Keeping It Simple: Money
I have a very special place in my heart for the Amish way of life. Their simple living and devotion to the land is what I really envision for our future. That being said, I know I need electricity for things like lights and to run the water. Doesn't this defeat an Amish-like lifestyle? I don't think so mainly because it would be on a small use scale. I try to conserve electricity when I can at home, but in our new home conservation will become ingrained.
Thinking of our new home brings me to my first topic of money. Unfortunately, money does make the world go 'round. When I see communities like the Amish though I am not so sure of our priority on money. ("our" = everyone else in America). I really envy the way the Amish work together to raise barns or build homes. I am not sure what the philosophy of this is exactly, but I am going to guess that it has to do with their faith. I would also guess that they know that it is good for their community that no one is under the burden of debt. It is also good for the community that everyone have a home and a barn to sustain their families. If this is the reason, then I am even more envious.
Chris and I are looking two years out at moving right now. However, "...two years we will put our house on the market..." loses some honesty when I have been repeating it for five years. It's not that I am trying to be dishonest. We want to put the house on the market but we need to take care of our debt. More importantly, we need to make some serious sacrifices to pay off our debt. The trade-off for not making sacrifices is that we stay in our current house. So how bad do we want our house in the country with homesteading capabilities? Pretty badly-especially after we saw old barns being converted into beautiful homes.
If it were just the two of us, sacrifice would be pretty easy. It is the six of us though and explaining the big picture to our small children is going to be a little difficult. If we lived in a different time or community (ie Amish community) it might not be so challenging. The temptations of our modern living are heavy though. We live in a disposable world that wants new things yesterday.
Chris and I got caught up in that world which why we now are living in our current debt. I know why people like the Amish and other Christians stay away from debt. I know why the Bible says to stay away from it. It is a weight on our marriage and our family. Instead of choosing to dwell in it though, we are choosing to get out of it and never look back. Self-control and sacrifice will be our greatest challenge, but I know through the grace of God that we can do it.
Thinking of our new home brings me to my first topic of money. Unfortunately, money does make the world go 'round. When I see communities like the Amish though I am not so sure of our priority on money. ("our" = everyone else in America). I really envy the way the Amish work together to raise barns or build homes. I am not sure what the philosophy of this is exactly, but I am going to guess that it has to do with their faith. I would also guess that they know that it is good for their community that no one is under the burden of debt. It is also good for the community that everyone have a home and a barn to sustain their families. If this is the reason, then I am even more envious.
Chris and I are looking two years out at moving right now. However, "...two years we will put our house on the market..." loses some honesty when I have been repeating it for five years. It's not that I am trying to be dishonest. We want to put the house on the market but we need to take care of our debt. More importantly, we need to make some serious sacrifices to pay off our debt. The trade-off for not making sacrifices is that we stay in our current house. So how bad do we want our house in the country with homesteading capabilities? Pretty badly-especially after we saw old barns being converted into beautiful homes.
If it were just the two of us, sacrifice would be pretty easy. It is the six of us though and explaining the big picture to our small children is going to be a little difficult. If we lived in a different time or community (ie Amish community) it might not be so challenging. The temptations of our modern living are heavy though. We live in a disposable world that wants new things yesterday.
Chris and I got caught up in that world which why we now are living in our current debt. I know why people like the Amish and other Christians stay away from debt. I know why the Bible says to stay away from it. It is a weight on our marriage and our family. Instead of choosing to dwell in it though, we are choosing to get out of it and never look back. Self-control and sacrifice will be our greatest challenge, but I know through the grace of God that we can do it.
Comments
Money Secrets of the Amish
and
Better Off
I read them this winter and really enjoyed them. Looks like we have much to discuss. Let's set a coffee date! I miss you!