I grew up with generations of extremely frugal women.
Remember that squeezing a penny so hard a booger comes out of Lincoln’s nose?
Yea, well, that’s the kind of amazing women I spawned from.
Not only frugal, they were creative and could make anything, really.
Mom and Gramma could cook up a tasty dinner out of almost nothing.
My Mom can sew anything.
She even sewed a new top for a pop-up camper when we were kids.
Uh, HUH! She did!
She figured it was cheaper to buy canvas and ribbits,
as we kids called rivets, and replace the failing one,
than to buy a whole new camper.
She made piggy banks and paper dolls out of bleach jugs.
She made hats out of pop cans and yarn scraps.
She sewed doll clothes from scraps.
Her mother was also frugal and creative,
and we have adorable little panties that say”sugar” on the rearie
just to prove it.
Gramma was known for her quilting and crotcheting abilities,
each kid and grandkid have items to prove it.
We have piles of Christmas ornaments carefully
crafted with a bajillion sequins.
How could she sit still so long?
So, with this long line of amazing, talented, creative and frugal women
lining up for generations behind me,
sometimes I have a hard time…..
throwing things out.
There’s not a bleach jug that goes into the garbage
that doesn’t make me cringe.
Last year, I actually cut that thin strip of bleach jug from the middle,
and laid it under something heavy in the garage to make it flat.
I was pretty sure I was going to make paper dolls,
just like my mom.
I threw it out this week.
It’s so not gunna’ happen!
I long ago lost that feeling of anguish over throwing out bread bags,
but not washing out ziploc bags makes me kinda nervous.
They can be washed in the washing machine and hung to dry,
as long as you don’t use them for food again.
I also realized you can just buy a new box.
After reading Tightwad Gazette,
the guilt just grew leaps and bounds.
Do you know people actually make stuff out of
The shredded paper from the shredder?
Frugal people have uses for that stuff.
I hate wasting things.
But, I confess, week after week
I still throw out my dryer lint and shredded paper.
Guilt taunts
“waste not, want not”
“what would your gramma say?”
“waster, waster, waster!”
There are things I don’t want to ever waste,
as advised by my husband’s mentor, John.
He loves to encourage us,
“Don’t waste a good trial.”
Trials have a spiritual purpose in our lives,
or the Lord wouldn’t have allowed them.
James 1:3-4
“knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Throw out the lint and shredded paper,
but look at the trials with new light.
What can the Lord fashion in your life with these struggles?
C’mon,
waste not, want not!
I caught wind of your blog from a comment you left of The Lumberjack’s Wife. Your move from Montana to Seattle was the opposite journey we took 21 years ago.
Your blog is delightful. I’m glad I stopped by.
We use the shredded paper! Great for lining bird cages.
I wish I was better at finding the make-something-out-of-this-junk knack. =/ ~~~~~~~~~~"Don't waste a good trial."Trials have a spiritual purpose in our lives,or the Lord wouldn't have allowed them.~~~~~~~~~~So true…I only wish I was wise enough to remember it.Thanks Mindy, for encouraging me learn from hardships and grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ through them.
I wish I was better at finding the make-something-out-of-this-junk knack. =/ ~~~~~~~~~~"Don't waste a good trial."Trials have a spiritual purpose in our lives,or the Lord wouldn't have allowed them.~~~~~~~~~~So true…I only wish I was wise enough to remember it.Thanks Mindy, for encouraging me learn from hardships and grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ through them.
The Depression taught my parents and grandparents a lot of canny tricks as well. Even now, when mum and dad could relax mum rinses all the little containers and recycles them in various ways. Bless them. Our throw away generation will pay in the long run. I think also that those earlier generations can teach us a lot about "putting our shoulder to the wheel" have faced and conquered many trials.
The Depression taught my parents and grandparents a lot of canny tricks as well. Even now, when mum and dad could relax mum rinses all the little containers and recycles them in various ways. Bless them. Our throw away generation will pay in the long run. I think also that those earlier generations can teach us a lot about "putting our shoulder to the wheel" have faced and conquered many trials.
