Hi, everyone. In case you have realized, I have not posted since the last day of May!
“What’s up with that?” you may ask.
I am taking a break this June from blogging so that I may re-evaluate my life and just have some one-on-one time with the Lord!
God is good, and He is worthy of all our praise, love, and devotion!
As we have been talking this past week on Hope Chests, I can think of no commoner and more popular item to be found within than a pillow or pillowcase!
Currently, I am working on adding items to my personal Hope Chest, and as I was going through and putting together sheet sets, I found one set without a pillowcase. With some extra white material, I have sewn my own and will share how I did so now. (Along with the one step extra to make a pillow.)
Fabric (color of choice, texture of choice, etc)
Fabric Scissors
Ruler, Tape Measure, or Pattern
Pencil
Pins (small or large, whichever meets your preference)
Sewing Machine w/ Thread (or Thread/Needle, if you are doing this by hand)
Fold your fabric of choice inside out and in half. Using your fabric scissors, cut your fabric in the pillowcase shape and dimensions of your choice. You may need a pattern or a ruler to do this. All I did was take another pillowcase, lay it on top of my fabric, trace with a pencil about a quarter of an inch past the edge of the pillowcase (for hemming), and then cut along that line.
I laid my old pillowcase on top of my fabric, gave some room for hem, and cut...
**Take notice, that I also cut on the fold (but not the fold itself), so that instead of having to hem four sides and close three, I only have to hem 3 sides and close two.
The fabric for the pillowcase is now all cut out. I will take off my pattern pillowcase, and proceed to the next step.
Next, I pin my fabric (soon to be pillowcase) along the two edges that I will close up, one length-wise and one width-wise. (I will use one width-wise edge for the opening to put the pillow in, and the other length-wise is along a fold, so it is already closed. If your second length-wise edge is NOT closed or folded, you would hem it as you do the first length-wise edge.)
Shown here are a few of my pins, turning over the fabric to make neat, straight hems. I only place pins every so often, and though it APPEARS somewhat turned up, when you are running the fabric through the sewing machine, it lies down flat.
Now that I have the length-wise and width-wise edges pinned for hemming, I will pin the TOP edge of where my opening will be. I do NOT combine the two edges. See the picture below.
I now have pins on one width-wise, one length-wise, and on the TOP material of where my opening to insert the pillow is. Notice the un-hemmed second layer on the left.
Still on the Pinning Step, I next pin that second layer, which I had left out.
This is the second layer I am talking about. I will pin it by itself, just as I pinned the layer on top of it by itself.
The finished Pinning looks like this:
It was un-hemmed...
And now it is hemmed.
I lay my top layer on my second layer. Both have their own SEPARATE hemming pins, so that when I sew, I will not sew them together, thus closing my opening.
Finally–it is time to sew! First I sew my two edges (three if you do not have a fold), and then I sew my two separate layers for the opening.
I am sewing my edges here, being careful to remove my pins before the machine runs over it. (That normally messes up my machine, but I have seen some that can run right over the pins.)
And to finish my pillow case, I place the opening around my sewing machine and just feed it through, thus hemming the two separate layers, which are continuously connected
Now I can sew my opening, not closed--but hemmed. Turn the fabric right side out, and wa-la! I have a new, homemade pillowcase!
DO NOT FORGET TO TURN THE FABRIC RIGHT SIDE OUT, WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED! (This applies to pillow-making, as well.)
The last step to making your pillow is to push the stuffing of your choice into your material, and once you have added the amount of your choice, sew up that small space by which you put the stuffing in and TA-DA! You have a new, homemade pillow!
This is Part 4 of the Hope Chest Series. If you missed the Hope Chest Series Introduction, or Part 1: “What’s in my Hope Chest?” ; Part 2: “What am I adding to my Hope Chest?” or Part 3: “What Does Having a Hope Chest Mean $$-Wise?” you can find them here, here, here, and here.
"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." Colossians 3:23
Of course, if you are any at all familiar with the Bible, you know that there’s no commandment declaring, “Thou shalt have a hope chest!”
Yet, if you look at the different Biblical principles for young women, having a hope chest is a reasonable, fun, and awesome project to make these principles REAL in our lives!
As discussed in our Hope Series Introduction, having a hope chest is not about how many items you can accumulate over time, but about the hope of a future, a good God-based future.The Lord desires that we follow His plan, for He has the plans of hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (NIV)
James 5:8 tells us to “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (KJV)
When creating a hope chest, patience is definitely required, whether you are waiting patiently for the day you may open your hope chest for use or are patiently creating (or buying) your items! As you practice this patience, your heart will become established in this project. You will learn to apply your patience and devotion to not just waiting for the future, but for the coming of the Lord! He is our groomsmen (even if you were planning on never marrying, as I was), and we must patiently wait, with our heart established in Him!
