Titus Two Hospitality

            Practice hospitality!  Romans 12:13 ESV

Don't you enjoy visiting a home where the friendly soul throws open the door and invites you in with no hesitation? They don't care what they look like or the state of their home because their focus is on you! Their work is set aside and they begin to minister to your needs! They may ask questions like.."how are you feeling?" and "how is the family?" They may put on a kettle of water and pull out their special tea cups as they arrange a few treats on a small plate. The world has stopped and time slows down for the next half hour as they practice hospitality. 

The word PRACTICE means to aggressively chase like a hunter pursuing a prize and HOSPITALITY actually means to be friendly to a stranger. I have entertained a handful of strangers in my home over the years but mostly the ones who cross my threshold are those I am acquainted with and love. 

Biblical hospitality includes inviting in other believers as well! 

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV


My mom once said that she prepares her home in the morning as if she were expecting company. I like that idea because it sets a precedent for the day. It shows that I am determining early on in the day that I am ready to obey God's command to practice hospitality. But, I'll be very transparent with you that even with this mindset you'll rarely find my home picture perfect. There is a whole lot of living going on between these walls and if I wait for a perfect home...or a day with nothing on my 'to do list'...then I will never practice hospitality. 

My sweet mama always insists I have a cake for my birthday (sugar free, of course!)

I have a choice when unplanned guests knock on my door and all is not perfect on the other side. 

- I can hide in the bedroom (I did this as a young bride).
- I can invite them in and continually apologize for the state of my home/self which might make them uncomfortable and keeps the focus on myself (I can't count how many times I've done this over the years). 

Or

- I can set my pride and reputation aside, throw open the door and at the same time open my heart to welcome them as I would welcome Jesus! 

"Heavenly Father, please give me YOUR grace to practice hospitality in a way that will bring glory to you!" 

A sea of melons!

"The reason this is no minor biblical theme is because the streams of hospitality flow deeply from the well of God. Christians love the stranger, because we have been loved by the Father when we ourselves were strangers."      John Piper


I enjoyed reading both of these resources on hospitality and thought you might enjoy them, too!

Hospitality by Baker's Evangelical Dictionary

Hospitality and the Great Commission


"When there is vroom in your heart...then there is vroom in your home."  First we have Coffee by Margaret Jensen! (One of my favorite books!)

Friends are a special gift from God!

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The summer months always prove to be a busy time of year for our household. The family birthdays start in March and go strong throughout the rest of the year along with graduations and some construction work needing to be done in our home.  All of this activity has kept this old woman busier than she is used to! *wink*  It's a blessing to have a full life!

 Here are a few other things going on in our home...


1. I am moving a bit slower this year so the veggie plants went into the ground a bit later than usual! But, they are finally taking off and we are beginning to reap a small harvest. I planted several kinds of low oxalate tomatoes,  Black Beauty squash, yellow squash, okra, cantaloupe, red bell peppers, watermelon, Dino kale (low oxalate), different varieties of hot peppers, butternut squash and cucumbers. We also reaped from previously planted artichoke plants, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and boysenberries. This was the first year we harvested white nectarines. Not a single apricot on our tree this year, though.  I think it's getting too much water from the vegetable garden.

Onions harvested from the winter garden.

2. Our bathroom and kitchen have some problems which needed repair. I started freezing leftovers about a month before the work began. It was so nice to have meals already in the freezer. Preparing ahead of time helped to resist the temptation to grab fast food every night.

3. Another holding tank was added to catch rinse water from the washing machine. I've been using 1 holding tank for several years but it would only hold the water from one load of wash. I rarely do just 1 load of wash.   I can now do several loads of laundry and use the grey water from both loads to water my plants. 

4. I stopped by my local thrift store and found a nice blouse for church. I paid around $2 with my 25% off coupon.
 
5.  I am on a mission to downsize STUFF in my office. I don't find any measure of peace when I walk in that room because there is too much going on visually. Busy, busy! So, I went through my first bookshelf and gave away the second row of books on each shelf. I also went through all of my Bible notes and studies and threw out anything I haven't used since I moved here 4 years ago. It is already feeling less cluttered which makes my eyes very happy. *wink* 

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This was a helpful link: 

5 Things People with Tidy Houses Don't Do!

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 6.  My mother always taught my sister and I to not wear our good clothes/shoes for everyday. We were trained to change into our everyday clothes once we got home.  I've carried that practice into adulthood and it sure helps my nice clothes last longer. The same goes with my shoes. I keep an old pair of shoes outside the back door to work in the yard.


