Recently, I shared this tweet: “Many think it’s only the privileged who get to stay home to raise their own children. No, it’s those who sacrifice and live simply and frugally within their husbands’ income who do this and because they know it’s what is best for their children. They trust God’s ways. He provides.”

Tina K. responded to this tweet on my Facebook page this way:

I have stayed at home since our oldest was born. I grew up that you buy what you need and save for what you want.

We started a garden when our kids were little, and every couple years we added something: grapes, blueberries, blackberries, asparagus, rhubarb, medicinal plants, things that come back year after year. I always start our seeds indoors for our other vegetables, flowers, herbs, and save seeds every year. We have never had to run to the grocery store. We could just pick it. I can, freeze, dehydrate, ferment, and pickle from our garden. We also bake our own bread and rolls, and our homemade dinners from what we preserve. Flowers come from our garden for the table, and we press these for gifts or to decorate our home. I freeze meat bones to make bone broth, and the fat is cooked down and stored to use for cooking. We pick apples from the orchard in September. and these store well into March to make applesauce, desserts, juice, and apple cider vinegar.

I make all of our natural salves, healing balms, Vaseline, Neosporin, chest congestion rubs, elderberry syrup and tincture. I also make my own detergents, softeners, and cleaning products. I don’t say these things to boast, because when we first got married I could do none of these, but boy when you start trusting God and his plan, it all came together.

We don’t own new cars and am blessed that my husband can fix anything, and we don’t have to call a repair man. He services anything in the house and the vehicles. I have never been a shopper unless something is needed. I do with what I have. We don’t take expensive vacations, but we do enjoy going out with our children on day trips, and family dinners are the best!?

I have been home for 30 years and am now 58 years old. We still make due with what we have, would rather eat at home, save, garden, and preserve everything we grow.

I am so very thankful to God for providing.

We are not rich, but God has richly blessed us as we followed his ways.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide,
Overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
Proverbs 6:6-8