What I've Learned Living in a Small House...

About 3 or 4 years ago now, Harold and I bought this piece of property--about 7 acres give or take, it is very wooded and private.  It's way out in the middle of God's country and we L-O-V-E it!  Our kids L-O-V-E it.  Even our dogs are happy here.  When we bought it, we were so enamoured with it, we called it "The Promised Land"--for indeed it is the perfect place to raise our large, active family.  Our kids have thrived here, having the ability to spend their days exploring God's creation, chasing squirrels, watching bugs, and observing the trees as they grow and change with the seasons.

When we first bought the property, it was just woods.  Very densely-wooded woods.  We cleared the land, had a well dug, and hooked up to the electricity.  Our intent was to build a house that would accommodate our family. 

We had lots of ideas about what our house would be like, and the main component was LOTS of open space, and a nice LARGE kitchen and dining area.  We never wanted each child to have his or her own bedroom, preferring instead to have at least 2 to a bedroom (for many reasons--but mostly because we like the sense of "community" fostered by the sharing of their intimate spaces).  So we had 2 or 3 drawings of ideas for our would-be house.  What we didn't (and still don't) have was money to build.  We needed to sell our other house first.

So, not wanting to wait till we sold the other house to get out to the land, we bought a single wide mobile home to put on the property "temporarily" until we got our "big house" built.  We would squish us all into it and "make do" for the few months it would take to get our house built.  Uh-huh...And here we still are, 2 years later. 

We have 3 bedrooms and 10 people--somehow we make it work.  Our wonderful dining room table that my mom and dad gave us, which seats up to 12 people, actually fits in the kitchen area!   Our big sectional, a recliner, and a rocking chair all fit nicely in the living room.  And the hallway has space for 2 large book cases. 

I'm not going to lie.  Even though all of our NEEDS are accommodated in this little home, living in a small house has been hard for me.  Having to move my dirty clothes in order to do laundry (because the only place to sort them is in the 4 ft square area in front of the washer and dryer), having to move my clean, folded clothes to set the table (because the only place to fold the clothes is the kitchen table which is about 4 feet away from the washer and dryer), having to move my large pots and pans in order to cook or do laundry (because the only place for my large pots and pans is either on top of the dryer or in and on top of the stove)...that's all been very frustrating to me.  I'm one of those people who like for every item to have a permanent home, so this constant moving around of stuff is hard, not to mention inconvenient--and inconvenient is uncomfortable--and I crave comfortable, don't we all?

But I'm learning.  Slowly.  I'm learning that my life doesn't have to be comfortable.  God never said my life would be comfortable.  He never said that I would be able to get through a day without having inconveniences and frustrations.  He said my needs would be provided for.  And they are.  There is nothing my family needs that we don't have in our small house--at least not today.  I am certain that when the day comes that our family needs more than this little house can provide for us, God will make sure we have a house that will fill the bill--he's good like that, providing for our needs just at the right time. 

I'm learning.  Learning that just because my house is small doesn't make it any less "HOME".  My home, though small, is still a haven for my family--it is where my children grow and learn, where Harold and I confide in one another and nurture our children together.  It is where our family has movie nights and plays games.  It's where I prepare meals and wash clothes, give baths, and read stories.  It is where we offer shelter and respite to friends or acquaintances who need a "home away from home" for a bit.  It's where we live and love, grow and give, pray and play--together.

This little house might not be pretty--I don't kid myself.  It's nothing fancy to look at for sure.  It needs a good paint job and it has lots of quirks--quirks that on some days make me think I'm going to lose my flippin' mind...but slowly...ever-so-slowly, I'm learning to look at living here from a different perspective.  And I'm learning to like the view.  Who knows how temporary our stay in our small house will be?  We could be here for several more months, or several more years.  Only God can move our other house and get it sold in this economy.  What I do know is that we are a closer family (and not just proximity-wise) for having lived in our small house.  Our small house has taught us to improvise, share, make-do, create, wait, organize, plan, pare-down and prioritize.  We've learned that we have to not only respect each other's space, but be willing to share our own personal space.  Who knew our small house could teach us so much?  This Thanksgiving season, I'm thankful for my small house that shelters my family and keeps us closer.  Even moreso, I'm thankful for the memories that will no doubt remain for many years, that we have made while living right here, in our small home.