7.  My face makeup was becoming difficult to get out of the bottle. I put it in the microwave for a few seconds and now it goes on easily. I was careful to let it cool slightly before I  applied it.

I made raisins out of last years grapes.

8.  I bought a big jug of bubble bath from Walmart to refill my small liquid soap containers by the sink. It's much cheaper than buying new ones. I was buying a large container of liquid hand soap at the dollar store but it was so thin that it would squirt straight out of the container onto our clothes. This works much better.


9.  I normally use Seran wrap to roll out my pie crusts but I was out the other day so I cut open a new small kitchen garbage bag. It worked great! Make do or do without is a great motto to live by! 



10. I knew my husband would have a special birthday coming up this year so I started saving money last summer. I decided a head of time how much to spend on him and then divided it by 12 months. I took out the allotted amount each paycheck and set it aside. A year later we had just enough to purchase a nice gift for him. That would not have happened if I hadn't planned ahead or I may have been tempted to put something on a credit card which would have made life harder in the coming months. 



Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV

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 A friend shared this website and I've enjoyed reading how she feeds her family of 5 on $100 a month. We don't eat the same foods but it's helping me to think differently when I am shopping.  

The Fundamental Home

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I made this cheesecake for my aunt's birthday. It looks very professional if you arrange the apples in a pretty pattern. I used dairy free cream cheese for my aunt because she cannot tolerate dairy (like me). 

Low Carb Bavarian Apple Cheesecake


Crust:
2 1/2 cups Low Oxalate Flour Blend (recipe below)
(Or you could use 2 cups nut flour and 1/2 cup coconut flour)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. stevia
1/2 cup Erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar free honey
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. nut butter (optional)

Topping:
2 cups granny smith apples, peeled and sliced (don't slice too think)
1/3 cup erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1 tsp. cinnamon (I use cinnamon extract for lower oxalates)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese (I used dairy free), softened
1/2 cup erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Mix crust ingredients together and press into cheesecake pan or you can use a round cake pan. 
Bake 375 for 8 minutes

Place apple mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees 15 minutes.  

Meanwhile, in the previous bowl beat cream cheese, sweetener and 1/2 tsp. vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat on low speed until mixed. Pour into pan with the baked crust and then arrange warm apples on the top of cheesecake filling.

Mix together sweetener and cinnamon together. Sprinkle on top of the apples. Place almonds in between apples (optional).  Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Chill before using. 

Makes 8-12 servings 

Debbie's Low Oxalate Flour Blend
2 cups. pumpkin seed flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup oat fiber (not oat bran)
1/4 cup. psyllium husks, ground fine 

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Happy birthday to our oldest son!

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Broccoli Salad

A friend gave me this recipe to make for our church tea many years ago. It's always a hit and requested at many family gatherings.  I double it for large gatherings. (I will take out a small serving for myself and make the dressing with Erythritol/stevia instead of sugar since I am eating low carb).

Ingredients:
4-5 cups broccoli flowerettes (peeled, chopped stems are OK if small)
(I use a large bag of fresh broccoli from Costco. I cut off the stem and only use the flowerettes)

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (optional)

1 lb. bacon, cooked until brown and crispy, then crumbled (or chopped)

1 cup roasted salted sunflowers (I used a bit less. 1 cup seemed like too much)

1 sm. red onion, chopped into very small pieces (or 1 sm. shallot, if preferred)
(I used less than 1 small onion)

1 cup real mayonnaise

1/4 cup. sugar

2 Tbsp. Apple Cider vinegar

Directions:
Salad: Wash and cut broccoli into bite-sized flowerettes. If using the stem, peel it and chop in small bite-sized pieces. Drain and put in large mixing bowl. Add raisins, bacon, sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese, and red onion. Mix well.
Sauce: Mix sugar and mayonnaise. Add vinegar and stir until smooth. It should have a sweet and tangy flavor.
Makes approx. 8 cups or 16 servings

Pour sauce over salad ingredients and mix well. If you used salted sunflower seeds, no additional salt is necessary. If using plain sunflower seeds, adjust taste as necessary.


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How to clean your stove

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Snoopy hopes if he stares at me long enough that I will feed him early!

