I want to take a minute to add a “P.S.” to the last post about thriftiness. While I extol thrift as a virtue and while industry is a prominent characteristic of Mrs. P 31, there must be a P.S. after the mention of it. Industriousness is not the ultimate virtue; loving God is the supreme thing.

Oftentimes, I find myself extolling or analyzing some idea, virtue, or method. It’s a pasttime I need to curtail. Sometimes I’m correct in my assessment, but more often than not, I need to rethink my thinking. While I admire thrift and those who practice it, it must be said that I also adore, admire, and seek the friendship of those who don’t think it’s worthwhile. There are seasons in life wherein we will do better with this particular virtue—thrift—than others.

I’d also like to mention that I’m not The Thrift Police and will not retrieve clean containers from your garbage if I’m at your house.

I remember having three babies aged three and under. (In the latest issue of Above Rubies, a mother of 11 mentions that it was much harder with three under four years old than it is with her current 11 children.) After our third child was born, I sold my cloth diapers on Ebay and hit the store for disposables. And I picked up my first frozen dinner while I was at it.

The moral of the story, I think, is that we should do all we can with what we have in each season in life, and then give thanks for it. Loving God with your whole heart will bring you freedom in your mothering; it is the main thing. Don’t get bogged down if you haven’t learned to make your own biscuits yet. You should try, but you should also embrace the season you’re in.