Whether or not you marry, you have to admit, this Proverbs 31 woman is kind of, like…yea, perfect! And I am sure that allll Christian women everyone desire to be as godly and well-rounded as she, (and sometimes are, and sometimes are not).
If you notice her adeptness in skill! She “works with eager hands,” verse 13 says in the NIV Bible. And The Message says of her, “First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.” She knits, sews, cooks, gardens, and “skilled in the crafts of home and hearth.” Seriously–she has so much talent and skill! Not to mention she loves the Lord.
Having a hope chest prepares us with the same skills. As we make our own quilts and pillows, lay aside recipes of delightful tastes, include devotionals and Bibles and memories to pass on to the next generation, we gradually become this Proverbs 31 woman in our own unique way. How very special!
Finally, while we are young, we can be a shining light for the Lord! And what a great way to share the love of Christ than by having a hope chest. All the items are set aside in love, in patience, in hope, and in the faith in Christ for His plans of a future, which can be passed down and passed down and passed down.
(Either to your own children or, if you choose not to marry and/or have children, to other’s children.)
1 Timothy 4:12 says “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
There are many other Scriptural reasons why having a Hope Chest is such a delightful idea/project, but the above are all I am sharing–for now.
Do you have a reason in addition to these? Leave a comment if you like! I would love to hear it.
This concludes our 4-Part Hope Chest Series! Again, if you missed the other articles, their links are provided above. And if you enjoyed this series, I am very glad!
Wow! I am sooooo *yawwwwwwwwwn* sleepy!
Since the wee hours of this morning, my dad has had our whole family outside weeding the flower beds and mowing/weed-eating the grass. The sky would rain, and then shine with sun, rain, then shine, rain, then shine–it became EXHAUSTING! haha I had a terrible “circle” to weed, and now my finger has a bandage on it. 😦 It is a little awkward to be typing now…haha 😀
I applied for an assistant teaching position with the AmeriCorps. I am sure I am not more qualified than the other applicants, as I have not attained a college degree, but I supposed it was at least good practice for writing a cover letter and resume (and if I get far enough: an interview!). If I receive the job–YAY! If not, then…well, my hopes aren’t too high.
I am also applying for a teaching position at a private Christian school of the “Great Books,” like Homer, Illiad, Shakespeare, etc. Their curriculum is one I am interested in, and again, it is good practice.
In Texas, my Aunt and Uncle are going to be starting their own Christian school within the next four years or so. Had I stayed in Texas, I would have most likely worked there; (not because I am a family member, but because I would be highly qualified).
Okay, there is an UPDATE from me! 🙂 Have a great day, everyone!
This is Part 3 of the Hope Chest Series. If you missed the Hope Chest Series Introduction, or Part 1: “What’s in my Hope Chest?” or Part 2, “What am I adding to my Hope Chest?” you can find them here, here, and here.
Having a Hope Chest is like having a saving account for your marriage or future life.
Like the picture of the piggy bank above with the two wedding bands, a hope chest is a “cedar bank,” if you will, with the supplies you need to bring to a marriage or to a life on your own. Savings Accounts accumulate over time, as will your hope chest, and when the time comes, you can withdraw from it. With a savings account, you gradually put more money into it, and normally the deposits are painless. When you are able to withdraw from that savings account, however–there is no pain whatsoever in seeing the fruits of your additions. With a hope chest, you are saving for the future, though (often) not in monetary terms, and all the hope and joy is great, indeed!
As discussed in the previous paragraph, a hope chest is gradually added to. Normally, people buy items while they are cheaper, on sale, or make the items themselves. Also, since most hope chest collections are added to by teenagers–parents are involved, Christmas is involved, and birthdays are involved! Although the items are only added a little at a time, the price of the items ultimately adds up to where if you had to buy all the items at once, it would definitely be a burden against your bank account. Little by little is the way to go, whether your items are homemade or whether your parents buy the items, or whether you do–overall, the decision to have a hope chest is a frugal one!
After accumulating these items over time, and not hurting your budget or band account, the time FINALLY comes when you get married or live on your own. The joy that comes from looking at this grand accomplishment of SAVING items (and ultimately money) and using these items, without having to strain yourself to buy the necessary items, is, I can imagine, quite great–not to mention the items that you make yourself. (Talk about a boost of self-esteem!)