SAVED, REUSED AND REPURPOSED

~ Paper towel roll (the cardboard in the middle)...(I wrap plastic bags or tinfoil around them to keep 
   my drawer looking neat) (Or I use them to hold extension cords)
~ Tinfoil (washed and reused to cover leftovers or line the drip pans under the stove burners)
~ Bread wrapper (washed and reused instead of gallon size storage/freezer bags)
~ Rubber bands from the newspaper
~ Plastic type dog food bag (I plan to use it for something messy that I put in the large garbage can that goes 
   to the street. )
~Vegetable packaging for fresh and frozen (lettuce bags, broccoli, frozen stir fry veggies, radish bags,etc. 
   Washed and reused in place of baggies.  
~ Newspapers (I use these to layer (along with grass clippings) in my flower beds and anywhere I don't want weeds.

That's about it for now! I'd love to hear what you have been doing this summer. Have you found time to garden or do any canning? Are you doing a yummy bible study on your own? Did you go on vacation? What has God been teaching you lately? Write when you can!

Blessed to be home!

Georgene
 

Keeping cool without A/C

I should clarify that even though I don't have A/C I do have 2 window air conditioners and ceiling fans. It still gets very warm on days that are near or over the 90's. So, I'm looking for ways to keep the house cool which will also help with my electric bill.

Cooking in my kitchen heats up the entire house ...  even if I cook early in the morning. So,  I'm finding alternative ways to make my meals by developing a routine to cook outside. I have a propane camp stove (high powered that I purchased at Bass Pro), a very large toaster oven and a crock-pot. I use the propane stove on the patio and the toaster oven inside my garage along with the crock-pot.I also have one electrical burner that was given to me last week.

It's a little inconvenient to cook my meals outside. I think over time I'll come up with an easy routine. I use a large tray to carry my food items out to the stove. I set a TV tray next to the camp stove for my utensils and plates. I take notice what keeps me running back and forth to the house and look for ways to reduce my steps. As a result I decided to leave a couple of potholders in the garage along with a few cooking utensils.

Cooking outside makes a huge difference when it comes to keeping my house cool.

The second thing I do is to watch where the sun is hitting my windows and keep the curtains drawn. I realized the sun hit my kitchen windows  until around 10 o'clock. I had a burgundy sheet in good condition so I made half drapes and found 2 tension rods. I keep the bottom part of the curtain up until the sun stops shining on that side of the house and then I take them down.

Thirdly, I ,like to take advantage of the cool air outside so I open up the windows in the early morning hours and allow the air to flow inside. Once the air outside starts turning warm I close all my windows to trap the cool air.

Fourthly, I use small personal table fans in several of my rooms. I have a small table fan in my kitchen, office, bathroom and next to my bed. Oftentimes I can use the small fan in place of the ceiling fan which I believe costs less electricity.Last night I was warm but my husband was not so I was able to turn the small fan on next to my bed and save using the overhead fan.

Lastly, I wear lighter clothes on hot days. It's amazing the difference between wearing capri's and a  long pair of pants. I've collected a few light cotton tops for the summer which really help. Putting my hair up helps, too.

I read last week to run some water in your bathtub about ankle deep and to dip your feet when you get too warm. I haven't tried it yet but I think it would help.

How about you? Could you add anything to this list?

How I saved money this week (and the freedom of living with LESS)

If you have been following our story then you know that we have downsized from 2700 sq. ft. to 748 sq. ft. I've given away and sold enough items to fill another house.

The older I get the less I can tolerate clutter in my own home. Your clutter would not bother me. :-)  It feels good when each item has it's own assigned place. That is my goal but I'm not there yet.

I  have 2 small closets and one antique closet/dresser. All three closets are too full. My office closet has been bothering me the most because my clothes were squished from 1 large Tupperware tub filled with scraps of fabric along with 2 Avon boxes. I've wrestled with whether to keep the fabric for the past 5 moves. I kept talking myself out of getting rid of it because I kept hoping that someday I would make some quilts.

So last Saturday I set aside the afternoon to work on cutting out some quilt pieces.  I spent hours cutting fabric and ended up nearly finishing just one square. I thought I would be so happy to get started on the quilt but by the time I finished I was not a happy camper. One finished large Depression Block (plus a lot more cut squares) = 3-4 hours of time I'll never get back = one disappointed Mama.

Kale

I'm middle aged and the writing is on the wall.. I'm getting older. I must be wise how I spend my hours because they add up to days which quickly become years. I have less time left on this earth than I've already lived. How will I spend my last days so they will count for eternity? Sewing quilts are not a sin. I just don't want to spend that much time on a hobby these days.  As much as I've loved making quilts in previous years I'm not willing to invest that many hours again.

