Sometimes, I get really ambitious and unsettled. It's true.
Homesteading. And homemaking.
Until our big move, I'd never really noticed this in myself – perhaps is accentuated by challenge circumstance.
Actually no. You know what it's accentuated by?
Dreams of this:
And this:
I awoke Saturday morning with a pit in my stomach – for some reason, in my half-sleep state, I began to think about all those ‘irritating' things in the back of my mind. For example, the fact that our lease is up in May of next year….which is prime gardening time down here…which means that we still won't be able to have an established garden next season if we're looking to move into a house further out of town.
I also thought about the fact that this week, there is a hurricane headed right in our direction.
Though, in my half-comatose state, I remember thinking ‘It's okay, we'll be safe from the hurricane, we're at Hogwarts!'
Perhaps I spent too much time finishing my Harry Potter book this weekend.
Sorry. Rabbit trail. Let me return to my point.
Sometimes the desire for things I wish to establish and build and experience cause me to feel anxious with where I am right now. As a Christian, I should seek peace in today – knowing the Lord has a plan, a perfect plan, for His child. The Lord knows the desires of my hearts better than anyone. He knows I long for this:
And this:
And I don't take lightly the fact that this is important to him. Timing, however, is another thing.tyutfgh 64
In the meantime, since I'm not really in a true homesteading position, I've found peace in the fact that I can use this time to learn to be a better homemaker.
For example, I'd really like to get better at doing laundry. Not just doing it, but doing it well (goodbye, stains!). I'd also like to maximize the usage of our drying rack and iron and acquire more linen napkins (which always look like a wad in my drawer). Did I mention I need to acquire an ironing board?
I'd like to always have a cutting of fresh foliage on my kitchen table (and Lord knows we've got enough of it in this jungle that surrounds us to keep us going!).
I'd like to finish up to-do projects that are tapping me on the shoulder (did you miss Friday's post about the 8 CHAIRS?!).
I'd like to prepare meals for the freezer for when baby comes. I'd also like to get a stock of homemade WHEAT BREAD, homemade SOAKED WAFFLES, and homemade pancakes in the freezer for…you guessed it…when baby comes.
I'd like get rid of every single stupid flea in my house.
I'd like to finish knitting Georgia's winter booties and start my new project – a cozy for our french press (more on that later this week).
I'd like to find a way to organize our mason jars and food storage in a better way.
I'd like to strictly manage our budget and utilize the computer spreadsheet I built for it last week so that it runs like a smooooth machine, baby.
I'd like to have at least one play date a week for Georgia lined up, on top of Sunday School and the new Book Study we will be attending through the fall.
Point being, there are lots of things I can get better and more efficient at right here inside the walls of my home. Perhaps the Lord knows I need this time and so he has granted me a period of rest from my homesteading ambitions. Perhaps he knows that in order for a home to function well, it needs to be built with a solid foundation that is based on His mercy and grace for every single day.
I want to utilize this time I have. Even if it's not what I would have designed for myself, I surely do not want to waste it.
One of the small homesteading tasks I would like to begin during this time is to establish a vermicompost system in our kitchen. Because we don't currently have our compost pile, we've been throwing away all our food scraps and coffee grounds – I hate this! I know this stuff is liquid gold waiting for a garden or at least wonderful scraps for the chickens. Vermi-composting would allow us to compost all of our food scraps (sans dairy and meat) into wonderful and rich soil – right in our very own kitchen.
The plan is this.
Acquire one of these:
And a pound of these:
I shall then set it next to the refrigerator in the kitchen and feed our wonderful fruit and vegetable scraps to these beauties each day. They eat the scraps – they produce beautiful soil. Simple as that. I just think this is incredible – not only does it eliminate almost all of our waste (we really don't produce much garbage…) but it produces an incredible product that can then be used to supply wonderful nutrients to the soil.
Even though we don't have a garden for the soil as of yet, we can use it for container gardening in the meantime – or simply bag it for future use as compost in our garden.
Oh, my friends, how I hope to have a garden again.
If you'd like more detailed information, there is a wonderful, informative site on vermicomposting which you can find HERE. I'm hoping to have my system up and running by the end of the month – that is my goal.
Sure, it's a small step. But utilizing what we have, wasting little, and building self-sufficiency are goals are family is continually working towards. And sometimes small steps are the best way to get started, are they not?
