**Many of you may have realized that I was blessed to have my husband, Ryan, come with me on my trip to the Philippines last week. Though we hadn’t originally planned for him to join me in writing, he was so impressed by the answers to all of his questions (someone on our team referred…
I was washing some of my dirty clothes in the hotel bathtub this morning. Sweating profusely every day will make you go through what you packed in your suitcase in a hurry. As I knelt over the tub and scrubbed the clothes, I was taken back to images of Filipino women squatting beside pails of…
Weary to the bone, and emotionally upside down, my brain feels saturated with images and stories, but firing on too few pistons to really tell them. That’s where I’m at as I attempt to write this post and somehow convey to you the brokenness and the hope that I saw and felt today. Beautiful, brown…
Though rather bleary-eyed from a day and a half of travel and far too few hours of shut eye (but thankfully enhanced by an amazing breakfast and stellar cup of coffee), our group headed off to the Compassion headquarters in the Philippines this first morning of our trip. The goal was to learn more about…
Why do you practice frugality? It’s such a hot topic these days, how to save money and do more with less. We read about it, talk to our friends about it, put great amounts of effort into living it. What’s less common, though, is to examine exactly why we do it. Perhaps it’s because money…
Yesterday I began by sharing about where I buy our meat, fish, eggs, dairy and fats. Today I’ll continue on, sharing the particulars of what I buy where. The goal isn’t to tell you that you should buy your foods just as I do, but rather to give you a detailed, inside look at how…
a href=”https://keeperofthehome.org/the-thoughtful-parents-guide-to-thinking-through-vaccinations/”>Last week we started discussing the controversial topic of vaccination. It has been very encouraging to see the responses it has generated, and to get to discuss a topic so near to our hearts! We began by taking a look at the Foundational beliefs we can use to anchor and base our “Vaccine-Stance.” We…
Words. I’m usually full of them. As I write this post, however, I am entirely lacking in the right ones that will tell you what I want to say. In fact, my usually steady heart now beats frantically with panic at the sheer weight of responsibility hangs heavy over me as I contemplate what is…
Considered the “stress syndrome” of the 20th century, adrenal fatigue is still an under-diagnosed and little understood condition. More people than ever before are battling with chronically depleted adrenal glands, yet it is unrecognized by most doctors. Perhaps you have struggled for a long time with always being tired, for reasons you just can’t quite…
The response to this month’s honest discussions of burnout, fatigue, depression and general health and wellness has been so tremendous. Thank you all for sharing in such real and vulnerable ways. I’m humbled that you would share so much of yourselves and these very personal experiences. I think that it’s so important that we as…
Written by Sharon Kaufman, Contributing Writer An Unquenchable Thirst Several weeks ago, in a conversation over lunch, a younger woman (mid-thirties) confided to me how severely depressed she has been in past months. I empathized with her, “I know what that feels like. I was depressed, until recently, for about four years.” This woman –…
Abbie at just over 6 years old has a Christmas wish this year and she’s been singing it to anyone who will listen, “All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth, my 5 front teeth, my 12 front teeth!” Her lovely toothless smile is now missing 5 teeth, with one more wiggly one,…
Written by Sharon Kaufman, Contributing Writer The First Christmas Happened Because God Loved God – very God – became a babe all because of divine love. Christmas exists because of God’s eternal, infinite, sacrificial love for those Jesus came to redeem. Should we not then, who have experienced His love, strive to preserve the essence…
I thought of this recipe roundup again as I was pondering all of the amazingly delicious and nourishing recipes that are available throughout the blogosphere for the holidays this year. It can be tough to find “real food” recipes. I know, because I’ve gone to local stores and looked around online and found little. Yes,…
This is the last of the 3-day Green Christmas event, and today I want to share with you some options for children and the men in your life (because goodness, aren’t they always the hardest ones to buy for?)… Oompa– Toys, Gear, Furniture When I first began learning about the toxins in plastic toys and…
3 years ago last week, Keeper of the Home went from being a nifty idea in my mind, to being an actual blog that would become far more significant in my life than I could have imagined. I think it’s important that you know that blogs tend to be just as formational and impactful for…
I’m so excited to announce to you the theme for October here at Keeper of the Home! All month, the great majority of the posts from both myself and my contributing writers will focus on simple, safe and effective home remedies or preventative measures that you can take to avoid getting sick. Every mama needs…
There is a new nighttime battle between my husband and I. No, it isn’t a tug-of-war for the comforter or over who gets the fluffiest pillow. We’re both clamoring to use our Spoonk Rider mat, for a little bit of bedtime relaxation! I first ran into the Spoonk Rider portable acupressure mat at an Eco…
Written by Sharon Kaufman, Contributing Writer A Common Thread in the Fabric of Life It’s something we all do on a regular basis; one of the most common threads among women around the globe. Of course, you’ve guessed it by now because of the picture… LAUNDRY. The Romance of the Clothesline I’ve always been fascinated…
Do you ever feel that some of the duties of motherhood are not quite what you expected? Or that many of the mundane and trivial tasks are not what you thought you were signing up for? This weekend I was reading “The Mission of Motherhood” by Sally Clarkson and one chapter in particular just hit…
Written by Beth Corcoran, Contributing Writer As I am writing this, I am currently working on my third batch of pickles. I’ve been buying cucumbers from the farmer’s market and making all kinds of pickles, although garlic dill is definitely my family’s favorite. Pickles are just such a tangy and refreshing treat! This is my…
Guest Post Written by Michele When I was pregnant with my son, we chose not to do regular ultrasounds and other prenatal testing. This choice was met by surprise from many women, who assumed that an ultrasound/testing was essential for their information, “peace of mind,” and bonding with their unborn baby. I am not writing this to offend, but…
“She does him good… all the days of her life.” An Important Education for Women Many studies have found that married men live longer than bachelors. Diet is a significant factor. One study showed that: ”Women traditionally take more responsibility for the home than men do, and, as a consequence, a woman’s education might be…
This is a continuation of last week’s makeover for the Anderson family. This week I want to share a sample menu plan. It won’t look quite as specific as the menu plan for the W family, because mom Andi is already a regular menu planner and has certain meals/themes that she uses each week, so…