Knowing you will not have to spend a lot of money on the things, such as silverware, dishware, and cooking utensils, bed sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, wash rags, etc, which can be quite expensive when bought all together (and without all the great sales), is enough to celebrate! Yay!
You bet I do!! 🙂 Would you?
NEXT: The final article to the Hope Chest Series (for now), Part 4: “Scriptural Reasons for Having a Hope Chest.”
This is Part 2 of the Hope Chest Series. If you missed the Hope Chest Series Introduction and/or Part 1: “What’s in My Hope Chest?”, you can read them here and here!
Unfortunately, these lovely china plates are not mine, they're just a picture off of Google Images!
After seeing the pitiful amount of items–and the even more pitiful variety of functions of these items, (since most are for decorating only)–in my hope chest, you see my desperate need to “build up,” or “stock up” on items that can be useful for everyday use. (More along the lines of pillows, quilts, and the like…)
Hopefully I can get most of these things this summer, but if not…that’s cool, too. I actually have not spent more than $10 on all the things in my hope chest because almost everything was given to me. (Yay!) 🙂 If I do end up buying most of these items I have listed below, I will not pay full price for them (unless I have to), haha! (But that’s another subject and another post, which you will find in Part 3: “What Does Having a Hope Chest Mean $$-Wise?”)
Once these items are added, I will try to link them to a post giving the hows, whens, wheres, and whats of that item. 🙂
Books
:: Family Bible:: I may have to buy this one full-price, since most family Bibles you find at garage sales and such are already marked in.
:: My Favorite Books:: Just to let others borrow and read, and for me to read for the millionth time, too.
:: My Senior Year Book (High School/College):: My high school senior year was so special! I met amazing people, gave up a full-ride scholarship to an Ivy League, moved all the way across the United States (from Texas to the Northwest) in January of that year, and enrolled in a community college (which so many people did NOT expect of me).
:: Baby Memory Books:: I thought I might get five, one for each of my four sisters and my one brother (for their first child). Who knows, though? If I do get married, I may have to use them for my children (or at least some of them)!
:: Recipe Books:: I have not totally made up my mind on this one, as I may just find certain recipes and place them in a book/binder. Books are bulky!
:: My Favorite Devotional Books:: I also may make my own devotional, comprised of all my favorite single devotions, instead of getting just books…
:: Scrapbooks:: This one has 2-parts. The first are my picture scrapbooks. The second is a number of scrapbooks with me making certain homemade products and sewing certain things, like a “picture-how-to” book. When I make my first one, I will show y’all how it turned out and exactly what I mean by this!
Bedroom Items
:: Pillows/Pillow Cases:: I am thinking maybe three pillows and at least ten pillow cases. I am thinking of neutral-colored pillow cases, so they will match anything.
:: Blankets/Sheets/Quilts:: Not sure if I am going to make a homemade quilt–seems kind of difficult! (But I will try.) Once again, neutral-colored blankets/sheets, and I will make these (mostly). Maybe 3-5 sets.
:: Hangers:: These are everywhere, so I should have no problem finding them for cheap (or free)!
Bathroom Items
:: Towels/Wash Cloths:: A couple of fun colors like lime green and blue, but then also neutral-colored ones.
:: Towel Rack:: To hang towels on, just a mini one, nothing major.
:: Baskets:: These are GREAT for organizing things in the bathroom!
:: Soap Dispensers:: Maybe just one or two.
Kitchen Items
:: Silverware:: Regular things, forks, spoons, knives, you know.
:: Dishware:: Again, just the regular, bowls and plates.
:: Measuring Spoons/Cups:: Just a couple sets of these, and stainless steel!
:: Cooking Utensils:: This includes wooden spoons, spatulas, dipping spoon, etc
:: Rags/Oven Mitts/Pot Holders:: I am planning on making these myself, and I really want a red and apple-themed kitchen!
:: Aprons/Table Cloths/Cloth Napkins/Place Setters/Table Runner:: I already have plans to make some of these next week! Again, I’m not really looking to buy these items or make them expensive.
Natural living is about living self-sufficiently and friendly for the environment and our bodies. Since most of these items I will be making and/or will aid the process of living naturally (for example, cooking homemade meals or making my own deodorant), I will be either living naturally and/or preparing to live naturally. It’s a win-win situation! How exciting!!