So after struggling back and forth for several days I made up my mind that the small scraps of fabric were going. I saved some larger pieces of fabric to make some aprons and curtains for the garage. those are quick projects. I ended up with one final tub of fabric which will be stored in the garage.

My clothes are no longer crowded in the closet. I can't tell you how good it feels to open my closet doors and not have everything crammed and squished together. It feels GOOD! Really GOOD!

I've learned a big lesson through these fabric tubs. I have wrestled with them for nearly 5 years. I have invested precious time into thinking about them and debating over them. I've invested time and energy into lifting them from one house to another house for 5 moves over the past 8 years. They have stolen precious time from my life. Now that I finally got rid of them I feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted! It feels GOOD! Really GOOD!

I'm so jazzed! This next week I hope to tackle the other 2 closets. If it doesn't fit easily in the space the Lord has given me then it's out of here!

Here are a few things I did in my home this week to save money:

1. I went on several morning and evening snail hunts. My veggies had the obvious sign that snails were enjoying them for lunch. I started going out in the early mornings and turning over leaves and boards and found a ton of snails. The more snails I kill the better my veggies are looking.

2.  A friend brought by 3 cartons of home grown eggs.

3. My mother had some extra 'dragon tale' flowers. I gladly took them along with some nasturtiums to keep bugs down in my vegetable garden. I've rarely bought flowers over the years. There is always someone willing to share slips of small starts of flowers. It turns your yard into a memory garden.

4. I made a fertilizer out of 20 egg shells that I boiled for 10 minutes. I then let it set for 8 hours. The fertilizer was poured on my tomatoes.

5. I purchased a comfrey root off of Ebay for $15. I read that the leaves make a wonderful fertilizer. My goal is to make my own fertilizer from products I have at home. I think it will pay for itself in no time. I'm also hoping that it will multiply so I can sell my own roots.

6. I have 2 cats and 1 dog. They started scratching so I figured they were getting fleas. I didn't want to pay $45 for flea medicine plus it's not healthy. I purchased a flea comb and immediately caught 5 fleas off of one cat and 1 flea off the other.  I kept a small bowl of water nearby while I was combing. Once I saw a flea I would dip the comb into the water.  They are no longer scratching. The comb is not working as well on my dogs long hair so I'm not sure what to do with her. I haven't found any fleas but she does scratch occasionally. Maybe I'll give her a bath. I wash their bedding once a week which also helps keep the flea problem under control.

7. I hemmed a pair of pants I bought for $1 from Goodwill.

8. I made kale and sausage soup. The kale was from my garden.

9. I sauteed sugar snap peas in butter and garlic until they were soft. The sugar snap peas are from my garden,too. The vines are full and I've already used them in 2 meals.

10. I signed up with a local CSA. I paid $25 for the first box of organic vegetables. I cancelled after the first box arrived because it was mostly items to make salads. I love salads but I'm the only one who eats them. It's probably a great deal for organic veggies but that is why I don't purchase organic unless it's the same price as the regular veggies. I just can't afford it.

It's a busy time of year with the watering and pulling weeds in our garden. I love working in my yard.

So what did you do this week to save money in your home?
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Tiny small homes

The homes we've been looking to buy (less than 1,000 sq. ft) are HUGE in comparison to the home featured in this video. In fact, our studio is large compared to their home. I found this very encouraging that a family of 4 could live in less than 200 sq. ft.

Tiny Home

21 Day Organizing Challenge

I'm so doing this! I found it on another website and since we are possibly facing another move this year I need to continue paring down. This list will give me a specific focus each day.  What do you think about this list?

21 DAY ORGANIZING CHALLENGE

• Join the Challenge (at any time)
• Day 1 - Junk Drawer
• Day 2 - Computer Desk
• Day 3 - Tupperware Cabinet
• Day 4 - Linen Closet
• Day 5 - Under kitchen sink
• Day 6 - Dresser Drawers
• Day 7 - The Pantry
• Day 8 - Coat Closet
• Day 9 - Toy organization
• Day 10 - Laundry Room
• Day 11 - The Freezer
• Day 12 - Spice Cabinet
• Day 13 - Medicine Cabinet
• Day 14 - Under bathroom sink
• Day 15 - Medicine/Vitamin Storage
• Day 16 - The Fridge
• Day 17 - The Mail
• Day 18 - Keepsakes
• Day 19 - Master Closet
• Day 20 - Photos
• Day 21 - You pick!
• I found the challenge at this website. (I'm not endorsing the website since I only quickly browsed it.)        A Bowl Full of Lemons

Oh give me a home ... where the mortgage is low....

