Wisdom & Understanding

Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandmother’s house we go; the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow. Over the river, and through the wood, to Grandmother's house away! We would not stop for doll or top, for 'tis Thanksgiving Day. This poem was written by Lydia Maria Wilder and published in 1844, about the joy of her visits to her Grandfather's house for Thanksgiving. The words and (many more verses) were placed to music, along with changing the word "Grandfather" to become "Grandmother".  I guess someone along the way figured "Grandmother" was doing all the cooking, so she needed a song to her credit. :-) I think of this song usually around this time of the year, because believe it or not , it reminds me of the times when my husband, son and I would drive south for the Thanksgiving holidays!  We did travel over a few rivers and saw a few woods along the highway, but I loved our t...

Housework may not be my most favorite thing to do, but I do enjoy the end results and that feeling of accomplishment. The clean floors and windows, the polished furniture and the sparkling bathrooms all make for an awareness of how blessed I am to have a home and have the physical ability to maintain and take care of it. Whenever I hear someone talking about buying a home, I think and sometimes say to them, "It's not just about getting a home, but it's also about being able to maintain it, financially and physically."  I have seen so many times folks in their excitement to buy a house that may be out of their means, only to find in a few years the responsibility has left them frustrated. It is a responsibility that must be consistently maintained or you will find yourself in a very unpleasant situation to say the least...perhaps we sometimes do not count the cost (Luke 14:28) In "counting the cost", the responsibility must be maintained whether you fee...