Word.

Enveloper – wrapping your children around with protection and love.

Envisioner – giving vision and hope to each member of the family.

Energizer – releasing the spirit of work and creativity in the home.

Engraver – engraving the names of your children upon your heart in prayer. (Exodus 28:29-30)

Entreater – entreating your children to keep a straight course in the ways of God.”

-Nancy Campbell Quoted from AboveRubies.org

This, and more, is the calling of a Keeper of the Home.

This high calling cannot be accomplished by half-hearted women –

This calling takes total commitment and thoroughness. It cannot be accomplished through our own human strength –

This calling takes tenacity and resolve. It cannot be accomplished through our human knowledge –

This calling takes a thorough study of Scripture.  This calling takes women of faith, ladies of purpose, and daughters of vision.

Obsessed? Possibly.

Passionate? Absolutely!!

We need ladies that are passionate about their roles as women in the home.  Biblical Womanhood is not about cleaning bathrooms, feeding ten (or 20) kids and weeding our gardens and baking cookies (which is really not a bad thing to make! lol). Biblical Womanhood is a mindset, and the Scriptures have been given for our instruction on this subject.  As daughters and future Homemakers we must be committed to the study of the Scriptures. Our teenage and single years are only as productive and eternal as we make them, and unfortunately, most of us live these single years as though it were a curse to be rid of.  No, but sadly the truth, if we think this way then we know not the Scriptures.

“And his (or her) interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.”

1 Corinthians 7:34

We must care for the things of the Savior and as we dedicate our life to the Lord, we will be preparing ourselves to dedicate our life to our husband and children in the future. Our effectiveness to carry this out today will affect how we will respond in the future. The Christian life works like a beautiful circle – each phase of our life prepares for the next.

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 11:18, 19

We cannot teach until we have first laid up His words and bound them upon our hearts (Prov. 6:21). We must study to know the doctrines of Christ, how we are to live our lives, and defend our faith and we must be doing this now. Here is a quote from Jonathon Edwards from one of his sermons on the importance of redeeming your time (I really like this one!):

“…time is very precious, because when it is past, it cannot be recovered. There are many things which men possess, which if they part with, they can obtain them again. If a man have parted with something which he had, not knowing the worth of it, or the need he should have of it; he often can regain it, at least with pains and cost. If a man have been overseen in a bargain, and have bartered away or sold something, and afterwards repents of it, he may often obtain a release, and recover what he had parted with. —But it is not so with respect to time. When once that is gone, it is gone forever; no pains, no cost will recover it. Though we repent ever so much that we let it pass, and did not improve it while we had it, it will be to no purpose. Every part of it is successively offered to us, that we may choose whether we will make it our own, or not. But there is no delay. It will not wait upon us to see whether or no we will comply with the offer. But if we refuse, it is immediately taken away, and never offered more. As to that part of time which is gone, however we have neglected to improve it, it is out of our possession and out of our reach.”

Time is always ticking, never to be gained ever again. What are we doing that is worthwhile? Are we cherishing each moment Christ has given us here on earth, or do we desire to do something else instead?  Let’s quote Mrs. Campbell again in her blessed words:

“If you were born female, you may as well embrace it with all your heart and live your femaleness to the full. To do anything less is to shortchange the destiny of your life! We must passionately and without reserve give ourselves over to Christ and the study to know Him. We don’t need someone crazy.

But one step short of crazy, what do you get? Passionate!”

Love and blessings in Christ our Lord,

I always look forward to spring, especially after the winter we had this year (yes, California did have a winter this year! YAY)!  These changing in the seasons always remind me of the verse Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:   A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;  a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to morn, and a time to dance;  a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  a time to seek, and a time to loose;  a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;  a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  a time of love, and a time of hate;

a time of war, and a time for peace.”

It was also refreshing to hear Mrs. Botkin reading it aloud as well, while my mother and I where listening to the “Evenings with Victoria Botkin” as it started this Monday!  My mother and I cannot wait till next Monday to hear her speak, it has been so encouraging to both of us!

Also with the changing of the seasons, I will be slowly adding a few things to my web-site/etsy shop!  I have already added one new item:

The crocheted All-Puropse Wash Cloth!

These hand-made crocheted cloths (made by my myself, or my mother)are the perfect cloth for many uses from washing dishes, to cleaning your face and body! Now that I use them, I cannot live without them! I sell them in color-coordinated sets of two and each have a beautiful scalloped edge to give it a pretty look!

