Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Cutting Back and Stewardship

In these financially difficult time, I am constantly asking the Lord to give me wisdom as to where I can cut back on my household budget. I've tried many thing. When cooking, if time permits, I try to make everything from scratch. I make bread, rolls, buns, tortillas, potato chips, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, sauces,etc. I even tried homemade pasta; wasn't too good. If there is a way to make it myself, I will try it. I'm even using less meat in our meals, which is a big deal for our family. I do the same with cleaning supplies. I've made homemade laundry detergent and have a list of others cleaners I'm going to make as soon as I've used up my store bought ones. I'm patching holes in clothes that I would have, in the past, thrown away. I'm washing out freezer and storage bags, depending on what was in them in the first place. Yesterday I read about a lady who was turning off her hot water heater at night and her freezer and refrigerator for 2 hours every day. I'm considering the freezer and the hot water heater. Not sure how I feel about turning off the refrigerator for 2 hours every day. I quit using the heated drying cycle on the dishwasher and my wonderful husbands is going to construct a clothes line for me (soon, I hope :). If it's hot outside, I keep all the blinds and curtains closed. I promise I do have a point to make and here it is. I may have started cutting back out of financial necessity, but through this process God is teaching me to be a better steward of what He provides. Now, my desire to be frugal is not only to save money, but for the Lord to be pleased and glorified in the way I am using His provisions.

For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. (1Cor. 9:17) This does not indicate that Paul was unwilling to obey but that his will had no part in the call itself. Since it was God's sovereign choice and call, he received not a "reward", but a "stewardship" (a valuable responsibility or duty to be carefully managed). (John MacArthur)

...assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you...(Eph. 3:2) "Stewardship" means an administration, or management. Paul did not choose the stewardship of his apostleship or ministry. God had sovereignly commissioned him with the calling, spiritual gifts, opportunities, knowledge, and authority to minister as the apostle to the Gentiles. (John MacArthur)

4 comments:

  1. Lovely post. We are working on the same goal - to be better stewards. I am so grateful for an unstable economy because it has caused us to operate in God's economy - a huge blessing! Why does it almost always take hardship for us to move to the next level of maturity? I wish it weren't so, but I'm grateful for God's grace.

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  2. Thankyou for following my new blog!!! Please pray for me, this will take alot of research, and I want to get all my facts strait, but my main hope and purpose is that God would be glorified For the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Your sister in Christ, Sable

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  3. After being somwhat frugal for sometime, it is interesting in finding new ways to improve upon "frugalness". I put a large bowl in the kitchen sink to catch water from rinsing; then reuse it to water plants & flowers outside. My goal is not to create more work in my frugalness though. If I create more work in the end, it is not time/cost effective.
    With 5 children, three of which in ballgames, we have ballgames 3-4 nights a week. I buy little to nil at the concession stand. Our picnic basket is getting used, and our 6 pack waterbottle holder.
    There are countless scripture showing God will provide for His own in good and bad economic times. There are no good and bad economics for Him - He owns everything at all times. It is up to you how you choose to use all He intrusts to you.

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  4. Although you posted this more than a year ago, I just came across it now. And as I am reading it, it strikes me how much similarities there are between our situations. Well maybe not. My guess is that you didn't go about spending money like there is no tomorrow and now you are sitting with a mountain of debt. No, well I did. I confess to you, like I already did to the LORD, up until now I have not been a good steward over the gifts and blessings He has given me. But I can also testify that I have never been closer to the LORD as now. Because I now know that I am dependant on Him FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!To pay the bills, for food, for clothes. He has taught me so many things. The most important thing: one can go with out many things. I have discovered that I don't have to get new clothes every month: those clothes I got 2-3 years ago is still good enough; I don't have to visit expensive noisy restaurants every week: some sandwiches and tea at home is just as nice (if not nicer!) I don't have to join the local gym (just because everybody else has): instead I can go for a brisk walk with dawn and enjoy the beauty of our LORD's Creation.
    I can go on and on - doing laundry only once a week, doing dishes only once a day, etc. Above all the LORD has taught me that I was wrong all the while: He doesn't care about how many fancy outfits I have or that I move 'in the right circles' He just wants me to love Him with everything I am.
    Every day I learn more about the goodness and faithfulness of our LORD and it never stops to amaze me!

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