Bad attitudes tend to rub off. Easily.
The other day, a friend told me about how one of her daughters had mocked something her little sister loved to do. Immediately, the little sister’s attitude started to change. She began to question the activity. Soon she decided she didn’t like it either.
Thankfully, her mother was wise and was able to see the problem and correct the attitudes.
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Yesterday morning, when I went to “fluff up” a few line-dried clothes, the dryer made a weird whining sound and refused to turn on.
We bought our dryer used almost six years ago and we’ve had it on our covered back porch for nearly four. It wasn’t terribly shocking that it decided to give us troubles. Immediately I began to wonder if we could make it until our move to purchase a replacement.
I like hanging out clothes and generally hang out the big stuff anyway. I’m sure we could manage, I thought, besides, there’s a laundromat right down the road if we really need a dryer.
Then I laughed. Here I was mentally trying to calculate if we could survive a few months without a dryer, when my great-grandma didn’t even own one.
Some modern inventions (like refrigerators) are practically a necessity. Sometimes though, we come to view a convenience as a necessity.
Though I have no desire or intention of giving up my oven or washing machine, part of learning to live frugally is learning to “think like great-grandma would” when the need arises.
Maybe we’ll find that we can live without a microwave or dryer after all. Or we might discover that we like homemade nursing pads much better than disposable.
Have you lived without a normal modern convenience? How did you do it? Do you prefer “grandma’s way” over the modern?
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Twenty years from now, when my children are grown and I am consistently getting a full night’s sleep, I’m sure I’ll laugh to look back and see how often sleep (or lack of sleep!) seemed worthy of a blog post.
But, my kids aren’t grown and sleep still seems blog-worthy. Which means sleep will, once again, be the springboard for today’s post.
Will skipped his nap most of last week but yesterday morning, he woke up bright and early. And tired. It was clear he would need (and take) a nap.
I greatly looked forward to a bit of quiet while the children napped.
But, just as I laid Will down for his nap, Meg (who shares a room with the big kids now) woke up extra early. I spent the next hour fruitlessly trying to get her back to sleep. Finally, I gave up.
I was frustrated. Really frustrated. My well-laid plans had been spoiled by events that really weren’t in my hands. My expectations were not filled. Now I didn’t get to enjoy that much-anticipated quiet that I thought I needed.
Though I knew it was silly (and sinful) to be upset over something so trivial, I kept struggling with anger.
Then I walked into the kitchen. Earlier, I had captured a bee-like insect in the bottom of a glass. Now it was on its back, struggling for air.
As the insect fought for life, I stood and watched him for a minute.
And it struck me just how small I am. The world does not revolve around me and my little needs and wants. Though a human’s lifespan is (thankfully) longer than an insects, it is still “like a vapor.” In the vast view of things, my life makes up about as much of the story as that little bug.
But, the glorious part is that, despite our smallness, we are not “like flies to wanton boys.” God Himself, in human flesh, laid down His life to save us!
With those thoughts in mind, it was hard to be upset about not getting a nap.
[Oh, and as a "thank you" to the bug for my attitude adjustment, he is now at loose in the great outdoors.]
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Window-shopping used to require exercise and a walk down Main Street. Thanks to online stores, we can window-shop from the comfort of our couches. And then, there’s Pinterest—and the 50 outfit pins that are just too cute (and I don’t have!)
There’s nothing wrong with browsing through cute pictures with no intent to buy, but window-shopping can lead to problems with contentment.
Window-shopping can be used to ignite creativity. The boards on Pinterest can teach us to creative new outfits using the clothes in our closets. They can inspire us to repurpose what we have to beautify our homes.
Window-shopping can also help us wisely plan future purchases. Before actually adding items to our cart, window-shopping can help us think through our purchases and make sure that what we’re purchasing is the best decision.
Or, window-shopping can foster discontentment. The cute new chairs in Sears’ ad or the adorable outfit on Pinterest can trip us up. Window-shopping for things we can’t afford (and probably don’t need) can lead to jealousy if we’re not careful to guard our hearts.
While window-shopping can be a good thing, sometimes we simply ought to not window-shopping for certain things. For example, when I first joined Pinterest, I was tempted to start a “dream house” board. There are oodles of absolutely amazing house ideas. Maybe, a bit of browsing would help me think of good ways to beautify my own home, but I was afraid it would just lead to discontentment.
We’re not moving quite yet and we’re not ready to buy my dream house. I’d rather pass up on a few cute ideas than struggle with being content right where I’m at.
Maybe house pictures don’t tempt you. Maybe it’s clothes or books or cars, but avoid window-shopping for things that lead to discontentment. Choose to use it instead to encourage creativity and wise purchases.
What about you? Do you like to window-shop? How do you avoid discontentment.
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Posts about living frugally, thrifty tips and tricks, money-saving DIY projects and gardening, frugal recipes, and encouraging posts on financial stewardship are all welcome. Link up to either of our blogs–your post will be displayed in both places.
We’d be very grateful if you’d share only thrifty-themed posts. (Read full guidelines here)
Linked up at Proverbs 31 Thursday
With each new child, the speed of life seems to pick up a notch. Several weekends ago we moved baby Meg out of our room into the kid’s room. Mentally, the transition made her seem even more grown up.
It was kind of sad. Our baby is less of a “baby” each day! (I wish I could “push pause” indefinitely!)
Rose and Will absolutely love having her in their room though! Last summer when were contemplating whether or not we should stay in our small home another year, one of my main questions was “how are we going to fit another bed into the kid’s room?”
My four-year-old solved the dilemma: Will could move into her bed, and she would sleep on the floor!
Rose anticipated the move for months. Now she happily sleeps on a mattress that slides under her old bed in the morning (or serves as a tent, house or barn.)
Three weeks later, the novelty of getting to sleep on the floor has still not worn off. The other day she told Will in a very grown-up sounding voice, “Someday Will, when you’re big like me, you can sleep on the floor too!”
How can you help loving little ones?
Meg seems to like her new bed too!
Meg usually sleeps well, but she still occasionally gets up in the night. Now that she’s farther away, her fussing takes a bit longer to rouse me from a deep sleep.
Last night I was up multiple times. The final time, Meg’s fussing mixed into my dream. A few minutes passed and the intensity of fussing gradually increased. Finally, my foggy brain slipped out of dreamland. I walked groggily into the kid’s room to rescue her.
As my mind became more conscious, the sweetness of God’s sleeplessness stood out to me.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep”
Psalm 121:1-4 ESV
Our God never sleeps. We don’t have to wait for grogginess to clear before He can hear our prayers. Our glorious, risen Redeemer is alive and awake.
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