How inexpensive is cheap…really?

What is the total cost from make to waste?

What is the total cost for you?

I have wasted so much money over the years on cheap…cheaper made, cheaper materials, cheaper design. If I had only been more patient and waited until I could buy the quality item of better made, better materials, better design… and it would last! One dollar here, five dollars there…the stuff eventually ends up in the landfill.

This is one reason why when I buy quilt fabrics, I only buy good quality cotton fabrics from a good designer and mill. Why waste my time thinking up, designing, cutting it out, sewing it together and finally quilting it to give to someone and then the fabric fades, shrinks, wiggles into a different shape, pills, and gets all rough from wear and tear…it isn’t worth it!

This principle applies to any craft – woodworking, plastering, painting, cooking, even gardening. Yes, and automobiles and homebuilding. If we pay for quality, we’ll have quality that will last for maybe generations. It will be valuable because of its worth and workmanship, and others can benefit from its making.

No trashman or landfill needed here…only enduring quality products.

Take a second look at the cost of ‘cheap’.

Why are we apologizing for being who we are? We are born who we are and there is no shame!

Why are we trying to change who we are? Do we feel we need to measure up to someone else’s expectations, desires, demands, motives?

I am calling upon you to be you! To be your God made YOU! Stop giving in to social pressures, real or perceived, and give in to you…what in your deepest of hearts you know is true about you! We need the real you to grow and develop. We actually stunt our growth when we try to be anything other than ourselves.

God made us all of the same material, but just like in your closet, your clothes are of different colors and styles for different occasions and needs.

Stop apologizing for being the you that you were born to be !!! Cherish your life!

Don’t apologize because you are:

• Black, white, American, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Alaskan…
• ‘Privileged’ wealthy, poor, middle class…
• Farmer, businessman, doctor, housewife, child, teenager, adult…
• Smart, talented, industrious, helpful, full of ideas, generous, giving…

God has gifted each one of us so we can be givers – (not takers)!

This does not mean you take from me because I have more and you might  be in need!

This does mean let each one be their own self all by themselves, while we each go about living our lives with no condemnation for who we are, what we are, what we have or where we live.

It means being thankful for what we have and for what others have that we may not.

Remember…do not apologize or feel guilty for who you are or what you have.

You be YOU!

All in all, there’s far more good in our world than bad!

God made this world and He said He made it good! We humans have a tendency to make things bad…’badder’ than they are. Through fears of ‘what if’ we try to control, manipulate, then blame and force our way upon things and other people, rather than trusting things will work out if we all keep our nose to our own grindstone 🙂

When we feel the ‘what if’ panic begin to come upon us, what if we stop, take a breath, and look around at all the good we are experiencing right now.

• I have food to eat
• I have a place to sleep, and warm covers
• I have clothing
• I have a roof over my head
• I have other people in my life who care about me
• I have work to do

If none of the above then think on:

• I can hear the birds sing
• I can see the flowers and green trees
• I can look at the sky and puffy clouds
• I can watch the sunrise and sunset
• I can find something helpful to do

If none of these then think on:

• I have a good mind
• I can think about good things
• I can think how I might encourage somebody worse off than me
• I can be thankful for my life

If none of the above then:

• Pray – “God help me see good.”