Huish Herd

I was taking a break cruising through way too few blogs having new posts and ran across the posting by a young friend in Texas.  She is feeling the pinch of the economy, the feelings that we all feel when we see some of our earlier dreams as married couples seemingly evaporating before our eyes.

The couples of today are having experiences that we didn't face, at least to the extent that they are.  Just as we didn't have the financially expanding opportunities that perhaps our parents had, they are having financial challenges that we didn't have.  In todays  world, the younger set have grown up in affluence that was accepted.  In our day, it was growing and still being questioned, "What really is important, where should our priorities be, can we get "rich" and still be humble and obey His commandments?"  So many questions with the answers being changed constantly.

We weren't raised with the attitude that, "Him what gots the biggest, best or most toys wins" but we kidded about it and the next thing I knew, it was the accepted norm.  This is how our children grew up and no matter how much we tried to not follow it, the world spoke louder than we possibly could many times.

I feel for those who fell in line and got themselves in tight spots to deal with in todays economy.  I am not pointing fingers at anyone . . .  it would only end up with those three others pointing back at me  : < ]    Jon & I are dealing with decisions that we made, taking chances that the money would continue to flow for a few more years.

So, here was my comment for her.  R, I am not making light or fun of your situation  I feel your pain!  I am also old enough to have time and experiences that help me keep my hope up.  

I'll brighten your day.  After over 32 years Jon & I are:

--still on the same kind of a budget,
--still driving old cars, well, except for the 5 year old KIA mini van that has killed us for several years (making the payments), that we will be driving until it rots off it's axles.
--had an appraiser come who took off the value of our house because of deferred maintenance (really? I wonder why).
--a full time mission (planned before we married) is no longer even a glimmer of a dream.
--bodies falling apart, and you have so many co-pays at the dr.'s offices, it throws your whole budget off, big time!
--you get a little less demanding on yourself and let reality help you accept that not everything will be perfect all the time.

--You have had time to remember how much fun it was to pack a lunch and take off on an outing, with no diapers, etc now.
--When you tell each other to go fly a kite, you're serious and have a ball doing it!!
--You find out that the sense of humor that came in handy when you first got married still comes in handy (take that how you want).
--You realize that many of those dreams were a little unrealistic in the first place.
--You find out that he meant it when he said that he didn't marry you just for your body.  He loved you when you were built like a brick outhouse and still loved you  when had become a two seater and he still loves you with the siding slowly sliding south.

 So be strong and enjoy the ride, it doesn't get any easier, but oh it does get better, so much better. . . .  in all the ways that are important.