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| An early morning view of the grounds at our house. |
The snow is falling gently nearly every day here in our rural village. It is peaceful and quiet. I have been thinking about the upcoming spring garden, but do not want to rush the season. I am still so happy with the white landscape all around and how cozy it is to stay indoors by the fire.
I have to venture out to the shops for provisions. The little trips make one cold in the icy weather, but it is still so lovely to look at the sky and snow-covered trees this time of year. I am always trying to find ways to avoid too many errands. It is more restful to stay at home as much as possible. I am able to accomplish wonderful homemaking tasks that keep us comfortable and happy. But the struggle has always been to make sure there is enough food in the pantry.
Years ago, when I was a young mother, some of us were visiting at one of the family homes. I sat at the dining room table going over my budget. My sister was walking through the rooms. I thought I would seek her advice. I wondered if there was some easier way to come up with enough money for groceries. She worked at a bank, and I hoped she would have some new insight. When I asked for advice, she responded with something like, "Oh, that's easy. You just pay all your bills first and then whatever is left over, you buy food." I sighed. It didn't sound easy to me, especially when the cost of living seemed to be so high. But all these years I have tried to remember what she said.
I believe people can get into a lot of financial trouble when they use their bill money to buy groceries. Soon they are behind on the rent, or there is a shut-off notice from the electric company. I have learned to budget our income to cover all bills first, and then what is left goes to food and savings. My food budget is much smaller than I would like. It is not what one would call "generous." Yet, I try every month to make it last and to stretch so my family feels like they are being taken care of.
Today, as I look through my kitchen to see what we have for provisions, I notice the freezer is nearly empty. I have ingredients available for baking and such, but not a great deal is available. My modest winter stock-up has not been replenished. Since I must be very careful with all of our resources, particularly when we must come up with hundreds of dollars to pay for heat in the coming weeks, I have to get creative.
I got up very early this morning and made a batch of brownies. I currently have a pot of homemade vegetable soup simmering on the stove. This afternoon, after a good rest, I will gather some apples that need to be used up. I searched through one of my old cookbooks. I will bake a homemade apple pie.
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| My old Betty Crocker cookbook. |
Later today, I will get out my little money jar. I will count out the quarters to see if I have enough for some stew meat. Then tomorrow, I hope to go to the grocers and get a small package of meat. I will then spend part of the day making a batch of homemade beef stew and biscuits. The stew will last a few days and be such a comfort to the household.
Each day I will pray for guidance and direction. Each day the Lord will help me come up with ideas. He will also give the strength and the energy to do the precious work of homemaking.
As the cold winter days linger on through the season, I will humbly seek the Lord with great faith and trust, asking, "please, dear Lord," I will pray, "send us this day our daily bread." I know He will take care of us. He always does.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
Some help for those Sad Days - Domestic Happiness.
Always Remember This - The House Comes First.
What many of us crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.
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Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics: Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."
Find stories of home life, with photographs of my home, in this encouraging book.
Paperback, 200 pages.
3 comments:
That photo of the sunrise is so beautiful. And I love your vintage cookbook too! The cost of food is so high these days. Because my bills come all through the month, I have a separate bank account just for bills and yearly expenses. That way, I can look at my spending account and always know exactly what I have available for food and household expenses. I read your budgeting book and it made such a wonderful difference to my system. I keep a money diary and do everything with pen and paper. It is simple and enjoyable for me to keep track this way. Thank you, Mrs. White, for your encouragement and for reminding us to keep our eyes on Christ.
Your sister's advice was spot on, Mrs. White. God will provide our daily bread in ways we could never imagine. May He bless you and yours always!
I can certainly relate to so many things you have written! Your sister had good advice regarding finances. I would have to say that food is one of our least expensive things. Electricity and health insurance (Medicare supplement) are more costly. Fortunately we are able to grow a large garden and I do lots of canning, freezing, and preserving. Our most expensive grocery item is meat. We often eat vegetable soup or bean soup with biscuits or cornbread. I have already planned for this year's garden and have ordered some of the specialty seeds I like to grow. Other seeds I save (because I plant heirloom varieties or open pollinated veggies). Other seeds I get at the local farm supply store, where in January they have 40% off sale. With careful planning and being satisfied with a simple menu it is very possible to live within one's budget. God always provides!
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