Today, I'm cleaning out "that pantry." How many times have I walked past "that pantry" and pledged to clean it? It's in the same area as our washer and dryer, so it had begun to spill over into the laundry area, which made it difficult to get near the washer. I found myself leaning way over to put clothes in or to switch the laundry. How frustrating! How silly to continue that way.
I have prided myself on my care of the family food budget, and thus is the key to my downfall: pride. I've discovered today that I'm not as careful with our budget as I thought! My cheeks were burning as I thought of tribal missionaries carefully counting each item to make sure they had everything they needed until the next plane drop. I thought of my grandparents living in the coal mining camps of New Mexico, waiting for their water and coal to be delivered by wagon. Don't get me started on the relatives who lived through the Depression!
I have THREE same-sized bottles of white vinegar. I have FOUR bags of lentils, and I rarely make anythiing with lentils since they're not John's favorite. THREE bags of black beans sit next to the container of white, powdery substance (is it flour? Is it pancake mix?). I KNEW I had a jar of Dijon mustard; I KNEW it, but I couldn't see it, so I bought more. RATS!
The buck stops here, and I take full responsibility. I would dearly love to blame the kids because they put the groceries away and toss things willy-nilly, but it's my responsibility to train them and follow up on their work.
I will also take another look at my spending habits at Costco. Do I actually have room for those bulk items? Do I NEED to have three gallons of bleach at one time? Am I hording, and not trusting God to supply my needs? I'll admit, this is a long habit from the days of John's self-employment. We never knew when we would be paid, so I would buy when I could and stock up. This is no longer the case.
How much of it is laziness and not wanting to go to the store when I need something? This comes from having to cart young children to the store with me. This is no longer the case. Granted, I certainly don't want to get into the habit of running to the store for every little thing, either. There must be a balance somewhere.
1 comment:
Definitely have to watch those movies before I take off!
And I understand this completely....
Welsh family is to pantry
as
Mitchell family is to freezer
haha
It's so scary! If my mom is away for a night or two, my Dad takes it upon himself to "clean out" the freezer. But of course, none of it can go to waste; he throws it all in the crock pot.
I make it a point to be out for dinner.
;]
Oh, and yes, it should be "venemous". Of course Hannah noticed; I did not.
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