Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Living In a Material World

Guy with the free items we acquired today.









  1. Keeping goals are hard. That is why we have a mid-year review. We revise what is working and what isn't.

    Free isn't always great. Buying is easy. Earning it is hard. It is hard especially when there is such a happy smile received. How's the prep coming for your writing workshop?

  2. How did you get it for free? And I really have to limit my goodwill trips. Regardless with how cheap it is, I am still spending the money and bringing stuff into the home that I don't always need. I probably don't mind moving for that reason--it's always a way to purge want you don't need!

  3. It is all too true that homemade gifts are much more precious than gifts that are bought at the store. I have two homemade dolls that I treasure, although I know I didn't truly appreciate them as a child. One doll was made for me by grandmother and one was made for me by mother. Now that both my mother and grandmother have died these gifts remind me of the love that they have for me. It touches me that they spent their time and talents in creating something for me. What were once playthings are now priceless treasures.

  4. Oh how I wish that we could go back to the days when a simple whittled toy, or a dress simply sewed was an amazing and wonderful gift. All too often we get things without thinking about where they came from. Interesting, this instant gratification world we live in. :)

  5. Im trying to show my girls that you can't have everything when you want it. I actually have no problems explaining that we are on a strict budget and so we can't just go out and buy things. I know a lot of parents Ive met don't like to talk money with their children but I don't see a reason why you can't just simply explain the reasoning behind why you can't do something.

    I try to do mostly handmade gifts and get my children involved with the making of them. It makes more of an impact on them when it takes actual effort to give a gift then it does when I have them choose something at the store. My oldest is getting to a point now where she wants to make people things and give them as gifts and doesn't understand why we would buy something instead. Its a bit of a double edged sword at times, right now I'm working on birthday/Christmas's (birthdays are in Nov, Jan and Feb with Christmas in the middle) and I have to buy some stuff because of time constraints, she doesn't understand the whole I don't have time to do everything thing.. "But Mom, your my MOM YOU CAN DO ANYTHING" love ya kid.

  6. Oh my goodness, that video video of your kids is so cute.
    I have a hard time with this concept ALL. THE. TIME.
    I grew up outside of the States and I remember living in areas where members from church lived just across the street from us in one-room dirt-floor homes while we lived in a nice, furnished apartment. During that time of my life, the disparities b/t poverty and middle class were so obvious all the time. I have often felt like I live in a material world and sometimes suffer much guilt from all the nice things I have when I know my brothers and sisters have so little. But I also know the Lord doesn't want me to feel guilty all the time. I have had to learn how and when to give, to be generous, to be loving and sincere and to also build up our own investments/material goods for our family and our future. It is a constant internal battle, I guess. But, that is amazing that you have committed to Good Will so much! I am super impressed. And I always think it is a good idea to have the kids do chores for their earnings.