"Thou shalt not covet what thy neighbor or HGTV have." :)
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See our kitchen? The sunshine, alone, makes me smile as I look at it from The Red Couch.
Does our kitchen have an island?
A microwave?
Tons of counter space and storage?
Under-cabinet lighting?
Lots of gadgets?
Stainless steel appliances?
Lots of drawers?
A utility closet?
Pull-out shelving?
A pantry?
No. Nor does it have built-in Lazy Susans, special spice drawers, spiffy canned goods cupboards, porcelain counter tops or ceramic tile flooring.
Are Tom and I suffering because we don't have these things? Uh, no. Not even. Oh, pantry and utility closets might feel dreamy, but we're cooking, eating and cleaning just fine without them and we've created different forms of kitchen storage in other places.
Now, does the world tell us we should have all of those extra things?
Yes, it does. Everywhere on tv, online, home stores, newspapers, catalogs, billboards and well, as I said, everywhere. It finds us even when we don't go looking.
Could Tom and I currently afford to add some of these things to our kitchen?
Yes. We could. But as for us and our house, we will only install what feels necessary and what we believe God is nudging us to do. Not what the world tells us we must have if we're to fit in and be cool. Not what the world says is necessary to live comfortably today. And not because we gave-in to any pressure from anybody to, "Keep up or be left behind in Nobody Land."
Oh, how we all need to unplug from the world each day! To quietly separate the truth from all those thousands of subtle lies which brainwash us, making us think we're missing-out. Confusing us as to what matters and what does not.
May we, daily, come away and remember what is real, Whose we are and how very rich we are in Him.
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"My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right. " ...Theodore Hesburgh
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I snapped this through our living room window yesterday. Thought the lighting and subject matter kinda cool.
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May I count my blessings rather than always list what I do not own.
May I treasure the need, the privilege to be creative and never resent what happened on the unique journey to finding Myself With Him.
5 comments:
Very thought provoking.
It's true that we are bombarded by ads, blogs, those who think that beauty lies in the latest, biggest, best possessions. They go deeply in debt to acquire the "must haves" and then can't sleep well worrying about how they will be able to pay for their chosen lifestyles. Even if they can afford the things they crave, they will never be happy unless they upgrade every few years.
This morning, I read a blog about minimizing and about how freeing it is to live a simple life style.
It brought to mind that I have way too much "stuff" and was reminded that I am very happy when we spend time at our tiny cottage, on a cove of a lake, in another state.
It is so small that only the minimum amount of furniture, etc. can fit in it. It really is liberating, and makes for closeness in relationships, because we can't go to another part of the house and be self-centered.
Wifi there is just about non-existent, so we can't spend hours a day on the computer, smart phones, or other technology that encourages escapism.
I applaud you for living a simple life and focusing on what is really important-faith, family and
finding happiness in what you have, not what someone else has.
nancyr
I have been reading Richard Proenneke's book, "one Man's Wilderness". It's about his life in Alaska, in a cabin he built by himself, at the edge of a mountain lake. Here is his ample kitchen: http://www.offgridworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/log-cabin-alone-in-the-wilderness-2.jpg
One thing we learn when living in tiny spaces in order to live in different places due to family needs, we really need very little to live quite comfortably. And those of us who grew up when we had a whole lot less, but did just fine, have an advantage over young people today who grew up in homes with a lot of stuff (well, we were not rich, but we live much simpler these days than when our children lived at home with us). I think your living situation sounds VERY ample really!! VERY!!
Elizabeth in NC
This is one of the reasons I do not go to the mall. I walk through and see all these beautiful things I would love to have and I come home very sad that I don't have the finances to buy pretty clothes, shoes, etc. The thing is, I have what I NEED. So, I skip the mall, even just to "look around."
Glad you are staying warm, Debra, and have sunshine. That helps a lot.
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