Heritage Ways, Birth and Growth

WHO are WE and WHAT in the WORLD are we doing HERE?

 

The HERITAGE WAYS Mission is Simple

• Glory to Almighty God
• Honor to Family
• Appreciation of Heritage

 

The HERITAGE WAYS Purpose is Pure

• Promote and Celebrate Home
• Promote and Celebrate Heritage and Its Keepers
• Practice the Old Ways and Teach Others
• Serve Others while on the Upcoming Heritage Homestead Journey and beyond

The HERITAGE WAYS Life Verse is Powerful

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 NLT

 

Well, hey ya’ll, I am Katie and I’ve been hearing voices.

Probably not the kind of voices you first thought of but human ones. Voices encouraging me, beseeching me, directing me.

Let’s “start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start”… My Mama had the
wisdom, or just plain patience, to allow me to work in the kitchen by her side ever since I could stand on a wooden chair which she pulled up to the counter. I don’t remember those very early days of culinary creation but the premise and philosophy of the beautiful art of homekeeping was established and engrained in me. And I have loved it from that sweet beginning. I treasure that training that I received from my mother and told her so on the last day we ever saw each other on this earth, the day we said our earthly good-byes.

 

A November Sunday morning. Fighting back tears, “Mama, if there is any good in my mothering or homemaking, I owe it to you. Thank-you.” Couldn’t stop the tears after all. “Kate, I loved having you by my side those first five years when you were my only child. I enjoyed teaching you and having you in my kitchen. I have wonderful memories of those times. And, honey, you are welcome.”

When she passed on, seven weeks later, her funeral changed my life as much as her living example. Goodness, one can not be prepared enough for losing a parent. (In my pride, I thought I would be, but nope.) Not only that, I was certainly not prepared for the deluge of love demonstrated to our family during the season of her loss. Our Amish friends loaded up into three rented vans to spend the entire visitation (viewing) time with us that night prior to the funeral. Then, some of the Amish men and wives returned for the funeral the following day, an uncommon practice for their people. This act alone was enough to teach me a thing or two about a life well-lived. These generous folks prepared LOTS of wonderful food to feed our family and friends both at the funeral home and Dad’s home. About 40 or so of our friends traveled the 500-mile distance from TN to OH for the funeral. Some even made the round trip in one day! Of course, many friends, family, and church folks hugged, prayed, visited, cooked, sympathized and empathized with us. The visitation line to visit our family at the coffin was well-over an hour-long wait all night. The lesson regarding the influence that one human can have (whether for good or evil) was not lost on me. Thanks again, Mama. You even taught me with your passing. Incredible.

 

An Intentional Life. Mr. Patient had lost his hard-working daddy, Pop, just two years prior to my own loss. That great man had an education that far exceeded any which he could have chosen after high school graduation. Pop had common sense and wisdom. He taught my Mr. Patient such a wide array of skills that our guys knew who to call if in a quandary about repairing a car, replacing a faucet, adding a deck roof, buying a gun, or any manner of situation that a man might encounter. He even took two poor condition VW Beetles that Morgan had purchased and built one phenomenal car. Talk about a heritage item! One wouldn’t say he necessarily had “pioneer skills” but his vast knowledge set the stage for my Mr. P to be the person he is today. Our visitors during the time of Pop’s funeral were from both sides of the tracks (literally) and ranged from poverty-stricken to millionaires. Such a tribute to such a life!

After these losses and the trip home from an Ohio visit four months later which can be read HERE, I realized that my already Instagram page (then called HomekeepingBook) needed to be more about relationships, people, sharing life and love. The name was changed to HERITAGE WAYS. This name appropriately represents our values, interests, future homesteading plans, hopes and dreams. Leaving a legacy is what we want to do and encourage you to do as well.

Something more had been occurring in recent years. At the urgings of my Mr. Patient and three Bigs, I began to write down alllll of my recipes and the stories that accompany them into a book (thus the name HomekeepingBook). In an effort to encourage me, our son, Morgan, had not only given me a deadline to complete this book of mine but continually suggested that I had much to offer young ladies. He was then in the workforce and realized that so many young ladies (honestly, ladies of all ages) didn’t necessarily have the opportunities to learn from someone like I did. He repeatedly urged me to mentor these ladies. Heritage Ways Day Camps were designed and advertised but that apparently was not the way the Lord intended me to encourage others.

Social media. It can be a waste of time, something from which folks need a break, a fast, a relief from. But, this technological phenomenon can also be a great object used to teach, train, influence. It is a tool which is used for good or evil. We are in control of it, not the other way around.

The name of my Instagram account was changed to HERITAGE WAYS with emphasis on “Celebrating Home and Heritage and Its Keepers”. Mr. Patient and I asked the Lord to help us shine a light on FAMILY while giving HIM all the GLORY. He brought 800 new friends to that account in two months’ time. We changed the name of already-established other social media platforms and apparently a “brand” was born.

Clueless. I had no idea what a brand was or that I was supposed to be happy that we’d created one until my oldest son told me so. Our Lord is the One Who did it so I’ll just be impressed with Him and His branding abilities.

Our family doesn’t have a Branding Game Plan (I just made that term up…lol) but we are asking the Lord to simply allow us to shine a positive light on F A M I L Y and H E R I T A G E while giving Him the glory.

We are about Homekeeping, Heritage Keeping, Tradition Keeping, Family Keeping and Faith Keeping. This means we’re not just about cooking and kitchen tips. Oh, much more! Our family members are blacksmiths, leatherworkers, primitive woodworkers, vintage motorbike restorers, hunters, musicians and so much more!

If we resonate with one family, great! If we encourage 30 families, awesome! If we can help you in some way, super! Let us know. Join the Heritage Ways community.