If I am missing items that you would deem “essential”, I would LOVE if you would tell me! Or, if you have other items that you have included (like baby items), let me know what they are in the comments section!
NEXT: Part 3: “What Does Having a Hope Chest Mean $$-Wise?“
Go Tell It On the Mountain by James BaldwinThis novel, chosen for the Modern Library’s 100 Best Novel’s List, is quite possibly THE best detailed salvation account I have ever read. Go Tell It On the Mountain is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of a fourteen year old boy, John, who battles sin on all sides, but ultimately succumbs to the awesome power of God; thereby, releasing his battle against sin to the Lord and ultimately overcoming it. Although at times Baldwin could be graphic when (I felt) he didn’t need to be, overall, this is a MUST READ novel for the Christan man or woman.
Partly why I love this book so much is because it addresses REAL issues in the church, such as pride of the heart, lust of the flesh, and deception of the mind and others. The reader is given a graphic and expressive view into the sinful human condition, which emphasizes the redemption John discovers in Christ at the end of the novel, (but *WARNING!* may be offensive to some readers).
Particularly in Part 2: The Prayers of the Saints: Gabriel’s Prayer, Gabriel, whose role is fallen minister and father of John in the book, recounts two memorable experiences: his conversion and the first “conference-revival” he preached. Gabriel gives his testimony from his B.C days, which is quite horrible and deep in sin, to his ministry as a preacher of the gospel.
I would like to share an excerpt from this section, and then discuss it briefly:
When the Sunday [of the conference-revival] came, and he found himself once more among the elders, about to go to the table, Gabriel felt a drop in his happy, proud anticipation. He was not comfortable with these men–that was it–it was difficult to accept them as his elders and betters in the faith. They seemed to him so lax, so nearly worldly; they were not like those holy prophets of old who grew thin and naked in the service of the Lord. These, God’s minsters, had indeed grown fat, and their dress was rich and various. They had been in the field so long that they did not tremble before God anymore. They took God’s power as their due, as something that made the more exciting their own assumed, special atmosphere. They each had, it seemed, a bagful of sermons often preached; and knew, in the careless lifting of an eye, which sermon to bring to which congregation. Though they preached with great authority, and brought souls low before the altar–like so many ears of corn lopped off by the hired laborer in his daily work–they did not give God the glory, nor count it as glory at all; they might easily have been, Gabriel thought, highly paid circus-performers, each with his own special dazzling gift. Gabriel discovered they spoke, jokingly, of the comparative number of souls each of them had saved, as though they were keeping score in a poolroom. And this offended him and frightened him. He did not want, ever, to hold the gift of God so lightly. (Baldwin, with my personal emphasis added)
These elders of the church, supposed holy, anointed men of God, took pride in the power of God, which they counted for their own! They manipulated that power of God (which, therefore, no longer becomes God’s power) to get the responses they wished from the congregation. How sickening and disgusting!
Gabriel, even soon after his true conversion to the Lord, took pride in the authority he receives from God. At the conference, he has not yet came to the degree of falsehood that the elders have, which is why he has the above convicting thoughts on sincerity of the faith. (Gabriel’s eventual downfall is this proud spirit and also lust in his heart, which leads him to the same deception of the elders.)
Today, many spiritual leaders deal with these same issues–among others. Baldwin does an EXCELLENT job of detailing this journey of falling to sin and the rise out of it or the continual downfall into it.
While Gabriel’s story is one that is part of “the continual downfall” into sin, John’s is one that rises out of it. In Part 3: The Threshing Floor, the opening introducing verse, beneath the chapter title says,
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
When we discover our sin, we anguish over it, and cry “Woe is me! for I am undone…” in repentance before God. Part 3 is John’s metaphoric journey through the darkness of sin, as he lies “astonished beneath the power of the Lord.” He realizes that his sins of pride, hatred, and malice will lead him only to death, hell, and the grave. He recognizes his sin, as though he is in a vision or trance, and he sorrows over that sin and desires to be “lifted up” from the darkness into the light. He finds, however, that no one can help him. He must do this alone, and he must decide whether he wants to give his life as a sacrifice for God, should it come to that.
John, after praying all night unto the break of morning, releases his hold on his life, and gives in to the Lord’s power and presence. While before in his sin he had been experiencing terror, and fear, and anguish, and pain, in his new life with Christ, he finds joy unspeakable and relief from the heavy burden of sin! Tears flow from his eyes as tears of new found life in Christ.
