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Book Review // The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer


First of all, don't be misled by the title, this is for EVERYONE. ;)

In the midst of ongoing and very weird, draggy, low energy illness round here :/, I burned through this in about a week and loved most every bit of it. Gentle and very straightforward, it's uplifting -- genuinely like sitting down for a good conversation. And one that can be enjoyed again and again through successive rereads. I don't like using the word inspiring (cause I feel like that can sometimes extinguish sooner rather than later), but it was very healing and nourishing, especially regarding some thought habits I'd fallen into.

It does have tons of practical ideas for living out art through our fingertips -- all day, every day -- but it's not a pep talk (ra ra), it's first and foremost about attitude and mindset and who we are in the blood of the Lamb, and as such is convicting and deeply encouraging. And very sustainable! It's interesting and fascinating how she links so many different areas of life together, which also chimes with some life philosophy I've been thinking on a lot lately, i.e. practicing hospitality for crossing barriers of age and culture, and the Christian pursuit of beauty in its grandest and smallest forms and manifestations, because too we serve the God who can turn everything on its head and cover with heavy glory our seemingly most insignificant efforts.

It touches on pretty much everything: from a good enjoyment of food, to evangelism, to integration (the bringing together in Christ of all nations, tongues, tribes, and ages), to creating beauty and showing tangible love in very practical ways.

With a definite emphasis on being for everyone and very specifically any and all times of life (married, unmarried, college students, families with young children, grandparents, etc. etc -- and whether your immediate sphere is a bedroom, a college dorm, a mansion, or a grass hut) it comes from an unusual angle and really isn't about interior decorating in the usual sense at all, except as the art spills out. It's about showing love and not bottling up the creativity God's poured into each and every one of His glorious creatures, especially to those made new in Christ.

Anyhow, it's very good and y'all should definitely go out and read it!
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