Comments on: Contentment: Caught Between Bitter and Sweet http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet Rejoicing in hope...Romans 12:12 Wed, 09 May 2012 22:34:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Weekend Kindness » Good~Better~Best http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7761 Weekend Kindness » Good~Better~Best Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:17:33 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7761 [...] version starring Hayley Mills. Now, we all agree that dear Pollyanna wouldn’t recognize a “real problem if she tripped on it”. [...] [...] version starring Hayley Mills. Now, we all agree that dear Pollyanna wouldn’t recognize a “real problem if she tripped on it”. [...]

]]> By: Geri http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7757 Geri Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:45:22 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7757 Thanks! Thanks!

]]> By: Mary http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7755 Mary Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:21:11 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7755 Everyone does (have mishaps here and there). Every try cleaning up a half a bag of spilled sugar from the kitchen table, chairs and floor? Sticky. ;) And that's just off the top of my head... You're doing great, you have the *want to*, that is huge. Everyone does (have mishaps here and there). Every try cleaning up a half a bag of spilled sugar from the kitchen table, chairs and floor? Sticky. ;) And that’s just off the top of my head…

You’re doing great, you have the *want to*, that is huge.

]]> By: Geri http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7752 Geri Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:02:20 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7752 Same here! The get-togethers are what make the memories. I would love to start doing more home-made things for the holidays too, but I'm only just starting to get a good recipe stash-such as the wonderful one you sent me! Once I have a few more recipes I can trust I will start doing more stuff like that...seeing as I am not too experienced in the kitchen. I still have a few mishaps here and there! Same here! The get-togethers are what make the memories. I would love to start doing more home-made things for the holidays too, but I’m only just starting to get a good recipe stash-such as the wonderful one you sent me! Once I have a few more recipes I can trust I will start doing more stuff like that…seeing as I am not too experienced in the kitchen. I still have a few mishaps here and there!

]]> By: Mary http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7748 Mary Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:13:41 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7748 So true, I think all of us moms can relate to our toddlers getting plenty of enjoyment out of plain boxes even when up to fantastic gifts! The gift buying for extended family and friends is what has always pinched our own spending on each other and the girls. I love shopping for the perfect gift, and have homemade a ton of gifts in the past 15 years, but I'm ready to scale back on it all. When you have 19 nieces and nephews, one of whom is married, I'd much rather avoid the headache and just focus on getting together for food and games over the holidays. I guess, too, as I get older, I just want the hype at Christmas to not take over the more meaningful reason we celebrate. So true, I think all of us moms can relate to our toddlers getting plenty of enjoyment out of plain boxes even when up to fantastic gifts!

The gift buying for extended family and friends is what has always pinched our own spending on each other and the girls. I love shopping for the perfect gift, and have homemade a ton of gifts in the past 15 years, but I’m ready to scale back on it all. When you have 19 nieces and nephews, one of whom is married, I’d much rather avoid the headache and just focus on getting together for food and games over the holidays. I guess, too, as I get older, I just want the hype at Christmas to not take over the more meaningful reason we celebrate.

]]> By: Geri http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7745 Geri Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:57:32 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7745 I know what you mean...I think it's a woman thing to love spending like that, although my DH loves to spend along with me. It's funny because we went a little spend happy this year with LO (the rest of our relatives had a $20/person limit which was great since I have 7 people in my family alone so it was nice not spending quite so much this year on in-laws and relatives when we could spend it on LO). We also spent a bit more on eachother (me and DH). Turns out that of all the things any of us got the huge box that DH's hockey net I bought him was in was LO's favourite thing to play with!! And of course he got a Tickle Me Elmo Extreme from his auntie and, rather than play with that (his Dad and grandpa were more excited by it than he was!) he liked the nice treasure chest box that the Elmo comes in! LOL I love how simple children are...and I agree with you about it being more fun for us buying the gifts than for them playing with them! I know what you mean…I think it’s a woman thing to love spending like that, although my DH loves to spend along with me. It’s funny because we went a little spend happy this year with LO (the rest of our relatives had a $20/person limit which was great since I have 7 people in my family alone so it was nice not spending quite so much this year on in-laws and relatives when we could spend it on LO). We also spent a bit more on eachother (me and DH). Turns out that of all the things any of us got the huge box that DH’s hockey net I bought him was in was LO’s favourite thing to play with!! And of course he got a Tickle Me Elmo Extreme from his auntie and, rather than play with that (his Dad and grandpa were more excited by it than he was!) he liked the nice treasure chest box that the Elmo comes in! LOL I love how simple children are…and I agree with you about it being more fun for us buying the gifts than for them playing with them!