This beautiful passage describes his newness upon redemption:
Yes, the night had passed, the powers of darkness had been beaten back. He moved among the saints, he, John, who had come home, who was one of their company now; weeping, he yet could find no words to speak of his great gladness; and he scarcely knew how he moved, for his hands were new, and his feet were new, and he moved in a new and Heaven-bright air. (Baldwin)
A message I loved in this book was that just because someone is saved does not mean they are perfect and have expectations of perfection. For example, upon John’s redemption, he goes to his father (who before he had hated), talks with him, allows a smile from his lips, and “something died in John, and something came alive.” What died was the sinful hate he had against his father, and what came alive in him was the strength to be able to extend compassion and love to him; the situation had not changed, rather, John had changed by God’s grace.
As I stated before, some readers may find some of the content in Go Tell It on the Mountain offensive and “indelicate.” For the graphic and obscene scenes (which are normally in certain sections; it’s not throughout), you may chose to ignore this novel. If you do so choose to read the book, you may find, as I did, that the story of sinner to redeemed is too awe-inspiring to make the read not worthwhile. I found that because of this book, I was encouraged in my walk with the Lord, convicted to look at my heart and my life, and brought to remembrance my personal “redemption” story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I will definitely take certain parts of it with me on this journey in Christ. An excellent, excellent novel, with an excellent ending!
If you would like to buy Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin, you can find it on Amazon.com here. (Or you could borrow it from your library for free!)
If you would like to look at the other books I have on my book list for 2011, or read their book reviews, you can click here!
AND/OR
If you would like to comment on this book or book review, if you have any questions, please feel free to comment in the comment section below!
You cannot really tell, but my hope chest is about medium sized. It's is a cedar tree. (And I had the lid open earlier, so it's slightly open here.) I will have to post the story of how I received my hope chest and why this "box" is extra special.
I recently moved from central Texas to the Northwest. Space was limited on our 26 ft. U-Haul, as my dad had a LOT of equipment and tools to bring. I ended up bringing two boxes plus my hope chest. Thankfully, (I count this as a blessing), I had not been faithful to adding to my hope chest, so I had quite a bit of storage space for the move.
I opened my hope chest, took out the items that did not belong in it, and noticed how EMPTY it was! How sad, I thought. And pathetic. Of course, I have not thought much about marriage at all because first of all, I had always been strong-willed, tough, and “Miss Independent” (you know the type). And secondly, I decided that I would not date/court anyone until I could actually legally marry because I have the idea in my mind that I’ll only date my husband (and now I’m 18–uh oh!). To me, adding pillows, linens, dishware, and the like were preparing for a marriage that I hadn’t even thought about, so I didn’t add them.
–6 Identical Picture Frames
–Two Decor Plates (one from Louisiana, my home state of 12.5 years, and another from a foreign missionary in Taiwan)
–A Louisiana Spoon “Setter-On-Thing” (pictured between the two plates below)
–A Louisiana Souvenir Magnet
–A Red Decor Vase
–Two Texas Handmade Candles (and a cute candle holder)
–2 Picture Containers: 1Box (pictured on right) and 1Metal Album (not seen)
–A “Recipe Holder” (really cute!) & Recipes Inside
–Various Baking Items: Christmas cookie cutters, 3 mixing spoons, 1 curly straw(!)
–Knitting needles & Crochet needle(?)
NOT pictured below:
–Various Baby Clothes & Shoes (I had not set them aside for ME, since I was not thinking about marriage, but for others–I have four sisters!)
–A CUTE Rubber Ducky Pillow/Blanket (I made them in a “Home-Economics-type” class)
–A Silky Rose and Black/White Leopard Print Material (for sewing)
–Two Bathroom Baskets (you know, from the bath and body wash sets you get for Christmas…)
Not all of the items are pictured here, just a few...
At least I was honest about my “lack” of items. haha! All of these items either hold sentimental value for me or they actually have a functional use–or both! Like the spoon setter-on-thing. haha 🙂
Every time I take out these items from my hope chest, my heart just swells with a sense of accomplishment and hope and joy! Even with my few items, I FEEL like I am doing something GOOD. I FEEL like I am making a better life for my future. Because of the items? No. Because of what can be done with the items: The cookie cutters, (the only thing I bought out of all I have), I bought imagining being able to spend quality time with my future nieces and nephews. (Now, as I am thinking more along the lines of ME getting married and having children, they could work well there, too.) With the plates and the vase and the custom made candles, with the recipes, I can be hospitable to others, having a comfortable home and delicious meals to offer. Does that make sense?
These items represent a WHOLE life, which I am EXCITED to be able to have in Christ.