Quite a few years ago I owned a used homeschool curriculum bookstore which I ran for nearly 10 years. I often had mother's come for curriculum counseling because they were overwhelmed with all of the choices. Should they do unit studies or The Principle Approach or a more traditional textbook? It could drive a mother to distraction. I'd always bring them back to this question, "What has your husband allowed you to spend?" That was our starting point. It was a great 'narrower', as I used to call it, because it helped to narrow their choices.

Many of you know that we sold our home(s) 2 years ago when my husband became disabled. We lived in my aunt's barn studio the first year and then took a job as caregivers in the home of a 91 year old lady this past year so we could be closer to family.  My husband's Medicare will kick in April 1st and as a result we will be able to cut our $1,000 a month medical insurance payment to less than half. This will allow us to buy a small inexpensive home. There is no way we can afford rent  prices which are twice as much as a mortgage these days.

The types and areas of homes we can afford on a disability income are not familiar to us. To be honest, five years ago we would have avoided these areas like the plague. This has been the catalyst for a lot of soul searching and honestly I haven't been pleased with what I've seen. I believe I have taken on society's mindset when it comes to choosing a home more than God's. Sins like 'fear of man' and 'pride' are leading the pack.

Now, back to the point of my first paragraph. God has narrowed our income substantially over the past 5 years.  As a result it has limited us to certain areas where we can buy. They are not areas we would have pursued.. if given the choice... but God has narrowed our choices by our circumstances and funds. .. just as He did with my homeschool families..  He has spoken clearly through His provision.

There is a bigger part of me that gets excited thinking about where God might be moving us. Who will my neighbors be? Will there be some souls that I can point towards Christ? Will there be some that I can minister to or disciple? Will I have opportunities to serve?

 I am confident that He is working out His plan in our lives through the narrowing of our home choices. YAY!

 It will be small. It will be old. It will be perfect!
 

The Joy found in Serving (in our new Home)!

• 
  It's been over a month since my husband and I accepted a job as a caregiver to a 90 (just turned 91) year old woman named Alice. The opportunity came suddenly but as time has gone on I marvel at how perfectly suited this situation is for our current needs and smile knowing that God handpicked it for not only Alice but my husband and myself. To be honest with you I panicked the week before we were scheduled to move. I kept thinking.. what if I can't make Alice happy.. what if she doesn't like me...?   My husband reminded me that the Scriptures never command us to make someone happy.. only to serve and love them. I married a smart man!
  
  So, here we are a month later and I can honestly say that my fears were unfounded. God has exceeded my expectations in the gift He has given me in Alice.  She has not only opened her home to us but her heart. She has made us feel welcome and like we're part of her family.  She doesn't treat me like an employee but as her friend.  I'm finding great joy in serving her and making her comfortable. Honestly, it's been easy to fall in love with her. It blesses me so much when I ask her if there is anything else I can do for her and she simply says, "Nope. I'm happy."
  
  I'm a planner.. sometimes to my discredit. This past year I thought through a multitude of possibilities of where we might live next. I imagined us living in everything from a motorhome to my mother's house. Moving into Alice's home and caring for her was no where in the plans.  I wasted a lot of time in 'over thinking mode' when I could have been using those moments worshiping God and serving others. It won't be time wasted though if I can learn from it. I find that recently when I begin trying to micro-manage my future I suddenly remember how amazingly God orchestrated this move and immediately I am reminded that God does a much better job of  taking care of my future than I do. I am learning to 'rest' in His sovereign hands.
  
  

  

  Alice and I are settling into a routine and our days are beginning to establish a hum.. a rhythm. I'm learning her needs and how to make her comfortable. Before I moved in I set up a housekeeping schedule for her home. The first Monday after we moved here I pulled out my schedule and began cleaning. Alice said, 'what are you doing? Why don't you sit down and relax? Nothing needs to be cleaned.'  Alice has kept a very neat and clean home but she is teaching me (slow as it may be on my part) that a person doesn't always need to be busy. I could learn a lot from Alice... and I'm sure I have much more to learn.
  