]]> By: Mary http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7742 Mary Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:51:12 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7742 Thank you! But I know I have far to go. Honestly though, if we had plenty of money, I know my inclination to spend it would outweigh my ideals and desires of raising my kids to appreciate the simple goodnesses of life. So we all *know* that money doesn't buy happiness, but when we get it, we still spend it as though it does. For instance, we've had Christmases when the girls were little, that the only gifts the youngest would get would be whatever dh's boss sent over for them, or whatever the extended family gave them. So two Christmases ago, we happened to have a really good bonus and just went shop-happy for the kids...wanting to provide for them as lush a Christmas as they were used to getting "away from home". Ironically, that was the worst Christmas ever. Way too many gifts, not that they were expensive items, more like a lot of little things. Then we were rushing through our traditional Christmas breakfast, and barely making it to the family dinner by noon. And the girls weren't grateful for their presents once they got past the third gift. I felt ridiculous for spending like a giddy child, it was definitely more fun for me than for the girls. The spending! Not the actual gift opening process. Which taught me a lesson I'm not soon to forget! This year we planned on limiting it to two gifts per girl, but ended up adding a third practical gift for each girl. Much more manageable, and we all agreed it was one of our more special Christmases. Less is more! I guess we sometimes have to experience it to believe it though. Thank you! But I know I have far to go. Honestly though, if we had plenty of money, I know my inclination to spend it would outweigh my ideals and desires of raising my kids to appreciate the simple goodnesses of life. So we all *know* that money doesn’t buy happiness, but when we get it, we still spend it as though it does.

For instance, we’ve had Christmases when the girls were little, that the only gifts the youngest would get would be whatever dh’s boss sent over for them, or whatever the extended family gave them. So two Christmases ago, we happened to have a really good bonus and just went shop-happy for the kids…wanting to provide for them as lush a Christmas as they were used to getting “away from home”. Ironically, that was the worst Christmas ever. Way too many gifts, not that they were expensive items, more like a lot of little things. Then we were rushing through our traditional Christmas breakfast, and barely making it to the family dinner by noon. And the girls weren’t grateful for their presents once they got past the third gift. I felt ridiculous for spending like a giddy child, it was definitely more fun for me than for the girls. The spending! Not the actual gift opening process. Which taught me a lesson I’m not soon to forget! This year we planned on limiting it to two gifts per girl, but ended up adding a third practical gift for each girl. Much more manageable, and we all agreed it was one of our more special Christmases.

Less is more! I guess we sometimes have to experience it to believe it though.

]]> By: Geri http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7736 Geri Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:06:26 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7736 The world is just too materialistic nowadays. Children are not like that, it's what parents teach them that makes them as adults become more like that. Your daughter just has been brought up well to value the important things in Life and that's all you and your husband's doing. I know I won't be able to offer my son a Harvard education or a Porsche or anything like that ever but I hope I can raise him to realise that the things I do give him are worth more than all those things anyways. Sounds to me like you did just that and that, to me, means that you have succeeded as a parent! The world is just too materialistic nowadays. Children are not like that, it’s what parents teach them that makes them as adults become more like that. Your daughter just has been brought up well to value the important things in Life and that’s all you and your husband’s doing. I know I won’t be able to offer my son a Harvard education or a Porsche or anything like that ever but I hope I can raise him to realise that the things I do give him are worth more than all those things anyways. Sounds to me like you did just that and that, to me, means that you have succeeded as a parent!

]]> By: Mary http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7735 Mary Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:54:25 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7735 Thanks, Geri. It really did make my day. That she can be so happy with what little we have (materially) to offer her, really blessed me that day. It's one of those special moments that I'll bring up often in my mind and smile about! Thanks Shopping Cart Freak! That is a huge peace of mind, to know that we are not alone, God is with us and knows the outcome. I'm glad you found us here, and hope you stop by again! Thanks, Geri. It really did make my day. That she can be so happy with what little we have (materially) to offer her, really blessed me that day. It’s one of those special moments that I’ll bring up often in my mind and smile about!

Thanks Shopping Cart Freak! That is a huge peace of mind, to know that we are not alone, God is with us and knows the outcome. I’m glad you found us here, and hope you stop by again!

]]> By: Shopping Cart Freak http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/comment-page-1/#comment-7729 Shopping Cart Freak Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:04:24 +0000 http://homesteepedhope.com/2008/01/15/contentment-caught-between-bitter-and-sweet/#comment-7729 I've come to learn that true prosperity is to be content in every circumstance. Fully trusting that The Lord is always near and always watching me. Good article. I’ve come to learn that true prosperity is to be content in every circumstance. Fully trusting that The Lord is always near and always watching me.

Good article.

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