Though big dreams are pretty fun too:
Can't you just see it? My herd of sheep, grazing the grass knolls?
I shall then sheer them and make the most beautiful wool yarns imaginable.
*Sigh*
There's also a dairy cow involved in there, somewhere. Just for the record.
Our journey
I am with you on this! I want to have that kind of life so bad as well! We live in town and barely have a yard, but we are dojng all we can, until God blesses us with a farm. Jeremiah 29:11 is our favorite verze during tbis time. If one of us vets fustrated or anxious we remind each other of that verse and that He does have a plan but in his timing! I will pray for you and your family as you continue onGod’s plan and enjoy the rkde! π God bless!
Tracy
I could have written this post! The only difference is that we are already living on our farm. There is just so much to do (hello, need money first) to get to where we want to be. In order to have livestock we need to fence the property but budget says “not now”. I really like how you said that maybe God is giving you a break from other things to help you get better at what you have now. I never thought of it that way. I guess there are many things I could work on and quit focusing on the stuff I want RIGHT NOW but cannot have yet. Thanks for the reminder!
Anonymous
This time is maybe to get so accustom to the indoor, that when you get the outdoor, it will be an easier transition. If there is any lack IN the house, once you have a farm, it will be compounded by time spent outside. I am learning this from experience! I would never wish for all of our farming responsibilities with an infant, because we can work and work on improving, nurturing, and culitvating, all day, and still not make a dent. With a baby, we would be that much slower at competing with the seasons. All that to say: Enjoy being inside, doing inside things, while your children are small. One day, when they can help, you will have a farm. And by then, you will have helpers, too.
Christina
*sigh* I know how you feel hon. We’re in the process of trying to find our own little “dream homestead” on a VERY limited budget, and it is beyond frustrating to say the least. I also have a baby on the way, and am hoping that we can move before he/she is born. But I know what it’s like to dream big, about something quite simple.
Jaclyn Hicks
Thank you for this reminder today. I have been reflecting lately upon doing well with my current circumstances and really growing where I am planted. God knows the desires of my heart, but there are many things I do on a daily basis that I could be doing better. It’s high time I loved and lived with a grateful heart. There is no harm in dreaming, but I’m not proud of my attitude sometimes π
All of those pictures capture the dream, and one day the dream will come true.
Amanda
You are wise to pause and look at what is right before you today. Be faithful in these little daily things indoors and keep trusting the Lord’s perfect timing for the bigger things outdoors – you might not see His wisdom until hindsight, but He does know what is best for your family and for His plan.
We have three little boys (4, 2, 10 months) and a baby on the way next March. The daily indoor things are consuming at this point. I’m thankful for the time I have to invest in them and in our home. And someday we’ll start the garden – with strong little helpers at our sides.
Like you said, work on the daily tasks, and enjoy the luxury of having “knitting booties” be on that list. π With the new baby, things like that may have to transfer to the “dream big” list for a while. And that’s ok. Being Mama is an amazing gift, and children are the most beautiful creation we’ll get to be part of.
Laura Rowe [twirl]
Clearly V is asleep now so I’m making my way through your blog π
I am with you on this post (although I yearn to decorate and paint where you yearn to plant veggies and animals π ) but the heart of the matter is that this “in transition” feeling feels so very permanent right now. I’ve been praying a lot about what God wants me to do right NOW with where He has me, and this is so encouraging to think about what little things that could be! Oh and Shaye, I know we’re going to be friends, but you are talking about purposely putting worms in your kitchen! I die! I know I am just going to learn so much from you π
Shaye @ The Elliott Homestead
Girl, this cracks me up. I can think of quite a few things I do that would probably cause you to flinch – but that’s the fun of learning new things π
Katie
Lovely. This is my heart as well! Thanks for sharing. (Albeit a few months ago (: )
Becky MacLean
You can keep a garden at my house….I live in Fairhope. I’m visualizing a bread/ land trade π
Shaye Elliott
Really?! I would love to do this!!! Can you email me? [email protected]
Jillian
I know this post is old but God definitely led me to it for a reason. This completely and utterly describes my life right now except I’m not married with babes. I’m just trying to work and save money and dream and plan for the someday and sometimes I forget about the TODAY! Your post is a great reminder to be grateful for what God is giving me today in order to better prepare me for that someday. Thank you so much.