www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
sometimes;a;more;realistic;goal;when;the
tasks;before;me;seemed;overwhelming.
Setting;a;goal;to;do;just;one;thing;gave
me a greater sense of accomplishment
and;motivation;to;move;forward.
To;just;do;one;thing;is;a;concept;that
has;served;me;well;as;we;adopted;frugal
practices;in;our;home.;Keeping;our;eyes
off;the;frugal;lifestyles;of;other;home-schooling;families;as;a;measurement;of
our;success,;we’ve;chosen;just;one;frugal
practice;at;a;time.;With;an;overall;goal;to
eliminate;debt,;it;took;many;small;bites
to;eat;that;elephant.
So;with;what;“one;thing”;should;we
begin, to be successful frugal homeschoolers? Proverbs 19: 21 reminds us
that;we;can;make;all;the;plans;we;want
to,;but;without;the;Lord’s;counsel,;those
plans;can;be;a;waste;of;time.;Author;A.
W.;Tozer;likens;it;to;the;foolishness;of;a
man;who;will;carefully;check;the;con-dition;of;his;vehicle;before;he;begins;a
trip,;but;fails;to;find;out;if;he’s;headed
in;the;right;direction.;As;important;as;it
may;seem;to;have;well;thought-out;goals
for;living;frugally—even;if;it’s;just;one
thing—nothing;is;more;important;than
stopping;to;ask,;“Am I headed in the right
direction?”
Remember, living frugally is simply
the practice of good stewardship with
cheerful contentment. It doesn’t mean
poor,;cheap,;or;substandard.;It;means;liv-ing;with;and;within;the;resources;God
has;made;available;to;us;and;using;those
resources;in;God-honoring;ways.;So;the
first;thing;to;do;is;to;ask;God;to;show;you
one;area;that;your;family;is;not;practi-cing;good;stewardship;or;being;content
with;His;provisions,;and;then;ask;Him
for;the;wisdom;and;guidance;to;head;in
the;right;direction.
That;one;thing;can;be;as;big;as;making
a;change;in;where;you;live;to;replacing
consumable paper goods, like napkins
and paper towels, with non-consum-
ables.;Maybe;the;grocery;budget;has;got-
ten;out;of;hand,;or;food;often;spoils;or
is;wasted;before;it;can;be;used.;It;could
be;that;impulse;spending;has;become;a
habit,;or;you;know;that;you’re;spend-
ing too much on clothing and beauty
products,;not;to;mention;transportation,
health;care;needs,;and;entertainment.
At;the;beginning;of;this;new;year,;let’s
put;the;past;behind;us;;trust;God;to;show
us;what;one;area;of;spending;He;wants;us
to;focus;on;first;;and;begin;to;move;for-ward;in;that;direction;to;adopt;the;frugal
practices;that;will;reflect;good;steward-ship;of;the;resources;He;has;provided.
“.;.;.;I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3: 13-14.
Molly Green is passionate about cheerful, creative homemaking on a down-to-earth budget. Visit her online home, www
. Econobusters.com, for tips about frugal
and tasty cooking, fresh decorating ideas,
affordable family fun, simple but effective organizing, and much more! Sign up
for her free weekly E-Newsletter and get a
bonus menu-planning E-Book too!
Nothing;is;more
important;than;stopping
to;ask,;“Am I headed in
the right direction?”
