On Easter Sunday, I said that aside from the 50 Days of Amazing Grace series and the Amazing Grace giveaways, I would be featuring guest posts from inspiring mom bloggers in a series of posts titled, “Amazing Grace for Moms.” I am so overwhelmed and grateful for the positive responses of the mommy bloggers who have agreed to be part of this series so far. 🙂
Here’s the first post in the series. May you be inspired by God’s amazing grace through it! 🙂 Special thanks to Toni of Wifely Steps for taking the time to write this beautiful piece!
The Gift of Simple Living
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It’s easy to use money as a measure of how much you’re worth. It’s easy to use it as a measure of your standard of living. It’s easy to see why. The more you have, the more you’ll be able to satisfy cravings – from a cone of ice cream to a pair of designer shoes. The more you have, the easier it is to choose things that you think will make you happy – from an impulse buy of a candy bar at the grocery counter to the shiny gadget you reward yourself with after a successful client meeting.
You simplify.
I became more conscious about what kind of products I bought. I surveyed the brands I used and sought out their competition. From shampoos to baby wipes to toothpaste to feminine aids, I became more meticulous about quality and value for money. Some brands I stuck to no matter what prices they had, others I let go of as I did find something better.
You simplify.
I stopped random trips to milk tea and coffee shops. I stopped going to malls unless needed. I stopped browsing online stores (and gained more free time at that too!).
While I know this isn’t rocket science for a lot of people, it was a jolt of inspiration for me. My lifestyle isn’t as comfortable as it used to be, but I feel richer, happier, and more peaceful.
It’s easy to use money as a measure of how much you’re worth. It’s easy to use it as a measure of your standard of living. But it won’t buy me the smile my son gives me when I sit on the floor with him and make animals out of clay. It won’t buy the laughter my son and I burst out as we jump out of bed together in the morning. These little treasures are far more precious to me than any gold nugget in the world.
Don’t get me wrong, I do still need the money. I work my heart out every day to help keep the family budget afloat. The difference is I know better how to manage the money. I know better how to prioritize. I still have my weaknesses though – a pack of chocolate at the grocery’s counter, a good meal at a fine dining restaurant on special days. What’s different is I have a much higher appreciation for these fine things. They’re not to be taken for granted.
You simplify.
Then my son would wake up from his nap looking for me. I’d drop my things and rush to his side, cradling him till he falls asleep again. Then it hits me, this time, positively. If it were the old life, I wouldn’t be with my son in the middle of the afternoon lulling him to sleep. I’d be stuck in some meeting wishing I were home lulling him to sleep.
How do you measure your life’s riches?
My son’s eyes that light up when he wakes up to me in the morning. My husband’s happy mood as I run him through what our son did for the day. My son’s laughter as he learns his alphabet and animals with me. My family and I snuggled in bed on a lazy afternoon, each of us reading a book. My son surprising me with a big, tight hug from behind while I’m on my knees picking up his toys. My son happily riding in the grocery cart as my husband and I debate on what stuff to cross off our grocery list.
You simplify and you feel richer. Much, much richer.
That’s darn better than a whole closet of shoes.
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Toni Tiu feels that the gift of simple living is God’s greatest blessing to her as a work-from-home-mom. It took a while to adjust to and even a longer time to embrace, but with the support of her family she feels her journey as a mother has been made even richer. Toni regularly blogs about home and living on Wifelysteps.com.
Love this post!
Like Toni, I’ve had to struggle with the question of working to contributing to the family budget and prioritizing for providing for the needs of my family that cannot be bought by money. I am very thankful that my husband works very hard to provide for our family and we’ve been very blessed to have our needs sustained. Our way of life has taught us to be simpler, to want less and to be more appreciative of what we have. And for me, the time I get to spend with my son, watching him grow up, is worth more to me than any designer bag or cool gadget in the world. 🙂