Washing day

In our Thursday morning Bible study, we are studying the woman whose worth is far above rubies in Proverbs 31. I've said this before, but it bears saying again. The attributes of the Proverbs Paragon are very much attainable and are worthy to practice. So often we never really think about how fortunate we are with all the technology we have to do some things that were done the old way for so many years. God blessed humans with ingenuity to seek innovation. Sometimes, like with air conditioning and washing machines, that ingenuity makes life so much more comfortable and much easier. Sometimes, as has been known from time immemorial, the devil uses things God allowed for good to make evil. Sometimes the things that make life easier also allow for idle hands, which as the old saying goes are the devil's workshop. Anyway, I am eternally grateful for how God works in my life these days, and grateful I do not have to wash clothes as my grandmother did.

Here's an example.

And I just thought I had it bad...

Recipe For Washing Clothes....The Old Old Way....

Years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave a new bride the following recipe for washing clothes. It appears below just as it was written, and despite  the spelling, has a bit of philosophy. This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrap book (with spelling errors and all).

1. Bilt fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.

2. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.

3. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in bilin water.

4. Sort things, make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.

5. To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water.

6. Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then bile. Rub colored don't bile, just rinch and starch.

7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinch, and starch.

8. Hang old rags on fence.

9. Spread tea towels on grass.

10. Pore rinch water in flower bed.

11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

12. Turn tubs upside down.

13. Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.