Barb's Mantle

'A woman's house is her castle'. And you just don't bother a woman's castle. I'm speaking from a woman's point of view. Many of us have things we cherish, and want to keep. We put them away, and forget we have them. But, we still don't want to part with them. They are discovered by a husband, who means well, and is sparked into a cleaning mode. He says he's going to throw them away. If I protest, then, he says he'll find a time when I'm gone, and get rid of them. And, at times, he's done that very thing. You can call me a pack rat, but, I was brought up with the notion that everything is useful, as long as it's not worn out. Why throw it away? We weren't rich when I was at home, but, we were taught to take care of all our things. I have toys that I had when I was a child. I've kept toys that look like new that belonged to our children. Now, our grandchildren play with those same toys. I see no reason to get rid of those things.

Acceptance Weekly devotional by Barbara Sanders Everyone wants to feel wanted, to be accepted.  Many spend a lifetime trying to gain acceptance in one way or another.  They worry about what people might think of them, as if the clothes they wear, the house they own, the car they drive, their 'higher education', or where their children attend school is the meter through which people gauge them for acceptance.

How many times have you heard, "I want my Daddy!" from your youngsters?

Perhaps you just administered punishment for something they had done, and they thought Daddy would come to the rescue.  I know; I've been down that path with my children!  They would get in trouble about something, and when I wasn't on their side, then, they'd want Daddy to defend them.  Daddy seems to appeal to the kids more than Mom, when punishment seems inevitable.  I suppose they think, since Daddy wasn't around for the 'crime', then Daddy will be more lenient with the 'punishment'.

Women my age will all remember the time of seams in the stockings. There were no panty hose back then. We all  wore stockings with seams, and you always wanted to make sure the seams were straight, when you went out.

Today, you will find that 'seams' are coming back. Oh, I'm not speaking of the seams in women's stockings, but in the clothes.  I've been guilty of telling my grandchildren that they have their shirt on inside out. I was wrong! Seems that the clothing was made to look like that.  The edges of the cut material has a finish stitching on each piece, then it's sewn inside out - the outside looking like it should be the inside.  Not my taste in clothing at all!