Four Most Caring Words

"We can't afford it"...
I love to watch those home shows on HGTV, one of my favorite being the makeovers. They take a home of modest looks and turn them into "gorgeous living areas". They have experts that know the right colors to use and the perfect fabrics to complement.
My other favorites are the shows where people are looking for a home to buy. Some of them are looking for an upgrade in living area (more space for a growing family, etc) but many of them are first time home buyers. I've been fascinated at what they perceive as "necessity". As they tour a home you watch their eyes as they walk into a master bathroom with all the amenities; a jetted tub, showers with two shower heads so you can get hit from both sides (actually not a bad idea for those of us who have ample "two sides"), walk-in closets that have space for 100 pair of shoes and 30 suits (not to mention space for matching purses). They move on to the kitchen where they talk about the color of the granite counter tops "not being quite right" and "we'll have to replace those cabinets but I love the stainless steel appliances, oh, there's no ice maker in the refrigerator". On to the yard; the yard is huge but it only has a two car garage. "We could park the boat at a storage somewhere..." and on it goes!
When I think of the homes we've owned I think of what I would have liked them to look like; I would have liked a master bathroom where you couldn't reach both sides of the room with outstretched arms. I would have liked a master bedroom that could hold a rocker (for rocking babies and for old people) as well as two night stands. Still today, I would love a family room that could hold all of us for Christmas dinner. And then I take a moment to think...
Our home, humble, undecorated has done everything it was meant to do and we could afford it!
We've been married nearly forty years and our family has been sheltered, fed and clothed because we didn't feel it necessary to have a beautifully decorated interior. Each child had a bed. No child walked around naked. Not one went hungry. Bathrooms accomodated us in our daily needs and the kitchen was more than adequate in spite of the fact that we didn't have an ice maker; I think we had one once but I gave it up for more freezer space.
Our yard has been a neighborhood playground for years with it's swingset and space to play soccer. The garden's given us tomatoes, zuccini and "salsa blend" (ask Luke, that's his story to tell). We've had chickens, rabbits, ducks and dogs; currently the animals outnumber the humans! The point is this. Many times there are things we would have liked to have or do but had to say to ourselves "we can't afford it".
Today we find ourselves in a position where we can afford almost anything we might want and yet still ask ourselves "can we afford it"? We want to go on a mission when the Army is through with us. We want to go on family vacations that the kids/grandkids will remember forever. I want to know that our years supply will take care of all of us. I want to know that paying a bigger fast offering was more important than a matching pair of shoes and purse.
So using the counsel given to us by Robert D Hales at last months GC (his full talk can be found at byutv.org), we still take a moment to determine the reason we are buying something; do we need it or do we want it?
I'm thankful that our home is still standing tall and fulfilling it's purpose; it shelters four parents, six and one half grandchildren and will continue to do so. We are blessed!
Much love, VZ

**disclaimer...I'm not perfect and yes, we did buy that Wii :) In fact Mike and I use it daily in our fitness program and last night we golfed, bowled, boxed and played tennis. The Wii Fit says we are 48 yrs fit! Gotta love it!

**disclaimer...we hope someday our home will not have to shelter four parents, six and one half grandchildren OR all those animals! They will be blessed to have homes of their own... :D