"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." ~Louisa May Alcott
In the olden days, many women were not taught to have the type of aspirations as women in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries after the Industrial Revolution. Our foremother's were not raised to have aspirations outside of the home. They were to learn to take care of a home and become a gentle-woman.
My favorite American Girl doll and story is by far, Felicity. Felicity was the girl during colonial era. She had so many dreams and one of them was not to be a gentlewoman who stayed home and caring for her home and children. The Mother took great pride in her job and wanted to pass that on to her daughters. In the movie version, Marcia Gay Harden did a wonderful job portraying a colonial woman.
During the twentieth century was the greatest change in women as far as their aspirations and achievements outside of the home. They fought, and won, the right to vote. They got jobs outside of the home. They had dreams of being known as someone other than so and so's wife and Mother. In order to "be" someone they felt as if they had to be a man.
I believe that many women that work outside of the home actually aspire to be homemakers. They want to return home and be with their children. In some instances I feel the tide is slowly turning back towards the days of our foremother's of two or more generations past.
I never, ever, wanted to be a homemaker. I had dreams of using my fashion marketing degree and travelling the world writing for fashion magazines. Then, I met the love of my life and had my baby boy. And I, the one who was so ambitious that I adored EVERYTHING Bill and Hillary stood for, became a homemaker. I still have dreams of fashion-seriously. I dream of finding amazing deals at Goodwill. I have aspirations of in the home as well as out of the home. I aspire to be the best homemaker that I can be. I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman! I want to be a Titus 2 woman (when I'm older for parts of it)! When the baby (aged 11) is out of the home my aspirations of working outside of the home and going back into the fashion world may change from my homemaking work.
We homemakers are just as valuable as those that work outside of the home. We may not make money, but we make a loving home. Aspire homemakers to be the best homemaker for your family and be a servant to our Lord. You can do it!
***For those of you homemakers that are looking for work at home ideas visit Mrs. Paine at www.moneysavingmom.com. She has been doing a series on being a work at home Mother.
This is a Beijo pearl colored "Princess" handbag. It has never been used and has the tags still on. I paid $70, but will sell for $40.
This is an off-white small handbag by Nine West $8
Vera Bradley backpack with matching coin purse-$15
Vera backpack with zip around wallet-$12
Vera small purse (shaped like the current Maggie style) and coin purse-$10
Ralph Lauren plaid purse (has some stains) $5
Vera Hipster-$10
Not sure of the brand name, but cute and with tags on it! Small clutch typed handbag-$8
Vera slippers in carrying case-$10
Vera Backpack-$10
Vera small purse with zip around wallet (again in Maggie style)-$10
