Here we are, buying a home for our family, and with this prospect comes some sacrifices.
Now, these aren't serious, important sacrifices - I realize this. Yet they are sacrifices for us nonetheless.
Such as today, Sunday. We ate dinner at home.
I know, I know....some sacrifice, eh? The thing is, we arrive at church about 8am, leave about 1pm (today was 1:30pm), then we are back by 5:30 for evening services & Pioneers. It's not an option.
So that leaves four hours for dinner (the mid-day meal which the children are STARVING for by that time), quiet time/naps, supper (the evening meal), diaper changes, clothing changes, nursing baby a few times in there, etc.etc.etc.....
It's busy.......and usually cranky (adults as well as children).
Yet we simply don't have money for eating out. At least, not right now. We have been blessed with being able to come up with earnest money & home inspection fees (above & beyond the down payment), but to do that in just two paychecks, we had to cut out the NON-essentials.
Like eating out on Sunday.
Yet you know what (what, Lori?), I made Carol's Bean Soup (thanks for that recipe years ago Carol - it's still a family favorite for beans!) and it felt good. It felt good to fill up the crock pot last night, knowing I was making a good meal for my family to enjoy after a LONG morning at church (it *is* work, afterall). I was expecting to dread it, to dread an added responsibility to our already crowded day - but it wasn't like that.
*Our children got to play outside while waiting for us to get things together after church ~ not wait for a table big enough for our family at a local resturant~
*We were able to deal with behavior issues IMMEDIATELY - instead of trying to deal with those types of things in a less-than-supportive public place!
*The children got adequate time during their naps, since we were already at home ~ rather than being awakened still tired, and still cranky!
*I was able to make a lovely meal, including left-over dessert, for a FRACTION of the cost we incur dining out ~ SWEET!
So there ya go - a Sunday first! Forced frugality.....hey, whatever it takes!! Thanks Lord - thanks for your blessings~
p.s. I can't WAIT until I'm in our new home....but we've still got some time. We don't close until the end of this month, and I've got a Moving Sale before then. My current home is a wreck and I'm okay with that (most of the time). I know, I know....it'll be here before we know it.....I'm just so excited, I can't wait!! Yahoo~
3 comments:
And not to mention it's HEALTHIER to eat at home. You can control the ingredients. Not worrying about fried stuff, or MSG, too much sodium etc.
Lori! Use a crockpot! I hate to, honestly I think crockpots make me sick. Every time I use it, I get so nauseated!
Luckily at our chruch we don't have Sunday evening services. With our schedule, we would never go. I'm up early for work, the kids have school etc. My babies need sleep!
~Danielle
I'd love that Bean recipe! I'm always trying to get it together to have a meal ready after church too and get people in bed for naps (adults included! My husband is so tired after preaching) and then gear up for evening church. This post was a great encouragement to me!
Also your post about living in a fish bowl! Sooooo with you there! It's really hard. I haven't found the balance between making friends at church and being guarded at the same time. At times it feels like I'm being such a fake - but that's the way it has to be. We're not a big church so there isn't a large staff with many wives to enjoy camaraderie with. I have a good friend outside the church who has been such a blessing but she knows folks from our church too, so almost back to square one. I cling to my buddies from seminary days and my life long best friend, even though none of them live near by! My husband always encourages me just to be myself, just a little less talkative! ha! :) As for when the congregation feel the need to give their opinion about a private aspect of my/ our life, I try to be gracious, but then take it to the Lord. How I would love to scream That's so NONE of your BUSINESS!!! But would that honor the Lord whom we're serving? It's so hard to be a sinner!!! Many a day I wonder how I got to be a pastors wife! But the Lord knows us inside and out and he's shaping us to be the women he intended us to be as the wives of Ministers of the Gospel!
Reading your post was a sweet reminder that I'm not the only one! Thanks for putting yourself out there!
Anna
You're going great! Things like that are such a victory, aren't they?
I just smile so big when I come by your blog now, and think of your new house!
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