~ vintage aprons drying on the line with 2 Inky’s, Sam P. Spade and Pixie attending ~
“Look to the Lord and His strength; see his face always.” ~ I Chronicles 16:11 ~
You may ask, “What in the world do aprons have to do with Sabbath Keeping?” Everything and nothing. This morning I woke early, as usual, and after taking care of animals, drinking coffee while having devotions, I got ready for Sunday School and church. I was still early and could barely walk I was so exhausted, so decided to have a toe’s up for 20 minutes. I woke more than four hours later! “If I didn’t wake up, I’d still be sleeping” so said Yogi Berra and I feel the same. It’s now late evening and I’m still fuzzy, foggy and in dreadful need of (more) sleep. Perhaps I’m crazy but I truly believe sometimes the best and most sincere prayer we can prayer is sleep (especially those who think of work as one of God’s great gifts), knowing we rest securely in the love and safety of Christ. I rarely collapse into sleep but when I do, it’s for hours and hours and have been known to sleep through a ringing telephone two feet from my head. I’m blaming it on the heat, which is brutal, unrelenting and is a shroud of wet heaviness. Dear God have mercy. And it’s not even June; almost, but not yet.
The up side is laundry drying on the line looks wonderful, smells even better and the first is almost dry as I’m hanging up the last. My vintage aprons are so sweet and these are only a small handful; the rest are still packed in a box and will be a nice surprise when found eventually. Would you like a chance to win one of those aprons? Read on…
Do you know the names Samuel and Susanna Wesley? Samuel was a Reverend in the Church of England, poorer than the proverbial church mouse and together, he and Susanna (she was the 25th child of her father) were the parents of nineteen children, nine of whom died in infancy. I don’t believe theirs was a happy marriage. It’s recorded they quarreled about everything…politics, religion, money or the lack thereof because they were constantly in debt and once her husband spent nine months in debtors prison. Another time he left the family for an entire year to work in London and one wonders what she did for money and it’s noted he wasn’t well liked by his rural congregations. Twice they lost everything to fire suspected to be caused by arsonists because of his didactic preaching. Add to that children, one crippled, all needing food, shelter, clothing, educations and it’s an overwhelming mare’s nest of a muddle.
Susanna was quite often, for all intents and purposes, left a single parent and she instructed all her children, girls included, in both classical and Biblical education, beginning when they were five. Over the course of a week, she would spend an hour daily with each child, which is remarkable in and of itself but what’s more remarkable, she first made time to pray and read her Bible.
Her daily work load included tending and schooling ten children, milking, chores, keeping a home and all the rest, yet she still committed two hours for prayer and devotions! Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do that I spend the first three hours in prayer.” Both he and Susanna understood the principal of God handling their time most beneficially when they first committed their time to Him. Because they honored God first, He caused their work to fit their time.
Susanna wrote, “We must know God experientially for unless the heart perceive and know Him to be the supreme good, her only happiness, unless the soul feel and acknowledge that she [the heart] can have no repose, no peace, no joy, but in loving and being loved by Him.” She taught her children to observe when she had her apron over her head, she was in prayer and not to be disturbed.
Do you see that picture? When Susanna was seated, Bible in lap, apron over her head, her children knew to be quiet because Mother was speaking with God.
She was more gifted than her husband at teaching the Bible and reaching people and, at one time, had more than two hundred people in attendance. She was a much stronger influence on her children than was their father and their two sons, Charles and John, reached millions for Christ in preaching and hymn writing. Charles wrote over five thousand hymns (900+ listed here and Jesus, Lover of My Soul is a personal favorite) and, during his life John preached to, collectively, almost a million people and it is John who is the Father of the Methodist Movement or Church. Wesleyan theology is also the foundation of the Holiness movement, the Nazarene church, the Christian and Missionary Alliance and many others. Due to their Mother’s influence, both sons were passionate about their relationship with Jesus and led untold numbers to salvation.
So, back to the aprons: If you’d like a chance to have one of my aprons, I’m drawing two names from the e-mail list. Yes, you have to sign up to receive e-mails from me; that’s your entry. I’m giving away two aprons…any of the aprons from the right but excluding the last two longish ones on the extreme left. Those are my pinnies and almost worn through from use. These aprons are mostly handmade, some from old shirts, one looks to be a piece of a tablecloth and the yellow, center, is made from a hand towel. Two random names will be drawn Friday, July 5 and you’ll be notified via e-mail and have 24 hours to send me your snail mail address or another name will be chosen.
“Come to Me…I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28 ~
May you be blessed in your waking and in your sleeping, in your work and in your recreation. May you be a blessing to your family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. May you be blessed to be a blessing and may you have rest, blessed rest. Amen.
I love that photo of the vintage aprons drying on the line. It is so funny. I have a small pile of my own, inherited from my grandmother and mother, I was washing and ironing them the other day and was thinking that it would nice to take a photo for the blog, but wasn’t sure how to style it. You’ve inspired me 🙂
Amalia
xo
Oh goodness Amalia…I didn’t style,just did laundry then took a quick photo. I’m looking forward to seeing your aprons and I’m glad you were inspired. It always amazes me when folks tell me that…I don’t think I’m anyone special. Just me. xoxo<><
Oh yes, I am well familiar with Charles and Susanna Wesley! I’m also a firm believer in taking one day a week off to disconnect, refresh, and regroup – and Matthew 11:28. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kristine…OH MY YES! Seems I’m weary on a daily basis; bless you for the Scripture.
