What I Learned About Homemaking Living Abroad ~ Part 2

"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing;

as poor, yet making many rich;

as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

~ 2 Corinthians 6:10

Living for several years in a small foreign country with a struggling economy taught me many lessons about homemaking. Since moving back to the State's, I realize how my thought process has changed in many areas. Here is my continued list of 12 random, home-related things I gleaned while living abroad (and in no particular order)... Part 1 is shared here.

4. Though You May Have Little You Can Still Give Much

Even though our neighbors were not well off, they were always giving...  fresh milk from their cows (gifted in a recycled jar), bouquets and clippings from their garden (hydrangeas and roses!), vegetables from their homestead (organic and fresh!), honey from their bees (raw and sweet!) and homemade jam from their fruit trees. Gifts do not need to cost money and generosity is not only for the wealthy. Sometimes we get caught up in the monetary world and forget how many things we can give which doesn't cost us any money and yet has real value! I was always humbled by the variety and creative blessings they bestowed on us as their new neighbors.

To give you an understanding, the gentleman who shared his honey had no wooden front door. A piece of fabric was what divided his home from the outdoors. He would bring over native herbs and share its uses with us and yet he had an exposed roof in his home. He told us where to find affordable bulk foods for our family which was so very helpful (you take Costco for granted and these things do not exist in all areas of the world) and yet his pantry didn't provide past the first day. His knowledge and friendship was worth so much to us and was a gift in itself! 

5. Preparing Food is an Event, A Process

As Americans, we often want things as quickly as possible. After all, we invented "fast food"! However, our neighbors reminded us that meal making is a slow ritual that was worth time and effort. They would roll out handmade ravioli for lunch. They would fill them with fresh chard from the garden and cover them with the pasta sauce preserved from the summer. They worked incredibly hard and the carefully crafted food they prepared was a way they celebrated their simple life. 

6. Make Meal Time Important

And as much time as they spent in preparing the meals, they also spent in enjoying them. They didn't rush through a year's worth of existence in order to spend a week's worth of vacation together (like many are in the habit of doing). They enjoyed their life one meal at a time (it is the simple things that contribute to the daily joy and make up the memories).  Each afternoon and evening was spent lavishly in regards to time. It allowed them to share fellowship with one another. Often, we think money is necessary for creating happy memories (think Disneyland, resorts, etc) when in reality, it is time! It is each-other's company that is most meaningful. It is laughter, deliciousness and love that create the best souvenirs (ones that our carried in our hearts and do not clutter up our homes). 

Time spent around the dinner table has become a ritual in our home. While having a lunch together does not work for our current schedule, dinner time is given our full attention. The table is set every evening with real dishes, serving bowls and cloth napkins. It is as if company is coming over because it is treated like a special family event. The house is quiet and peaceful (television, radio or cell phones are not guests at our table). This is where we first pray together, visit together, find out about each other's days, encourage each other and just keep connected in general. We may be there for hours. It is an investment in our relationship and I see many blessings from it! 

(Note: While we have always eaten our meals around the table since we were first married, I am ashamed to say I did not always put the same amount of love into the meals to make it special. The table would be set in the quickest way possible with torn paper napkins haphazardly arranged. I would chuck the sour cream on the table in the original container instead of serving in a pretty dish. I would rush through the meal in order to get to the next phase of the evening. I'm not saying that sometimes we aren't in a hurry and that shortcuts never happen, I'm just sharing that I began to put more time and effort toward the dinner hour and it has made such a difference toward forging a bond between us. It is hard to put into words but once you attempt to make meal time special, you will understand.)

Perhaps many of these concepts are already understood but I thought I would share them just the same. In such a materialistic society, we sometimes need reminders of how our great-grandparents lived and how rich in experience and memories their humble lifestyles were!

"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing;

as poor, yet making many rich;

as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

~ 2 Corinthians 6:10

What about you, what have you found to be true from your experiences with the topics above? I will continue the series in another post because it can take quite some time to go through. Happy homemaking!