Here are a couple photos of them below!

Feel free to stop by my shop HERE or on the side of our blog!

If you do not wish to buy through my shop, or would like to be added to my mailing list, feel free to e-mail me at : mail(at)practicalsimplicity(dot)com!

Blessings in Christ,

That is right, only two days left of my Christmas sale at my etsy shop!  So head on over to my store at the right of the blog and see what suites your fancy or someone you love!!  Tomorrow is the last day, and then prices go up, so hurry before these amazing prices are gone, gone, gone!!!    From December 18-19!!

Blessings,

Miss. Antoinette

www.practicalsimplicity.com

Since I am not being very diligent in advertising my business on my blog, I intend to change this a bit, after all this blog is named after my business, and is supposed to be my place of advertising here and there!

So, to kick off this wonderful time of the year, I am going to have a special sale from the 4th through the 19th I will be having a sale on all my items in my shop!  Here are some of the wonderful items that are on sale :

The Lovely Sampler Bag $2.00 $1.00

Lip Balms (all flavors, including my new Maple nut!) $3.00 $2.00

Lip Flops (only available in Chocolate, while quantity last) $1.00 $0.75

AND MUCH MORE!!!

So I hope you will take advantage of these wonderful sales on my products while they last! Also, feel free to e-mail me at mail(at)practicalsimplicity.com  if you wish to buy more than is on my shop, or have questions!!! So head on over to my store by clicking the photo above, or my Etsy shop on the side of my blog! Also, I would appreciate it if you would help spread the word! You can click on the “Promote Our Web-Site” page at the top of the blog, to add our button onto your blog, or web-site!

I hope everyone has a blessed week!

Grace and Peace,

Miss. Antoinette

PS. FYI, orders placed from the 8th through the 13th, will not be placed until the 14th, or sometime that same week!

I am getting ready to make one for myself, then make matching jumpers for both my mom and I!  I REALLY like this pattern a lot!  If you are interested in this pattern, I bought it at this wonderful (Christian owned) family run online store called “Marie Madeline Studio” and you can see the jumper pattern HERE!

Thank you so much Long ladies for this wonderful pattern, I know my mom and I LOVE it!

Grace and peace,

Miss. Antoinette K.

Here is a link to my Dad’s review of the movie HERE if you have not seen it already, and you can visit the main web-site for the movie HERE and watch the trailer!

I hope everyone is having a blesed week so far!

Grace and peace,

Miss. Antoinette K.

My Outfit:

My Hair:  O.k now you can see that I do not always have pretty hair! lol !  My brother took these pictures after house cleaning, so it does not look its best right now! He, he!  And yes, I did did the braid myself, but now you see why I need my mommy to do it!?

Today was the last day!  I am so happy all of you could join in with me in the Challenge!  I had way more of you joining than I ever imagined!  And a BIG “thank you” to Miss. Jocelyn for allowing me to host this Challenge! *Hugs*  I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!

Blessings in Christ,

Miss. Antoinette K.

Day 5′s Outfit :

Here is a photo with my sweet mom!

and my hair!   A cute bun:

Day 6 Outfit :

And my hair :

I put gel in my hair, then put it up in a clip!  This is one hair style I wear a lot! (and use quite a bit of gel too!)

Another exciting day of the “Challenge” but I am sad to see the end fast approaching!

Grace and Peace,

Miss. Antoinette K.

Here is today’s outfit :

Kitty wanted a photo too! And yes I am wearing my nice brown skirt again, I like it so much and the shirt I got at the thrift store for $3.00, I love good buys!!

I am wearing two braids today, again thanks to my dear mother!  mmmmm… I guess this is going to have to be one of my requirements in my future husband as I cannot for the life of me learn how to braid my own hair! He, he!   Would it be too much to ask for a man who can french braid too!? LOL!

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Blessings,

Miss. Antoinette K.

And here is my hair down with some gel in it!  If I did not put gel in my hair, it would get REALLY poofy as  have a LOT of hair and it is really thick! lol

My cat “Precious” wanted to pose with me too!

Well, we will be running errands today as we need food in the house! it is not a good idea to go without too much food in the home with three hungry young men in the house!   (I count my dad as one of the “young men” too!) He, he!

Grace and Peace,

Miss. Antoinette K.