the end... of part 1

Well today is day 45 of my challenge. I am done the first half of the no-spending challenge and done my first clothing challenge.  For a quick refresher of what these challenges are, see "Am I up to the challenge?"

 

For the most part this has been pretty easy actually. I had only one day where I really longed for a larger wardrobe. I was feeling blah and nothing made me feel "WOW!"... after texting a friend she said "If only we could see ourselves the way God sees us." It made me think about how I still put so much focus on appearance. Sigh.

 

I am glad I kept it at 45 pieces of clothing for 45 days... with our crazy weather I don't know how I could have done 30 pieces of clothing! I have added a few things to my closet in the last 45 days that has made it easier too- I did some dyeing and a bit of sewing and repurposing. It was quite fun actually! I have started looking at things differently- a more economical way maybe? Old sheets can become fabric. An old scarf could be made into a skirt or belt. Three pieces of discarded clothing can become a dress!  

 

BUT that said, I am going to try... I am going to attempt 30 pieces of clothing for 30 days. I am going to go back through my clothing and take out even more... maybe add a few things back in, but the end result will be 30 for 30. That means that by August 15 I will be done this next section of my challenge.

 

On the other side of my challenge was my no-spending for 90 days (until Sept. 1). I would say that I have really grown in this area personally. We have been spending money.... we have done things around the house, like finish our deck and fire pit.

 But I have not bought anything for myself for 45 days. I have not bought my children anything for 45 days. They did get one happy meal. We did pull out some new sticker books and games that I had previously purchased.

 In thing 45 day period, we were given several bags of clothing as hand-me-downs, we set up our trampoline - also a hand-me-down, and we received some other new things from various places without spending a cent. The one thing I almost did buy was a pair of shoes for Levi- I even had some in my hands in the store but decided not to, we would have to find a way to get by. That was Wednesday, and on Friday my mom shows up with 2 pairs of crocs for Levi that she had gotten at a garage sale. She didn't even know I was feeling like he needed them....
I have been missing garage sales. I am also kind of missing the hunt of the deal. But why hunt the deal when you don't need the stuff anyways?

 

I have been looking for ways to be more helpful financially. I have been using coupons more. I have been seeing things we can make at home instead of buying them. This has been fun- making creamer (yummy!), granola bars- thanks Cara!, bagels - thanks Erin!, and yogurt! 
I have been becoming more aware of the fact that none of our money really belongs to me anyways- its all HIS anyways.

my first batch was a bit runny- but the boys loved it anyways

 I have begun the fruit gathering and preserving with strawberries- first at the grocery store, and then this week the boys and I went strawberry picking. It was raining so I have no pictures of them in action- but they were AMAZING... my bigger boys each picked an ice cream pail, and my 2 year old ate and ate and ate!

we picked 6 of these ice cream pails!

I am looking forward to the rest of the fruit season, and though my garden is currently under water, I am excited about what may be. The next 45 days (until Sept 1) are very important in our life... the next 45 days will stock our freezer full of fruit and vegetables, they will tell us what kind of crop and harvest we will have this year, we will enjoy family time in BC together, we will say good bye to friends who are moving, we will celebrate the birthday of a soon to be 6 year old, we will begin gr.1 officially with said 6 year old... 

A few things I am learning...

• sometimes the life you never imagined, is better than you could possibly have imagined.
•  And when you surrender yourself to servanthood the feeling of being sentenced to this life as a mother disappears, replaced by excitement for each step ahead.
•  Oh... and HE provides you what you need for every step of the way.
• If you open your eyes to see, there is beauty everywhere!
•  When you are thankful for even the little things, joy flows- unstoppable
• Nothing is as hard as you think it will be, so just try it- it's ok if you fail

money, possessions and eternity!!

I have this book in my house


"Money, possessions and eternity," by Randy Alcorn


that my husband has been reading for months (it is thick, and he is thorough)


and two close and trusted friends have referred to this book serveral times when we talk about money...


but until today I have not looked at it.


Well... I just skimmed a few sections, and WOW! I am scared to read anymore.  Honest. This is a kick you in the but, hit you over the head with God's Word, stir your inner self, need to spend months reading kind of book.


One of those trusted friends suggested I look at it in light of my current "CHALLENGE", and so tonight I did. There is definately tonnes in this book that applies to me (my head is spinning), but what I wanted to share are a few points from the appendix D- Practical Guidelines to Control Spending.  If you have this book, read it in full- if you don't have this book -Get it!!! Or just read my abbreviated version below...


"For many people, spending money is an addictive behavior similar to alcoholism or gambling. With compulsive spending, the true enemy lies within. We need to replace our preoccupation with short-term gratification and make our spending decisions from a long-term perspective. We must replace our self-indulgence with self- control."

He then goes on to give 10 guidelines to help with exercising self-control in the area of spending. I will just outline the ones that impacted me.

"1. Realize that nothing is a good deal if you can not afford it! Paying $80 for a pair of barely used skis that  cost $400 new seems like a great deal. But if we can't afford them, it simply doesn't matter.

3. Understand the difference between spending money and saving money. Saving is setting aside money for a future purpose. If we buy an $80 sweater on sale for $30, and think we just saved $50, we simply don't understand the concept of saving. Where is the $50 we think we saved? It doesn't exist All we've done is spend $30. If we keep "saving" like that, we'll soon be broke!

8. Learn to walk away from things you want but don't need.

9. Realize that little things add up. Like water from a leaky faucet, money trickles through our hands. The little drips don't seem like much, but they add up to gallons. One dollar here and ten dollars there; a hamburger here and a mocha there... These things may seem inconsequential, but they add up to hundreds of dollars per month and thousands per year. If a swimming pool if full of leaks, you can pump in more water, but it will never be enough until the leaks are fixed. We can take in more and more income, but until we fix the little leaks in our spending habits, we'll never be able to divert the flow of money. "

I entered this challenge without really thinking. I knew it would be hard, but I never imagined the change that would come from it. I am convicted. I have always thought of myself in a certain way, and I feel like layers of that perception are being peeled off and I am seeing things as they really are. The Lord is revealing things in me that I do not necessarily like, but that I am going to be striving to change. Interesting.