It Looks BIG

It looks bigger than the plans! Today I look at this photo and think ... Oh my! I just wanted something simple! At this time of life, I want to have less, simplify, give things away, downsize. OH MY! I pray that this decision to build in these economic times ends up being a good decision. You see, there are different philosophies about money and security. I am from the old school. SAVE for you may need your money for a rainy day. This is in my DNA. My father was a saver and he taught me to watch every penny ( back when a penny had some value). So I learned to make 3 meals out of one chicken.

However, there are those who think about money in a diffierent way. They would rather risk their money either for more or to use it for an asset that provides pleasure. They think of money as a tool to be used instead of hoarding it.

Our economic times are very different now than when I was alittle girl. In those days, you saved, paid for everything in full with cash and delayed gratification. I am trying to understand that the old way may not be the best way for today and to find a balance. Today, with low interest rates, uncertainty in the job market, housing failures, banks closing, and a long standing bear market, why would anyone build a home?

So, here's why. Knowing my DNA, this is stretching me. And so I ask, would I rather have money in a bank account? That is, realizing the bank could fail, it collects no interest to speak of and it provides no pleasure as I watch the money and stock market falls. Why not put it in a physical asset that we can enjoy for a time? You see, no one knows the day or the hour that we will leave this earth therefore I want to keep my attention on what is most important to me: God and Family. So at the moment, it makes sense to give my time and attention to build a gathering place for my family to pray and play together. I pray that this home be valued by my family and used to relax and retreat from daily stress, to feel God's presence as they feel the wind, sun and rains, feel love and support as their individual families grow and gather to spend time together. AND, if by chance, this home is not something our children want to keep in the future, I believe it will be an asset that could provide each of them with money to live/build their own dream.

In short, I am not attached to this home for any reason accept that it be a sacred, comfortable, loving, gathering place for us for as long as my family wants it to be. In the meantime, it beats losing money in the stock market...smiling!