Fascinating Womanhood ~ Alaska Updated

image courtesy of RellyAB

This will be no surprise to most if not all of Fascinating Ways' readers, but I will mention it anyway: Fascinating Womanhood ~ Alaska is up again with new posts as well as some of the previous posts. Since October 17th, posts have been updated on a regular basis. A cause for celebration!

I Want to Be a Homemaker

 Has anyone seen or read the children's book I Want to Be a Homemaker, by Carla Greene? It was published in 1961 by Childrens Press, and the picture above is one of its illustrations.

In the book, Jane gets a new playhouse and begins to keep house with her three dolls and her dog. With her mother's help, she learns that a good homemaker is a cook, cleaner, nurse, teacher, and artist.

This is a precious book with neat, lovely illustrations (by Frances Eckart) that can influence a young girl's heart and mind. Unfortunately, there seem to be only somewhat-pricey editions available at places like Amazon.com, Ebay, and possibly others. None of them are in great condition, either. If you ever see this book, take a look! Anyone who values Mrs. Andelin's books Fascinating Womanhood, The Fascinating Girl, or All About Raising Children will enjoy it.

When I had just learned to write, my mother and I borrowed this book from the library. I liked it so much I copied it out word for word before we had to return it.

Fun tidbits about the book:

•  Part of the text opposite the illustration above is: "'You have made this little house very pretty. Your children will think it is the best place in the world,' said Mother. 'You are an artist!'" This reminds me of the "Space and Privacy" section in Chapter 1 of Mrs. Helen Andelin's book All About Raising Children.
• My copy has a sticker on the front free end paper that says, "Please remember to wash your hands before you read this book."

Month 2 (Verse 12): Proverbs 31 Challenge for Life

It is time to make a Month 2 goal, for anyone who is participating in the Proverbs 31 Challenge for Life. Please see this post for the details of this challenge.

Proverbs 31, verse 12, in the King James Bible says: "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary has some interesting thoughts about this chapter in modern words. Regarding this particular verse, it says, "She makes it her constant business to do him good."

It seems that there are two points made here. One is that she will work proactively to do him good and ensure that she does him no evil. The second point is that she will do this consistently, without stopping, for her whole life. In fact, when translated into English, it seems that she is to do this for the remainder of her life, whether or not he is still living. I may be taking this point too far. However, any children they had together would certainly still fall under her loving care, as would the care for his memory.


Working proactively to do my husband good is different from trying in a vaguer sense to "be a good wife." Trying to be a good wife is a wonderful goal. Setting myself a specific task that will benefit my husband is more likely to achieve results.

A caution I have to give myself in this area is to make sure it is something my husband would agree does him good. It should not be something that in my imagination does him good, but in real life may be something distracting, irritating, or irrelevant to him. Any step I take this month will be done in consultation with my husband.

Fascinating Womanhood is a fantastic book for showing women what things benefit their husbands - that they may not realize - and what things harm them - that again, they may not even realize.

This is clearly an ongoing challenge. It seems a bit overwhelming to constantly do a husband good (and no harm). It might be that a weekly or monthly meeting between husband and wife could help a wife tread that path. Mrs. Andelin, in her book All About Raising Children, encourages a weekly meeting like this.

Please feel free to comment with your own goals for the month, or simply to say that you have a goal for this month. As always, anyone is welcome to join in at any time. Of course anyone is free to join without publicly commenting, too.

Note: I apologize for the lateness of this post. It had been scheduled to post on a specific day, but never did.

Models of Fascinating Womanhood

To read about a couple of interesting examples of Fascinating Womanhood from books, see this post from Oil of His Grace.

A bonus (to me) was the mention of some of my most beloved books, the Anne of Green Gables series.

The Importance of Being Whimsical

"Moody Dog" warning sign: image courtesy of Another Seb

What is being whimsical, exactly?

Here are two definitions from Google Dictionary:

1. Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.
2. Acting or behaving in a capricious manner.

Sounds familiar to fans of Mrs. Helen Andelin, does it not? (See the book Fascinating Womanhood to find out more about the two sides of an ideal woman.) Playful actions often have a huge appeal for husbands. After a day full of business, details, hard work, or even boring but necessary activities, they appreciate coming home to something more lighthearted.

We might have capricious ways naturally but try to hide them or suppress them while we do the important work of keeping the home and family healthy and happy. This is a reminder to let changefulness and teasing playfulness come through in our actions sometimes.

What are some ways to do that?

• One day, wear a type of outfit you would not normally wear, especially if it is more feminine or colorful than usual.
• When you are both relaxed from daily cares, ruffle your husband's hair and say how much you like it all messed up.
• Let your husband hear you singing in the shower or at your chores.
• When you feel angry at him, really let out your inner child. Stomp your feet, pout, maybe even use a higher voice than normal to say (remember Mrs. Andelin's advice to exaggerate!) just what is the problem.
• Flowers are often perceived as whimsical - use them in any way you like. Perhaps you can fill the house with them on occasion.
  

What are some other ways to be whimsical? Please share in the comments section if you have ideas; sometimes altogether wonderful women have a hard time putting playfulness into their lives.

Additional resources:

• Fascinating Womanhood by Mrs. Helen Andelin (see "Where to Find the Books" at the top of the page for how to get a copy of this book).
• Here is a good article about how to use playfulness in communication.

A Bowl of Fruit

 Near the top right of this page, there is a picture of a bowl of fruit, similar to the one in the picture above. A bowl of fruit is an apt symbol for a fascinating woman, in some ways:

• Both can be cheerful-looking and picturesque.
• Both can give pleasure.
• Both can enhance people's health.
• There is the "fruitful" metaphor in regard to having children.
• A home is better for having one in it!

What do you think? Are there other comparisons to be made? 

Month 1 (Verse 11) Report: Proverbs 31 Challenge for Life

Now that the last week of September is gone, it is time to report on Month 1 (Verse 11) of the Proverbs 31 Challenge here at Fascinating Ways.

For reference, this is the introductory post for the Proverbs 31 Challenge for Life; this is the Month 1 (Verse 11) post which also mentions my personal goal. Anyone may join at any time where we are. As the introduction to the challenge said, this is meant to be a long-term journey and not something that is completed in a week, a month, or even a year.

From Rule #3 of the introductory post, this is an option for reporting progress toward your goal, if you wish to do so:

"The last week of each month, in response to another prompt here, post your progress toward the goal in the comments section. This can be reported in very general terms to protect the privacy of all involved. Progress can be posted in these terms if you like: Completed; Postponed; Still Working; Canceled; or Not Helpful."

I will post my own progress in the comments section.