What are some of the items in YOUR Hope Chest, and how do they give you hope for the future?
I would like to introduce a 4-part series on Hope Chests, (and if you don’t know what those are, just keep reading), concentrating on how a hope chest is a great way to live naturally, frugally, and wholly in Christ.
Part 1 (Whole Living): “What’s in my Hope Chest?”–a look into my personal Hope Chest, in all its grandeur, (or rather, lack thereof, unfortunately :\).
Part 2 (Natural Living): “What am I adding to my Hope Chest?”–because once you read part 1, you’ll understand that I need to do some serious “building up.”
Part 3 (Frugal Living): “What does Having a Hope Chest mean $$-wise?“–looking at the fiscal benefits of having a hope chest.
Part 4 (In Christ/A Devotion): “Scriptural Reasons for Having a Hope Chest“–biblical references that make having a hope chest a reasonable, fun, and awesome idea.
Traditionally, a hope chest is a large to medium size wooden box that a young, unmarried lady would fill up with items for her intended wedding and married home and life.
Items might include a wedding dress and shoes, pillows, blankets, pictures...all put in the hope chest in anticipation of one day being married.
Hope chests today, however, are given much more freedom to be used for whatever best fits you and the lifestyle you hope to lead in the future. For example, some young women decide that they do not want to marry, so they do not use their hope chests for wedding items. Simply put, a hope chest is a chest of items dedicated to the hope of having a future, no matter what that future may be.
A Hope Chest is for preparation, but now more than ever, hope chests can hold sentimental items, such as family Christmas ornaments and such. Some people put books in their hope chest. Some people put baby clothes. It’s your choice of the contents to be placed in it; there are NO limits or restrictions! I’ll give you a peak into my Hope Chest in Part 1 of our Hope Chest series.
**I would like to stress here that the IDEA of the hope chest is more important than actually having a wooden chest. Preparing for the future can be done, even without a box to put the contents in.**
A modern Hope Chest may look similar to this, but styles can vary.
At the same time, hope chests are not STRICTLY for the day you become married or for the day you live on your own. Some women use their contents on a regular basis, while other women prefer to accumulate and save the items for its intended purpose only.
Once again, the TRADITIONAL answer is “Yes.” According to this article, a groom’s family provided land, property, or money in order to “win” a woman’s hand in marriage. The bride’s family then gave a dowry of the things the couple would need to begin life together, including linens, china, and other household items.
Today, however, some parents provide their sons with “hope chests” (that they don’t call hope chests) for them to put the items they would like to keep and that are special to them, as well as items that may prove useful to them in the future. Some creative parents are even using a locker for their males, instead of a wooden chest.
If you decide to start a Hope Chest, (and I certainly hope you do by the end of this series), remember– a hope chest is about having hope more than anything else, more than the contents in the hope chest, more than the actual process of gaining the contents. More than anything, a hope chest is about HOPE.
I enjoyed reading this letter from Glenys Robyn Hicks to “handmaidens” concerning her hope chest:
…my mother and father provided a hope chest for me. We weren’t very well off, but they acquired an old writing bureau which they kept in their bedroom for me as my own room was too small. This hope chest was filled gradually with all the usual things to ensure a well stocked home with crocks and linens.
But I found this was not its primary purpose for me. It became my focus and purpose in life- reminding me of the task ahead of becoming mistress of my own home. Each time I added something to it, it filled my soul with longing for the day of marriage and hope for the future. As I worked and saved for my wedding and new home, it became my anchor. Every kitchen article was added with dreams of me cooking delicious meals for my beloved. Each towel I folded filled me with visions of them flapping on the line and I would plan how to wash them properly and keep them soft and fluffy. Fluffy enough to wrap up my new baby after its bath. For every sheet and blanket focused me on the physical side of marriage filling my heart with the promise of children conceived in love. As I added to my picnic ware, my mind would race imagining flying kites, feeding the ducks by the pond and country drives with my husband and children ..life held great promise for me in that hope chest…and although mine was not a true hope chest- it was full of hope.
I certainly wish you to join me on this series! Please feel free to comment and discuss, as much as you like! 🙂
I always forget how many days are in each month, and I can NEVER remember the song that helps you remember…(I know, we’re supposed to learn this in 1st grade, if not Kindergarten, but I ALWAYS forget.)
In case you have this problem, too, I have written the song here for you to look back on and *cough cough* for me to look back on, too. Knowing how many days are in each month REALLY comes in handy for planning and organizing things!
Zealous Dedication 