tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post1316971438198224896..comments2023-08-16T03:24:08.532-04:00Comments on faithful with the little: 5 things I have learned living in a 2 bedroom house with 5 childrenfaithfulwiththelittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-51012280591560456182016-05-29T19:20:52.808-04:002016-05-29T19:20:52.808-04:00Love this post! We lived in a small 2 bedroom apa...Love this post! We lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment for 7 years and during that time, we had 4 children. My biggest problem was that my husband works night shift and would sleep in the kids' room during the day since it was darker than ours and my kids wouldn't nap in the same room, but I learned how to get around it! I even dragged the pack n play into the bathroom each day for naps so I could separate the kids. Shortly after our 4th was born, we moved into a 3 bedroom house and it feels so luxurious to have a boys' room and a girls' room!Sunshine and Spoonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15218542467607737336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-73039509112852814582016-05-29T15:54:09.837-04:002016-05-29T15:54:09.837-04:00I definitely agree about the less is more! My frie...I definitely agree about the less is more! My friend recently told me, it helps her to get rid of things when she looks at it and thinks, "This moment, with this item, right now, is as good as it's every gonna get." It's helped me get rid of those adorable baby clothes and toys I didn't think I could part with because of the memories. :) I love that your kids are close, and love being together-maybe it has to do with the simplification and having to live in close quarters...not such a bad thing! rlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06033977098315049782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-63069908693300258302016-05-29T14:10:40.148-04:002016-05-29T14:10:40.148-04:00I guess I do;) Glad you have that extra porch! It&...I guess I do;) Glad you have that extra porch! It's crazy how priorities have changed over the years. I believe it's only made this generation more selfish and spoiled. I am thankful my kids love being in one room, they don't even realize they are "missing out" ;)faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-19827323571369099102016-05-29T14:08:30.052-04:002016-05-29T14:08:30.052-04:00So true! We really have become such a close family...So true! We really have become such a close family even though there are times I wish we weren't so close physically;)faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-69567451837626049442016-05-29T14:07:45.954-04:002016-05-29T14:07:45.954-04:00Thanks Hannah! I am constantly going through our s...Thanks Hannah! I am constantly going through our stuff, questioning how much we really need. There is so much we can live without that will make our lives easier!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-19411193562357098932016-05-29T14:06:05.206-04:002016-05-29T14:06:05.206-04:00Thanks so much Kelly! We really can have so much y...Thanks so much Kelly! We really can have so much yet miss out on what is really important!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-72123830370021622592016-02-03T16:21:19.319-05:002016-02-03T16:21:19.319-05:005 in a 2 bedroom house?! You've got me beat! ...5 in a 2 bedroom house?! You've got me beat! LOL! I have 4 in a two bedroom house, 3 boys and a girl. Hubby and I moved into the second bedroom, which is TINY, and gave the master bedroom to the kids. My daughter has some special needs, so we converted our enclosed porch into a room for her. During the worst of the winter and summer she "camps out" in her brothers' room. We have enough beds for all the kiddos, but they like to sleep together. <br /><br />My grandmother grew up in a 2 bedroom apartment with 7 brothers. I didn't have my own room until I was 20. <br /><br />I find it amusing when I watch home buying shows and the parents absolutely insist that each child needs their own room. I find it even more amusing when they insist their children (or groups of genders) need their own bathrooms!!!<br /><br />I'll have to add your blog to my blog list. I enjoy finding blogs of other families living in small houses.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-86805564313561607192016-02-01T13:24:19.935-05:002016-02-01T13:24:19.935-05:00This is wonderful. I, too, live in a small space a...This is wonderful. I, too, live in a small space and it can be frustrating, but I think it really does make for a stronger, tighter knit family. You have to resolve your issues to live peacefully together, you learn to value important things over stuff. Your kids will be much closer. They are lucky kiddos! I hopped over from the Hearts for Home hop. @sandytoesmomRascal and Roccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10464921292235681571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-82567111154718831622016-02-01T10:30:26.395-05:002016-02-01T10:30:26.395-05:00I love this, Rebekah! My husband and I currently l...I love this, Rebekah! My husband and I currently live in a one bedroom apartment, and though it can get a bit tight sometimes, I totally agree with you-less stuff, less to clean! :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11211869542068964467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-24090042072381087732016-01-27T17:15:58.781-05:002016-01-27T17:15:58.781-05:00What a wonderful message here, Rebekah! We live in...What a wonderful message here, Rebekah! We live in a society where bigger is supposedly better, yet there is not much contentment that comes with it. I loved seeing all the pictures of how your organized everything, and your kids are such cuties! Thanks so much for sharing with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week :)Raising Samuelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00404256988509645401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-87441025888990287762016-01-25T10:23:05.445-05:002016-01-25T10:23:05.445-05:00What a great and wise word, Rebekah!
