Frugality = Adventure

My grandmother Ginny, Grandpa Jack, Uncle Paul and Daddy

enjoying a day out.

This is day 8 of our buy nothing challenge. Being content with what we have has become easier and easier with each passing day. Our time is freed up to create and be with one another more often, we are no longer in the rat race of  "keeping up with the Joneses". As I write this our children are outside riding scooters, playing catch and reading on the back patio. They are interacting with one another and broadening their horizons. Eight days ago they would have been stuck in front of the TV begging for the newest toy being advertised  or yelling "I'm bored".  I am glad we have moved on.

When we take the time to slow down, we realize that life is a big adventure, full of possibilities and new things to learn. We start looking at our home as our safe haven again, instead of somewhere to escape. We view our family members as friends and companions to enjoy our journey with, and most importantly we relax and learn who we truly were meant to be. I no longer want things handed to me on a silver platter so to speak. I want to know the joy of creating, of making things around me more beautiful. I believe this was the legacy handed down from my grandparents, great aunts and uncles. I am more relaxed in my own kitchen making jelly, homemade bread and detergent than at the spa or eating out. I now want to conquer home gardening and serving vegetables that I grew to my family, not sure how long this particular lesson will take to learn but I am willing to find out. :-) Being frugal gives us things to do. We make jelly, detergent, play games, read, bake bread and yummy treats and soon we will garden. We are no longer waiting for something to happen for us to enjoy but we are making things happen around us that are joyful.

I want to leave you with something to think about. Last night we made homemade coleslaw and it struck me how pretty it was. The contrast of the freshly grated carrots against the light green of the cabbage. I was proud that I made that dish from start to finish. It made me ask myself why can't everything in our lives be deliberately crafted works of art?