Dear Reader
You are cordially invited to a cyber visit
At the home of Becky Beck
For an inspirational “project tour”
When: Now
Where: https://dirtylittlesecrets2010.blogspot.com
Attire: Come as you are
But first, following is a brief introduction of Becky Beck and a short orientation in her own words as they appeared on my computer screen December 31, 2010:
“Dear Daryl,
“My name is Becky Beck and I just wanted to thank you for all the help you’ve given me. . . Your book inspired me to be a better homemaker and to find greater joy in that role. . . About a year ago I found myself in a rut of sorts. I had experienced several hectic years in a row, leaving many areas of my home neglected. It seemed everywhere I looked there were projects to be finished, areas to be organized and just about everything needed to be cleaned. I was so overwhelmed that I became somewhat immobilized. I was frustrated and began to pray for help.
“On December 30th [2009] my ‘project’ (dirtylittlesecrets2010.blogspot.com) was born. I decided to do one project a day—I cleaned, organized or worked on finishing something and then blogged about it. I’m a big believer in ‘moderation in all things’ and not ‘running faster than I have strength’ so I didn’t do any projects on weekends, holidays, or vacations. . . I decided to incorporate your book into my daily projects. I quoted from it every single day and it proved to be great advice and motivation, not just for me but for others who follow my blog. On my blog I refer to you as “D”—I hope you don’t mind!
“This past year has been busy! I’ve accomplished more in 12 months than I ever thought possible—today, everywhere I look things are clean, organized, and finished! I have developed new habits in my homemaking endeavors that should keep me from ever getting so behind again. I’m expecting my 7th child in March, and I’m looking forward to bringing this baby home to a house of order—where I can focus all my attention on the new baby and the rest of the family.”
Wow–was I intrigued! I went directly to her blog. It was true—a project a day for 2010! It was even better, in fact, than she described to me in the email. Each project, in addition to her lively commentary and a quote from my book, included a photo of “before” and “after” as well as pictures of the tools she used in the project. As I scrolled through her blog, reading every word and looking at every picture, I was absolutely captivated. I had to meet this amazing woman! She gave no indication on her blog as to where she was living so I emailed her and learned, much to my delight, that she was only 30-40 minutes away. We set a date for lunch at my house. (see photo)
Becky and I Visiting After Lunch
(Thanks to my husband, Hank, for being our photographer)
I knew of her charm and efficiency from the blog, but I found that she was also spiritually deep and strong, a gospel doctrine teacher in her ward, and totally devoted to her husband and children. She provided a remarkably inspirational afternoon for me. We visited for four hours, with promises to get together again after her baby arrived.
The project tour is “self-guided,” but here are a few markers along the way to help you make the most of your experience:
- One of the first blog posts you will see is the exciting announcement of her 7th baby’s safe arrival. Lilly was enthusiastically welcomed by her loving family on Saturday, February 26th.
- Next, Becky shares several blogs about last-minute preparations for the new baby.
- One of the reasons Becky posted her projects on a blog was to hopefully motivate and inspire other homemakers. And such is the case: Another remarkable homemaker, Jana, catches the spirit and shares her blog about “doing something every day that doesn’t have to be done again.” (somethingthatstaysdone.blogspot.com)
- Becky cooks up the dish I made for our luncheon for her family and posts the recipe.
- Becky comes to my house for lunch.
- And the project tour 2010 begins. . . Enjoy!
Just a concluding word from me—the point is not just that Becky completed several hundred projects last year; it is that she completed projects. The number isn’t the issue. What does count is that she improved her home, making things more comfortable, efficient, and attractive for her family and herself, and consequently she felt productive and fulfilled. The challenge to you is to identify projects in your own home that need your attention and then go to work on them. The invitation at the beginning of this article didn’t include an R.S.V.P., but I’d love to hear from you–after you’ve taken the tour– how doing so has motivated you and what your results are. You can reach me at [email protected].
Much success to you! Daryl
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Daryl Hoole, mother of eight, is a best-selling author and popular lecturer on home management. Now retired, she enjoys free lance writing. She is answering questions from readers who contact her at [email protected] . Her “At Home” column appears every four weeks on Mondays on Meridian Magazine. This information is also available on her personal website at www.theartofhomemaking.com .