I love your ...What a great and wise word, Rebekah! <br />I love your perspective on contentment and gratitude. Amy Carmichael has a wonderful quote that I repeat often, "With acceptance lies peace." Sounds like you have accepted your lot in life and found much peace. We also live in a very small space with 4 adults. I'm learning to love this little place that God has given us.<br /><br />Thanks for reminding me to make the most of what I have!<br />Found you on Social Butterfly.<br />Hope you have a blessed Monday~<br />MelanieMelanie Reddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09604321793219364497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-22953522415173802092015-09-17T19:53:56.985-04:002015-09-17T19:53:56.985-04:00Rebekah, This is such a sweet post.
You are cer...Rebekah, This is such a sweet post. <br /><br />You are certainly right about the more things we have the more things we can become enslaved to. At this empty nest stage of my life I think back to how I always hoped that some day I would have a big colonial with two bathrooms. (I know, what am I think, who wants to clean two bathrooms?! lol.) But I am still in the same house I have been for almost 30 years; a smallish three bedroom ranch that we now share with my daughter, son-in-law and our six month granddaughter. We too have rearranged and I have bought all kinds of storage systems to make it work, but what matters most is that our children are a priority and we would do anything for them. How blessed we are to share this season of life with them.<br /><br />I enjoyed my visit today! :-)Karen Del Tattohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12534510202288836694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-33337688496041926312015-08-13T17:16:24.223-04:002015-08-13T17:16:24.223-04:00Even though an extra room would be nice for us I c...Even though an extra room would be nice for us I can't imagine splitting up my kids right now they also have so much fun being together. What a great opportunity for you to live in Pakistan! I also lived in the MIddle East and Eastern Europe for a year and really changed my perspective on the world. The poorest of the poor here in America really still have it so good compared to most 3rd world countries. We are truly blessed beyond what we even comprehend. Thank you so much for sharing your story!!!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-8553675915386155572015-08-13T17:06:03.113-04:002015-08-13T17:06:03.113-04:00Wow Melissa thank you so much for sharing your sto...Wow Melissa thank you so much for sharing your story! God's timing is perfect, isn't it? I am so humbled that God used my story to minister to you. You can do it...with God's grace and strength!!! And yes, it will be worth it!!! Praying for smooth transition and move for you and your family!! Contentment is a biggie for all of us! Keep seeking him for it!!!<br />faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-83959183620906815912015-08-13T16:24:57.059-04:002015-08-13T16:24:57.059-04:00It is so hard to keep things in perspective at tim...It is so hard to keep things in perspective at times. We have been given so much here on earth and have so much to look forward to, but the struggle is still real and hard at times. Keep seeking him!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-56574905174557591722015-08-13T16:23:27.880-04:002015-08-13T16:23:27.880-04:00Thank you so much Esther! I am so blessed by your ...Thank you so much Esther! I am so blessed by your sweet words! I love your link up and blog as well. faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-55569382178284384722015-08-10T00:43:30.463-04:002015-08-10T00:43:30.463-04:00Thank you so much for posting! I know it is a coup...Thank you so much for posting! I know it is a couple of months old now, but I am seeing it for the first time, and it couldn't be more timely! In 2008, after the housing bubble burst, the Navy moved us to Washington state, and my husband and I bought a small 1100 sq ft 3 bedroom, 1 bath house. Three years and two kids later, the Navy moved us to San Diego. When we were able to move back to Washington two years and two more kids later, we decided it would be best to continue renting our home (we had, and still do have, a great tenant in it!), and rent a larger home on the other side of town. For the past year and a half, we've enjoyed a spacious 2000+ sq ft, 4 br, 2.5 bath home with a large fenced yard and tons of handy built-in storage space. But now the owners of the house we are renting have told us they will not be extending our lease when it is up in September, as they have extensive repairs needing to be done to the house. Many of these repairs will best be done with it vacant. None of these repairs are our fault, but more due to neglect on their part (i.e. the roof, a rotting deck, a rotting fence, paint, banisters that are falling apart. In other words, they never should have rented it in the first place). Anyway, the rental market is absolutely flat right now, and we can find no other 4 bedroom houses within a reasonable driving distance to rent that falls within our budget. So, we prayed about it, and went to look at the tiny house on the other side of town that we own. Come to find out, our tenant, who has taken wonderful care of our home, is getting ready to move herself! We've taken that as an answer from God that we need to move back into our little home. I have been dreading cramming our family of six, plus two large dogs and a cat, into a house that I felt was bursting at the seams with just four of us, one dog, and one cat! A house that has HALF the living space, no garage, little storage space, and a teeny tiny hole-ridden yard, as compared to the house we are currently living