Challenges and Daily Discussions > Daily Devotional and Ponderings

Contentment

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trlmom3:
Great post Shelly. I sometimes forget how blessed we really are until I look around and see all I do have, but sometimes take for granted.

Laura

MoWin:
I wasn't sure whether I should post on this thread or not, but it is in my heart. We live in a tiny, tiny little one room cabin that we built ourselves. I loved it at first, but it has been almost 3 years since we moved in. It feels like we are constantly camping.  ???  I so thought we would have added on by now. It just hasn't happened. My hubby's work cut out all overtime. We counted on that for our building money. At least he was not laid off like several were. He is doing the best he can. I try not to let him see when I start feeling closed in. We have made some improvements. We added a nice deck to the front. This year we poured a concrete patio, built a picnic table, and bought a gas grill. We spend lots of time out there when it is cooler. We made the decision to put up a storage shed instead of starting to add on. The reason we made this decision is because we knew we would not have enough money to get very far in building. We are paying $40 a month for a storage area for things we do not want ruined and do not want to get rid of, but have no room for here. So we built the storage shed and will continue to put the $40 back as savings. Maybe next year will be the year when we can build on.  ;D

I struggle quite a bit with discontent, so this was a good thread for me to read. There are people much worse off than we are. We are cool in the summer, warm in the winter, have more than enough food to eat, our home does not leak, nor is there any black mold in it. We have no debt. Actually we live pretty good. My hubby makes sure I always have money for fabric. I will be so glad to get my stash home. Then I really need to make more of an effort to use from it instead of buying more.  :-[

Ehhh, I just need to realize how blessed we are. I think when we lost our garden this year, it just kind of started me on a downward spiral.  :'(  It is time to stop feeling sorry for myself and begin enjoying life again. Funny, but this just occurred to me. If the Lord wants us to be able to build on to our cabin, He will find a way for us to do it. Why am I so sad about it? Time to trust and obey! Thanks for starting this post Shelly. I think I have achieved a breakthrough tonight.   :)

Blessings,
Winona

Leahsgarden:
If you didn't hand quilt your quilts, I would suggest selling them to help increase your egg nest for expanding the cabin. It would be slow, but doing nothing produces nothing. Even $40/month adds up to almost $500 a year.

Is there any way you can salvage building supplies from your old house, or maybe even sell it? Or use it to build a "wall" to protect your garden from getting destroyed again! :)

MoWin:
Thank you Leah, for the suggestions. I have sold a few quilts, but like you said, since I hand quilt, it takes a long time to get one done and no one around here would want to pay even what I have in a quilt, not counting hours. We live in a rural community and everyone is in the same boat. We do hope to be able to salvage some of the lumber from the old house, if we ever get to the point of actually tearing it down.  :D I so wish I could build a wall all around us because we are surrounded on all 4 sides by farm fields. Unless they spray on a calm day (which we seldom have around here) something will get drift.  :( Just one of the prices we pay for living in the middle of no where.  ;)

Yes, it is costing us almost $500 a year for storage.  :o That is exactly why we put the stinking storage shed up.  :) We do pretty good on saving. We are both frugal (I'm even frugal with fabric, but I do buy when I don't actually need it. I'm bad.  :(  It is like a treat for me. I never treated myself when the kids were home. Extra money always went for something extra for them, like all mamas do.  :D ), but it seems like every time we get a sizable amount saved, something happens and we have to use it for something broke down etc. (How do you like that for a run-on sentence? LOL) We had to have work done on the old ancient pick-up this year, had to buy a new water pump, had to buy new tires for the pick-up and will soon need new tires for the car. I had to have new glasses. Just never ending like it is for everyone else any more.  Our only splurge this summer was the gas grill, lumber for the picnic table, and a few bags of cement. (We already had sand and gravel here.)

I know it sounds like I am whining. I guess maybe I am, but I am trying to change.  I really do love our little cabin, but sometimes it does get kind of claustrophobic. LOL I hope to be able to thin out some of the stuff in here, now that I have the stinking shed so close. Our storage is currently in Oregon, which is 10 miles away. Some of my things, I couldn't bear to have that far away, and some of my small appliances aren't used all the time but at least weekly. I am setting up shelves along one side where I will store my small appliances. I just have to walk out and get them when I need them. Should help to reduce the clutter somewhat.

Maybe a should make a commitment to not buy any more fabric unless absolutely needed to finish a project for the rest of the year. Let me think on that before I commit to it.  :-\ I have enough fabric now to make lots of quilts. I even have several batts. Backing is another story, but if I can get over my weird thing of everything having to match, I can start piecing my backings. LOL I have pieced a few, but I always used matchy match fabrics or leftover from the front.

Well, Leah, how did you like my long, long, rambling response to your suggestions?  ??? I do thank you for your input. I feel better tonight. Everything will eventually fall into place.  ;D

Blessings,
Winona

Leahsgarden:
Oh, I can relate to wanting to whine. I've been feeling grumpy that we don't have any linen closet in our rental. I just can't get that one under control, despite trying out 3 different storage methods and decluttering in the past 2 years.

Could you build some shelves on the side of the house (where you don't plan to expand) and then cover it (roof and sides)? I think a lean-to is kinda what I have in mind. Then use that area to store appliances and not-so-frequently used items. It'll keep it close to the house and free up some room.

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