I have five children and home school four. I am at home all day, every day with my children. We have a limited budget and rarely go on trips or out for dinner. I don’t own a washing machine and I don’t have running water. But don’t feel sorry for me, because I … am free.
I am free from debt, depression and disease. I am free to jump on the trampoline or have a tea party with my children. I am free to teach them right from wrong; free to teach them how to read and explore the wonders of creation with them. I am free to worship God and read His Word. I am free to work in my garden and enjoy the labour of my hands. I am free to make a choice. That choice is whether to be thankful or feel sorry for myself, and I am free to make that choice … every day.
Great write up Rachel. I love how content you are and you are so right. We can either be thankful for what we have or feel sorry for ourselves for what we don’t or what we think we should have. Your an inspiration for me Rachel and God brought your friendship into my life at just the perfect time. What a blessing you have been my friend. Love you!
Sarah, thank you for the love and encouragement! I too feel that our friendship is God ordained. Blessings Sister!
~Rachel
Well this is a boost to my crappy poor me attitude today… Ok but I really must know… (and I’m not being snarky) tell me how you prioritize your time and get to have tea parties?
Oh and how after 5 kids do you jump on the trampoline and not pee your pants?
And out of just plain curiosity how do you do laundry?
LOL! I can’t wait to meet you Sarah! To be honest with you, though I am “free” to have tea parties with my children, I don’t exercisee that freedom nearly enough. And I haven’t peed my pants yet on the trampoline! I guess it’s just one more thing to be thankful for.
Sorry to disapoint you if you thought I did my laundry by hand, but I do it at the local laundromat.
Actually, I’ve been meaning to write a post on my laundromat experiences, so I’ll save the telling for later.
LOL! I too had vision of laundry being washed in the stream and hung to dry on the line! Rachel, your outlook on life is fantastic! I read your post about the cabin and I think I would have high tailed it after the flies!
Thanks for the comment Heidi. Almost makes me want to find a stream to wash my clothes in!
I think I would have high tailed it after the flies too if there was anywhere to go to. Looking back I’m just thankful that God saw me through. 
I love this! I am so excited that you made a comment on my blog so that I could pop over and read this! I LOVE to be home with my kids too, though we were only blessed with two (still holding out for more though).
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post and thank you for dropping by! Children are such a blessing, whether there is 1, 2 … or 10!
Love this!! And I, too, pictured you doing wash in a creek or something!
And I love the comment about five kids and no peeing on the trampoline! haha! That’s pretty impressive!
What a beautiful attitude and a beautiful way to live life.
I really never thought about the fact that I can still jump on the trampoline without having a change of clothes until I did this post! You don’t have to look hard to find something to be thankful for.