  I'm also learning some new lessons in frugality that Alice is teaching me. I'm learning how to clean less and thereby use less water, cleansers and electricity.. to wash less loads of laundry each week and to use less lights and water. These are great lessons that will help stretch our income if we're ever given the opportunity to live in our own home again.
  
  I am continuing to learn deeper lessons in loving God and others. There is joy in serving.
  Jesus came to serve... and not to be served. He gave His life as a ransom for many. I don't serve perfectly. I've had moments where I'm tempted to put my own needs first. I've struggled at times with the changes my life has taken over the past few years as my husband's disability has kept us closer to home and more isolated.   But.. in spite of these  lapses of giving into my selfish nature I am finding a renewed love for the One who was the ultimate servant as I learn to follow Him in serving others and putting their needs ahead of my own.
  
  I have so much more to learn.
  
  Are you learning the joy of serving others?  Is there a widow in your family that needs your help? Or possibly an elderly neighbor?

'Living small' and our new home!

I'm entering my second year of LIVING SMALL and frankly I really like it. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would someday live in a home that was 10 times less in size.. I would have thought it unbearable. But, here I am and we're as content as can be! God has given abundant grace and we have found great peace in not only living with less but also with LIVING SMALL.

Here are a few things I like about LIVING SMALL:

•  LIVING SMALL demands less of my time to clean which allows more time to invest in eternal priorities.   
• LIVING SMALL forces me to make the most of the space that I do have. Our new little cottage has less storage than we previously had so it forced me to consider and evaluate each item I own (literally). That is a good thing because it helps me to narrow my priorities in what I own! Less stuff equals less to take care of.
• LIVING SMALL helps to harness the shopping bug (a.k.a. GREED). I used to enjoy browsing the stores which generally ended up in another purchase. But no longer! I just don't have the room for anything else unless I get rid of something.  I honestly have lost all desire to window shop which in the long run is saving me money and helping me to live more comfortably on a very limited budget.
• LIVING SMALL has helped me to focus more on my important relationships than on STUFF>

It's possible that someday we may LIVE LARGE(r) than we are living now but I believe that our lives will be forever effected by the drastic challenge of LIVING SMALL. At least I hope so!

So here is a tour of our new little cottage.

This is our main living space. Our kitchen is on the left.
 I've stored our canned food out in the garage in cabinets.
My 'office' is to the right of this picture in the lower left hand corner.



Same room just from a different view. The door straight back
is the laundry room which we share with our little lady plus
a bathroom. The hall leads to her home.

My 'office'. The closet holds half of our clothes. Our little lady
(Mrs. A.) has been gracious to allow us the use of an extra closet in
her home. I really think we could get by with this one closet if
we had to. Maybe I'll downsize our clothes this year.

Our bedroom. Our bed just barely fit. We had less than a foot
at the end but lots of space on the sides. Our BB (beloved pet)
sleeps on the pillow next to the bed.

We are also blessed with a 2 car garage which has helped tremendously. I've stored extra cleaning products along with canned foods, an extra fridge, large cooking pots and appliances and extra toiletries.

I'm determined that we COULD live in just the space given minus the garage and extra closet. We would just not be allowed the luxury of a stocked pantry.

We have everything necessary to maintain our household.. plus a little more. Isn't that amazing?

Summer Update: It was a long winter!

Many of you read our testimony to God's faithfulness over the past 5 years through the loss of our business, homes and my husband's present physical disability. At the beginning of this year we settled into a little bungalow in my aunt's barn which is nestled amongst her 10 acres of almonds. The winter months were difficult for my husband physically while his body adjusted to many new medications. Several of the medications that were prescribed to relieve pain had horrible side effects which brought their own host of serious problems. The colder temperatures also brought more pain. We spent many of our days at doctor appointments and tests with a few trips to the E.R. I'll be honest and share my very heart with you ... some of those days felt very 'dark' and I struggled at times emotionally as I watched my husband suffer knowing I could do nothing to relieve his pain. Yet, through the myriad of trials we're experiencing a richer walk with the Lord as He teaches us more about Himself. Some of these lessons involve dying to dreams that have long been a part of us. These lessons, although painful, are proving in the long run to bring a deeper joy than we've ever known in our Christian walk.




