My daughter and I were working on her hope chest today and we always have fun. This is a time that she tells me of the hope she has for her future. Her dreams of a husband and children and what kind of mother she hopes to be and what kind of Grandma she hopes I will be. We put special things in their and some very ordinary things in there too. When I grew up about 50 o/o of my friends had hope chests. So I asked Lisa how many of your friends have a hope chest. I was surprised to find out that only one of them had one.

Why?.... Don't we hope anymore that our daughters will grow up to care for a home and love our Grandchildren? Don't we want to help her prepare for this adventure? About 4 months a go her Sunday school teacher told me that during class that day she asked all the girls what they wanted to BE when they grow up and Lisa was the only one who said wife and mother.

I know with the availability of goods and the wealth that is in our nation their may not be a need for hope chests anymore. However, i know there are a lot of Christian mom's out their and I am wondering what inventive ways they have replaced the hope chest... or maybe they are still using them. Am I archaic and there just isn't a need anymore?

If you have a hope chest story or an inventive alternative please share. If people are intested I will share what we have put in ours.

SummerHarvest

This post was last modified: Fri Apr 25, 2008 06:20 PM by SummerHarvest.

Interesting that you should mention the Hope Chest, as I've recently brought it up with a young neighbour friend who is 17. I made her a small quilt and told her she can put it in her "hope chest". She looked at me like, "huh?". I then explained to her about it. I never had one, but did inherit my mama's cedar chest which she bought when I was born in 1946.

My daughters had/have hope chests, but girls today sure look at things differently - at least the ones around here. I'm concerned about my grandsons as to what they will find in a wife when they reach of age... my oldest is 16.

I would love to hear the contents you have in yours. Your daughter is blessed to have you for a mother.

Well, Granny
You are too nice I am actually blessed to have Lisa in my life we almost lost her a few years back. She's a walking miracle from God. She is one of my hero's.

we have a Dollie that was my husbands mothers and some of her old jewelery (she has passed away).

We also have my grandmothers and my mothers Bible in there. (they have new large print bibles)

We have Fancy Dishes my mom gets at antic shops and lots of tea cups. From Both my grandmothers and mother and some that we have accumulated together for special occasions.

We have a recipe book that we are working on we have put in recipes that have been passed down generation to generation and some new family favorites. All her aunts, grandparents and mother have contributed and even her cousins on my husbands side.

Measuring Spoons and a potato peeler.

A pencil box that my father made in high school (he has passed on 5 days after he received Christ).

A vase that was my father mothers.

A Table cloth and more dollies

An envolope full of seeds from each of these: my grandmothes house, my mothers and my husbands mothers.

I need to start her embroidering pillow cases and towels.

We need to start some more practical stuff like everyday dishes and utensils

I am always open to idea and suggestions. I would love to hear what was in yours and your daughters.

God Bless
SummerHarvest

This post was last modified: Sat Apr 26, 2008 05:18 PM by SummerHarvest.

I think that used to be called a "Bottom Drawer" over here, although you don't hear that nowadays.

There were similar items as y'all's SummerHarvest, but as I recall there may also have been an apron or two, some tools (I still use the hammer and screwdriver I bought at 17), some favourite patterns, a teapot, dish towels/cloths, musicbox, photo album, emergency money, a book containing phone # and addresses, pretty pen/paper ... things like that. The sad part is our oldest daughter (now 41) has only boys and the youngest girl (38 ) can't have children. One son has 3 boys, and the other has 2 girls. The oldest daughter is saving stuff for her sons' futures, should the Lord tarry.

This post was last modified: Sun Apr 27, 2008 08:07 PM by granny.

You have given me several new great ideas, Thanks.