Good furniture

A bed, a table, a desk

The housewife gives thought to the furnishings of the dwelling. They are not mere objects; they promote the intimate life of the family that then radiates out into the world by unknown and mysterious means, for better or for worse, but we hope and pray for the better.

In her book Journey Up the River: A Midwesterner's Spiritual Pilgrimage (affiliate link), Anne Husted Burleigh chronicles the material and spiritual aspects of her Christian life and home. She has a chapter for the bed, the table, and the desk.

Of these objects, Fr. James Schall SJ of happy memory says, “They represent our coming to be, our continuing in being, and our wondering what it is all about while we are here trying to find out.”

A reader wrote to me the other day about what kind of tablecloth to use to cover her ugly and impractical table. Her husband had plans to replace with a handmade version, but quite understandably wasn’t able to get to in the foreseeable future. I gave her my thoughts* and added, “But do look for a second-hand one — the table is such an important part of family life. I bet you will find one!”

Three days later she wrote back to say she did find one for sale that amply accommodates her whole family and more! (I recommend Facebook Marketplace and that is indeed where she found it.)

Don’t get distracted from the important, housewifely work of setting up the home for the flourishing of family life. God will provide.

*I recommend a pretty vinyl tablecloth that can be wiped and even washed, and eventually replaced. Now there are also washable tablecloths for outdoor use that would work pretty well. I find them at Marshalls for a good price.

Peasant family at the table by Jozef Israëls

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The School for Housewives brings you short, practical, and thoughtful messages to inspire you to make your home. If you’re new here, go to the homepage for the previous Lessons; the categories are arranged in the menu bar at the top.

For the longer version:

My book on how to live with the Liturgical Year: The Little Oratory

As with everything here at the SFH, the best thing is for you to take my ideas, coming from my experience of 45 years of marriage and raising seven children, and apply them to your situation with discernment, prudence, and confidence — and a sense of humor!