I’m already on your email list and would treasure one of the aprons as a daily reminder of this post. Nothing new, but it reinforces my own passionate belief that spending time with my Best Friend first thing every day is the ONLY way to salvation, strength, peace, and hope (all desperately needed right now with a teen son in strong rebellion).
Hi Michelle, earlier this week, when the tree crashed across my driveway, in the video (personal page because I don’t know how to get it on my TCF FB page…), I asked, “How do women farmers make it without God and a tractor?” You’re right…meeting with Jesus in the morning sets the tone for the day. Which apron do you want should your name be chosen?
The small turquoise one, or the one with the broad band of blue at the clothesline, or the one with the broad band of pink; any of those would be delightful!
The blue/white on far right has been spoken for so the other two are up for grabs.
The blue one that caught my eye is just to the left of the bright yellow one. 😊
Sandra, This was such a blessing…As I first saw the photo…….I was so blessed by the aprons on the line. .I was an apron collector and still love them with a passion….When all else was sold , so were the aprons…which were so personal to me …so dear….I used to take them also to homes for the elderly, and as I brought them and old items for them to recognize them. As each woman chose an apron they were transformed…endeared…memories surfaced, and they shared their memories…so lovely….much more to share…but will add my name to the list..no deals..just love your idea…….so glad that you got that deep sleep ..so needed in that heat….
Again, when I saw the picture, the first thing I thought other than the aprons, and smell the fresh smell in my spirit….I thought that there are the infamous!! animals with the extraordinary names that have long endeared me to them…Phenomenal and brilliant……I just “entered in” to it all……Thanks for letting us “visit” with you….Will be sending corrected tax info….this next week.. finally finding a tad of time in the middle of such an outpouring of the Lord…….So Thankful!!!! for it all….lives being touched far and wide….How blessed you have been to see your friend Mags…isn’t it? I could see what a great fellowship you both had and so good for the soul….Much more to catch up………but love hearing all of the great American songs…..I’m going to look for a cd so I can play them around the clock to spur me on,,,, GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PAT SELF
Hi Pat – no worries on the tax information…Ray has finished my taxes and bless him and God, he’s keeping me out of Alderson! I was SO worried…needlessly, as it turns out…but I couldn’t find all the paperwork I thought I needed. It turns out, wasn’t needed because the tax laws changed. GEE! I wish I’d known that 2 years ago! I have sweated bullets, lost sleep and had anxiety over those dang taxes.
The heat is brutal…the heat index today was 110F. I did a lot of errands this morning but this afternoon didn’t do enough to get arrested. I did set up 2 fans in the barn, blowing toward the horses, but I think they didn’t care for the noise. The eejits were outside, in the blazing sun, acting like they have good sense. Watermelons are on sale so I bought them a big one, cut it open at the fence and shared…after I ate the heart out of it all. The silly beasts were slobbering all over me; once they see the water melons they know what’s happening and are gluttons!
Yes, it was Mags who spent the weekend with me in Edinburgh. Her men (husband and 2 boys) gave her the weekend away and it was marvelous! She’s such a dear Christian woman of God and has blessed my life greatly. Then, her friend, Catherine, and my acquaintance, also met us for coffee then supper at a really fabulous restaurant…more on that coming.
If I don’t get a lot of response re the aprons, I’m going to hand them out to all who’ve spoken. I can do that, you see. It’s my blog…HAHAHAHAHA!
Isn’t that weird. I woke up at 6 yesterday (Sunday) then turned over and went back to sleep. When I woke up it was 10:10! Slept through church myself. I never sleep that long or late! Yeah, I think the heat had something to do with it. I remember reading a biography of Suzanna Wesley to my boys when we were homeschooling. It’s funny how you get different ideas about people depending on who wrote the bio. My version kind of sounded like she henpecked her husband and made him sleep in a separate building. I have no idea which version is accurate. It also said she had a housekeeper so i figured that freed her up more to take care of and school her kids. I remember the book kind of soured me on her, but who knows what the true story really was. I probably jumped to conclusions when I should have gotten a second opinion. Anyway, I’m sure it was way beyond complicated.
The aprons are really cute, but since I won the Mary Jane’s Farm magazine I suppose I should step back and give someone else a chance.
Get some rest, girl!
What a lovely breeze blowing to dry your aprons. I’d love to win one (the one on the far right).
I’ve enjoyed your Scotland posts and look forward to more. I’m going to Ireland in September to visit my roots.
Hi Pat, your trip to Ireland sounds fabulous; you’ll have the BEST time! The aprons are all old…quite old and go back to the 1930’s to 1950’s. Some are well worn, others not so much but all beautiful. If your name is drawn, I promise you the blue and white apron.
John and Charles Wesley visited Cornwall in 1743. They introduced Methodism here and it is still as strong today. I will send you a link to a very good site.
Hi Barbara, thank you for sending that information; fascinating about the Wesley family/men! As an aside, I’ve been watching Wycliffe on youtube. It’s filmed in Cornwall and I’m loving the scenery…fabulous! I hope you and the Mr. are doing better if not well.
Thanks for the history of the Wesleys. Amazing mother she was. I’ve got my apron hooks too full to add anymore but I love the story of Susanna and her apron. Happy 4th of July to you!
Hi Ellen, she was an amazing woman…married at 17 (I seem to remember) to an older man who was constantly in debt, not a beloved preacher, spent time in prison for debt but was able to sire 19 children. Susanna lived to be in her 70’s; God blessed her with long life and the reward to having two sons who had such a Major impact on the world and eternity. WOW!