in. I have been reminding myself over the past few days that most of what we have we can easily do without, that the kids (and hubby and I, for that matter) would be better off with less stuff, that a smaller home would be easier for me to keep up with as far as cleaning goes, and that we will be saving quite a bit of money by moving back into the home we own. Plus, if we can hang on to the house for a couple more years, we should be able to sell it, and will be better able to serve God wherever He wants to send us if we don't have this house hanging over our heads. All of this to say thank you for reminding me that we CAN do this! I needed this encouragement today, as I am once again battling discouragement over having to move yet again, and feeling overwhelmed over the amount of junk I have to either dispose of or store before we move in just a little over a month. It'll all be worth it in the end, and I totally agree! God must be teaching me a lesson in contentment as well! :-DMelissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08629842220681992382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-21047271915895972322015-08-06T19:39:03.350-04:002015-08-06T19:39:03.350-04:00We have three kids, hoping to add another [Lord wi...We have three kids, hoping to add another [Lord willing] and we are wanting to downsize to a two bedroom from a three bedroom. Our kids LOVE sharing a room so much that often one room is just empty. I'm also quite a fan of minimalism, so I tend to purge things from the condo we live in OFTEN. You're so right : less things is much less stressful. Less stuff to clean up, the kids aren't inundated with toys. <br /><br />When I was a teenager, I lived in Lahore, Pakistan. Third world country at its finest. There's no trash pick up. Just walls around each home [if you're lucky enough to have a roof over your head] and you throw it over the wall. Lots of homeless kids in the streets. The "lucky" ones are servants in homes so they have a place to sleep, mostly girls as young as 7 yrs old that I saw personally. I suppose there are many that are younger. It was the best experience of my life to live there. I was never more grateful to get back to America and have a hot running water shower...and carpet, which they don't have. <br /><br />Living in America it's so easy to lose contentment. We're surrounded by excess and greener grass syndrome. The kids that lived in the streets in Pakistan were often seen playing and flying kites and trying to WORK for food. Kids. Put things in perspective, I just need to remember it. Stella Maris Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08916499504650277851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-13940048408360055102015-07-08T17:53:37.462-04:002015-07-08T17:53:37.462-04:00Thank you for helping me keep things in perspectiv...Thank you for helping me keep things in perspective! Sometimes I feel like our two-bedroom condo rental is too small between my husband and I! I totally understand what you mean about not being content until we reach heaven. Until then, we can be reminded of all of the things we DO have. Great post!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15592470464189348960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-28241583441711726372015-07-03T11:15:01.725-04:002015-07-03T11:15:01.725-04:00Wonderful tips on being content Rebekah! Thanks fo...Wonderful tips on being content Rebekah! Thanks for sharing this with our 'Hearts for Home' community! Beautiful blog, excellent content! - EstherGraced Simplicityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13562918080656832584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-39767464051938939492015-06-24T12:06:07.343-04:002015-06-24T12:06:07.343-04:00Doing without definitely gives you an appreciation...Doing without definitely gives you an appreciation for those things when you do have them! I know when we are able to move into a bigger place it will be great but you are right, it is not what will make us happy. faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-59504514357437302512015-06-22T21:11:51.612-04:002015-06-22T21:11:51.612-04:00Wow. I am almost in a similar situation. We moved ...Wow. I am almost in a similar situation. We moved into a 2 bedroom house when we just had one child. Fast forward 2 more kids space was getting tight. We moved into a 5 bedroom rental and rented out the 2 bedroom house. My 3 kids finally each had their own room. Fast forward 3 years we ended up back in our 2 bedroom house. I actually appreciated that experience because it showed me that we don't need a big place to be happy. Yes things are back to being tight, but I think it was something that needed to happen to move forward if you know what I mean. I have a new found appreciation for just the little things. Dropping by from the Mom2Mom link up.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10410564534486799626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-57135660818317299702015-06-11T13:36:46.634-04:002015-06-11T13:36:46.634-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-10967177174274050852015-06-11T13:36:24.551-04:002015-06-11T13:36:24.551-04:00It does make me happy! Yes, love is the key! Thank...It does make me happy! Yes, love is the key! Thanks for stopping by!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199496299465441943.post-45873087045791579882015-06-11T13:35:07.036-04:002015-06-11T13:35:07.036-04:00It is nice to have elbow room and room for more st...It is nice to have elbow room and room for more stuff but its crazy how much I have learned to live without that I don't even miss.Thanks for stopping by!faithfulwiththelittlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756452506463025967noreply@blogger.com