Sep. 7, 2008 - Frugal Cooking
A Frugal Cook
I have always thought of myself as a frugal cook until I have recently had to take it to a higher frugal level. I have become nicknamed the food police at our house (which I do not enjoy by the way). There just has not been surplus cash for groceries and with costs at the store rising it has been a strugggle to feed my family and feed them well. It is amazing how inventive one can get when there just is NO more money and you have two weeks, a week or three days until pay day! I am amazed at the things my family has learned to do without. I am also amazed at the amount of complaining and whining that I have encountered.
Teaching our children in America that God will provide for their needs is a very difficult thing. Do we ever allow them to have a real physical need? America is a country of surplus. My family along with many others have never served our children the same type of food many times over. Or let them go without shoes until God provides. I have come to realize that I need to allow my children to see how God will provide for us. I see that my children need to know what it is like to be unsatisfied after a meal so that they better understand how it feels to be and do without. Now it is not as if my children get new clothing, and we eat steak. We do not and never have, however my children have never truly been hungry or even just tired of eating pinto beans (until now that is). I can truly say that I have not been enjoying this season of my life very much but with just as much conviction I can say that God is using it in the lives of each of my family members. He is shaping and growing us. Where and how is He growing you? Are you enjoying it? I pray the Lord helps you get a different perspective about your struggles today so you can laugh and dance in the midst of them. He is faithful. (even when pintos are cooking on the stove)
Comments
Sep. 15, 2008 - I agree
Posted by zoburg
I loved this post. We often do with less & without. Once you have pared down a need from a want, it is amazing how a need can also become a want. My kids are pretty good about it but even I get sick of it after a while.
Nov. 20, 2008 - You are so right!
Posted by penneyfromheaven
I don't know how much you know of my story, oh, I'm Penney Douglas, from Cindy Rushton's classes, btw. I'm the one who thoughtlessly sent you the email with the pics of all the babies. Anyway, thanks for forgiving me.
What I was going to say is, we went through losing everything and having nothing and no income after I prayed for a Baptism of Fire. This happened during the years 2002-2006. You are so right about kids in America being sheltered from any type of need or reliance on God. That's what we learned from our experience. God was always faithful. My husband and I were helpless to do anything to change our situation. We just threw ourselves on God's mercy and provision. The hardest thing was how people judged us. But God was there for us all the time. My kids know that God is real. They have no doubt. If He wasn't real, we wouldn't have survived. But now He has put us in a place of abundance. We are making more than ever and living in a bigger house than we've ever had.
I'm glad that you're learning the right things and keeping your heart right in the midst of it all. Know that He will carry you through this, and your kids' faith and character will be all the better for it.
Love,
Penney
