What a transforming year!

I can't begin to explain the transformation that has taken place in our home this year.  After making some resolutions at the start of the year, we began making some changes in our lives.  We began talking openly as a family about our spending habits.  My children have been very accepting to this gradual change.  From resisting the urge to eat out when we are in a hurry to bypassing the almost daily stop in at Walmart, we have changed our spending habits in many ways.  The biggest difference that we have seen has been in our spending in Walmart and Kroger.  We just don't go to Kroger more than once a week unless we desperately need one item.  We almost never go to Walmart for food items because if we do, we will buy at least 10 other things that we think that we "need".  I have also learned not to take my kids into Walmart unless it is absolutely necessary.  If they go in with me, we are usually in a dead run bypassing all of those tempting unnecessary items.  I haven't missed these trips at all.  I have been able to spend that much needed extra time at home with my family instead of browsing the many aisles at Walmart.  We also have been more intentional about eating at home.  My kids enjoy this so much more.  We have tried to limit this eating out to one time a week.  This has meant saying "no" to some dinner invitations, but our friends have been understanding of our endeavor.  In April, after much discussion and prayer as a family, we decided to tighten our belts even more.  While camping in our camper over spring break, we decided that we could live with so much less than we have.  It is just "stuff" after all, right?   Our heart was really opened up to spending less on ourselves so that we could open our family up to more opportunities to give and serve.  So, as a family, we decided to place our six bedroom house on the market and see what God had in store for us.  At first, we put our house on the market for sale by owner.  Because of our location, which is off the beaten path, we didn't get much traffic or interest. At the end of August, we decided to put our house on the market with a real estate agent.  We had two people look at the house and we got an offer within a  month and a half.  Ahhhhhhh!  We couldn't believe that it was happening.  We love our house.  We have put our heart and soul into this house.  We began to ask each other, "Are we crazy?!"  "What are we doing?"  We shared many tears on the front porch of this house trying to decide whether or not to accept the offer.  In the end, we felt that we needed to continue our journey down the path upon which our Lord had put us.  In the end, we came to an agreed upon price with the buyer.  Now what?!  Where do we go?!  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.  We considered renting, but felt that we would be pouring our money down the drain.  After much research and prayer, we settled on what we think is the perfect three bedroom one story (storybook) cottage.   The kids love it!  Surprise!  Half the house means much more together time.  They are thrilled that they will be sleeping on the same floor as their parents.  Shocker!  They love being with us.  Who knew?!  It is all happening so quickly, my head is spinning.  We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are within God's will.  We are honoring him in our efforts.  He keeps opening doors for us.  It is amazing!  While we are sad that we are moving away from what we considered our "dream home", we are overwhelmingly excited about our new journey into financial freedom and our new found ability to tithe as we are called to do.  As a side note...our new mortgage is going to cost us only half of what our current mortgage does.  Praise God!  As a family, we are so excited about the new opportunities that we will have to give and serve as the Lord calls us to do.  So it is with sadness that we leave our home that we love so much, but it is with even greater joy that we embark on the new adventure that the Lord has planned for us.  We are overwhelmed by His love and His provision every single day.  We know, without a doubt, that our Father will always supply us with all that we need.  To God be the glory!