We may be long lost relatives. 🙂 My father grew up during the Depression and almost borders on a hoarder with not wanting to throw things out. My mother will sneak things into the garbage when he's gone.So by nature, I tend to want to hang on to things. Though I did just make the cutest infinity scarf from an old t-shirt this week.http://melissaknorris.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/pioneering-today-repurpose-a-t-shirt-into-a-scarf/I'm learning that it's good to throw things out. Some things need to be let go of. And God has refined me so many times by trials. I tend to be stubborn and don't learn without them. Thanks for this uplifting post. It made me smile.
We may be long lost relatives. 🙂 My father grew up during the Depression and almost borders on a hoarder with not wanting to throw things out. My mother will sneak things into the garbage when he's gone.So by nature, I tend to want to hang on to things. Though I did just make the cutest infinity scarf from an old t-shirt this week.http://melissaknorris.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/pioneering-today-repurpose-a-t-shirt-into-a-scarf/I'm learning that it's good to throw things out. Some things need to be let go of. And God has refined me so many times by trials. I tend to be stubborn and don't learn without them. Thanks for this uplifting post. It made me smile.
My Mom did many things like you refer to – I think it's the result of her being "a Depression" baby. I try not to be wasteful and I'm good at living on a budget, but don't do anything really extreme.
My Mom did many things like you refer to – I think it's the result of her being "a Depression" baby. I try not to be wasteful and I'm good at living on a budget, but don't do anything really extreme.
Oh darling, I really needed to read this today! Thank you Lord and my dearest Mindy! I do save dryer lint, it's great for sculpting, I save soda bottles to heat for flowers in hair bows and as for Trials, well the Lord piles them on and we learn and we grow and we PRAISE THE LORD at the end of the day because we'll have another day to raise our kids for Him and show them how to follow him thru the Valley. Our trials come to make us strong and the lint and fluff are there for the giggles we need to balance our days.Thank you Father for sisters like Mindy!!
Oh darling, I really needed to read this today! Thank you Lord and my dearest Mindy! I do save dryer lint, it's great for sculpting, I save soda bottles to heat for flowers in hair bows and as for Trials, well the Lord piles them on and we learn and we grow and we PRAISE THE LORD at the end of the day because we'll have another day to raise our kids for Him and show them how to follow him thru the Valley. Our trials come to make us strong and the lint and fluff are there for the giggles we need to balance our days.Thank you Father for sisters like Mindy!!
er… I think I replied in the wrong spot… so…ty min, I loved the encouragement… makes me think about the things I need to "throw away" as I have to leave homeschooling, teaching my kiddos hand work, crafts, etc and have someone else do my housework and embrace the lessons from the Lord of patience, acceptance and contentment.Leanne
er… I think I replied in the wrong spot… so…ty min, I loved the encouragement… makes me think about the things I need to "throw away" as I have to leave homeschooling, teaching my kiddos hand work, crafts, etc and have someone else do my housework and embrace the lessons from the Lord of patience, acceptance and contentment.Leanne
ty min, I loved the encouragement… makes me think about the things I need to "throw away" as I have to leave homeschooling, teaching my kiddos hand work, crafts, etc and have someone else do my housework and embrace the lessons from the Lord of patience, acceptance and contentment.Leanne
ty min, I loved the encouragement… makes me think about the things I need to "throw away" as I have to leave homeschooling, teaching my kiddos hand work, crafts, etc and have someone else do my housework and embrace the lessons from the Lord of patience, acceptance and contentment.Leanne
Wow! You are so creative at looking at things in light of scripture! Thanks for the word this morning! Oops…Its after lunch. And I've accomplished NOTHING. Oh well. 🙂
Wow! You are so creative at looking at things in light of scripture! Thanks for the word this morning! Oops…Its after lunch. And I've accomplished NOTHING. Oh well. 🙂