I am finding a greater need to daily rest in the knowledge of God's sovereignty. I'm slowly learning the lessons of what Amy Carmichael once shared in her poem, "In Acceptance Lieth Peace". I am convinced that Scripture teaches a loving God has 'assigned my portion' for each day (Psalms 16:5). Some of that portion may involve suffering, some may involve sorrow. He is the 'blessed controller' of all things (1 Timothy 6:15). What that means to me personally is that even my husband's pain is not out of His control.



Elisabeth Elliot once wrote, "I know of no greater simplifier for all of life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us that do not belong to our lovingly assigned "portion." ("This belongs to it, that does not")? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are canceled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter. A quiet heart is content with what God gives."



I cannot live in the past of what my husband and I had hoped our future would look like. I cannot live in the fantasy of what we 'thought' our future should be. I especially will not mourn the loss of 'things' that with time would only rust and be left behind on this earth. I choose to rest in the security of knowing an all loving and all-powerful God has not left His throne but is masterfully in control of each intricate detail of our lives. We seeing His plan unfolding each day and are witnessing His skillful craftsmanship as He weaves all of our circumstances into a pattern for good.. even the painfully, hard ones! I pray His lessons will continue to change us and be used to conform us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:28,29)



You know.. the amusing thing is that the ideals we had for our future were no way as glorious as what we are experiencing today.... even in the midst of the painful times. Our 'imagined' goals focused on the temporary things of this world and how we would live financially in our old age. We labored to that end. A very small portion of our imaginations for the future had to do with God's kingdom. These days my husband and I talk much about the Lord's kingdom and how we hope to serve more. God is teaching us to 'seek first His kingdom' and we're finding a huge portion of joy as our focus becomes set more on the eternal things rather than the temporal.











(I have a small window (possibly) of opportunity to share lessons we are learning while my husband's physical state is temporarily stabilized and my help is less needed. I hope to share more in a later post... Lord willing.)

Our Story

The purpose of this blog is to share an unusual journey...

Our lifestyle has changed pretty drastically the past several years. I'm sure we're not alone. The 'Great Recession' has impacted many households. Our household is one of them. Providentially we've been forced into a situation which is taking every skill we've ever learned in stretching our income. We're learning new lessons daily.

This is our story..

Approximately four years ago our trucking business was booming. We were like many people.. we had lots of work and made a lot of money.. and unfortunately we spent a lot of money, too! As our business grew we slowly began outgrowing the property we lived on so we made a decision to move to a larger piece of land.

A year after we moved the price of fuel went up along with insurance rates. A few of the larger companies we worked for began to pay later and later. Then, as the housing market began to fall, work became less and less. Each month we went farther and farther into the hole. We tried to keep the business afloat but after 1 year we finally had to make the decision to close our doors.

My husband went to work for another company pulling their trailer and we started to sell off our equipment. Our income dropped considerably and we were not sure we'd be able to keep our home so we put it up for sale. Kevin worked long, long hours and we kept our head above water. We had multiple offers on our property but they all fell through. We finally were able to sell a year and a half later but by that time we had lost 3/4 of the equity from our previous home. We moved into town and purchased a lovely home nearly half the size of the previous one. We thought things were settling down.

A few months after moving my husband's job came to an end. There was just no work. Within a few weeks my son offered him a job where he worked. It would be another cut in pay. We were sure there was no way we would be able to make it financially on the new salary but we took the job knowing we were blessed to have work. By then the housing market had dropped even more and the unemployment rate was high. We cut every expense we could and made it through another year.

We had no way of knowing that this job would be the end of my husband's career and put a heavy toll on his health. Over the coming months the physical nature of the job began playing havoc with the arthritis in his back. He was in excruciating pain which effected every area of his life. Nearly a year later my husband was laid off from this job due to limitations caused by his health and it was then he decided to file for disability.

We sold our home and ended up losing our rental home (which we had hoped to help fund us through our retirement years) and moved into a studio apartment in my aunt's barn that was smaller than our previous garage.

So.. that's our story... but it doesn't really end there. It's only the beginning. We're learning many new lessons. Some lessons are hard... but many of these lessons are bringing new joys as we discover that the simple things in life really bring the greatest joy.

This blog is dedicated to those who are facing hard financial challenges. It may be the working mother who wants to be home with her children but sees no way she can obtain that goal.. or the couple who desperately wants to retire but don't believe they can live on social security... or it may be the couple who need to dig their way out of debt by finding ways to cut back on their monthly expenses. I hope that this blog will give you the encouragement and necessary tools you need to thrive on LIVING WITH LESS MONEY.