November - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 14 & 15 - Change and Opportunity

I'm behind on my posts, so I'm going to roll two into one today.  I'm thankful for change and opportunity.

Some people hate change.   Most people like things just the way they are, comfortably predictable to some degree, no surprises outside the parameters we've subconsciously set, but nothing too unusual or unexpected.  Change is inevitable, so you might as well be agreeable to it. Even if it isn't what you planned or wanted, hey, here it is! Make the best of it!

I thrive on change!  Change is opportunity.  Opportunities come with change.  Some people never hear opportunity knocking. Me?  I hear it coming down the road!  I will run out and meet it if I can.  If change is coming, why wait until it takes you by surprise and catches you off guard?  Grab it and make it the opportunity of a lifetime!

We are supposed to live by faith.  Where is the freedom to jump and follow God if we are so stuck in our plans and habits and so resistant to change that it takes an emergency to force us up?  Some of our greatest opportunities are hidden in situations that we can reject out of hand because they look too much like an uncomfortable change on the surface.  How do you know it's uncomfortable, and, if it is, how do you know it wouldn't be worth the discomfort?  That attitude is fearful or lazy, or both, and it's unacceptable.  Just a little bit of soul searching and you know that.

Most people would plan every day to be "normal" and never have any occasion to step out on faith at all.  That's not why we're here.  That's not how we're designed.  We're  created to go through life, not park in it someplace.  We are designed to be ready to go when God calls.  We are designed to be trained, and to be overcoming conquerors, victors and warriors!  How could we overcome if there were no obstacles?  How can we have victory with no battles?  To the victors go the spoils!  Have you ever had any spoils?  Wouldn't you like to have some spoils?  Even with my limited experience I can tell you, spoils make the battles worth the sweat and the blood.  You will never have the opportunities to enjoy the spoils if you don't learn to enjoy the training and then use it to win.  Stop quitting and win!

Do I enjoy it?  Ask an athlete if he enjoys his training.  He will say yes.  I'm sure he didn't like it in the beginning, but he stuck with it and eventually got to where he loved it and lived for that "burn" *that indicated improvement.  He trained for the win.  Ask a well trained soldier what he wants to do and where he wants to go after he's trained and prepared and he'll tell you, "To the battle."  Yes, I enjoy it.  I love pressing toward the mark.   I want to win.

There's and old saying that God doesn't call the equipped, but equips the called.  Don't sit on your equipment!


 ".....I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Php 4:11-13 


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November - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 13 - Age

I'm thankful for my age.  Pastor Joe thought it was the weirdest thing that I liked my wrinkles and whatnot. I'd never really thought about it much until he laughed at me for it, but not a lot of people, women in particular, like looking older.

Mind you, I'm not just thrilled with them all.  The "let the air out of my neck" thing doesn't excite me much, but some off it is just cool!    My crepe-y skin is soft and interesting to look at.  What's wrong with gray hair and a little meat around the middle?   I'd ten to one rather try to look natural and "kempt" at fifty-three than try to look twenty-five at fifty-three and come off garish, harsh and obviously dissatisfied with my regular self.  Life makes you look the way you look.  I have a good life that I enjoy.  I look fine.  :)

Things change as you get older, some good, some bad; we adjust.  I wouldn't go back to my youth for all the tea in China!  I am settled, gained a little wisdom, I'm not worried about being cool anymore, my fashion statement is what fits and doesn't have holes or stains (just kidding...  sort of) and my need for outside stimulation can be met in a lawn chair in the morning with a hot cup of coffee.  The only thing I miss a bit is the energy level.  I could use some of the abundant energy I had when I was a teenager.  I could put it to much better use now than I did then, that's for sure.

My grandma used to say, "Youth is wasted on the young." Oh, haha, Gramma!  NOW I get it!

November - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 12 - In-Laws

Thank God for good in-laws, on both ends: parents and children.

I think after we are parents we are promoted to the next class: in laws.  It isn't something you just know how to do, and you can't master it over night.  I'm thankful that I had wonderful teachers.

My mother and father in-law have been stellar examples of what an in-law should be like.  I hate to call them in-laws, but I dislike all the cutesy replacement words people use for things like that even worse, so I just call them mom and pop.  Through all the ups and downs we have grown to care for each other as much as any "real" parent/kids do.  I love them and they love me.  I can only hope I learned something about how to be an in-law, and that my children-in-law will develop a relationships with me like the one I have with mine.

They taught me to keep my opinions to myself unless asked, and then when asked, stick to the Word of God with the answer.  They never butted in, never manipulated us, never pressured us, ever.  They called us but didn't ring our phone off the hook, invited us to visit, popped in some, (all those things are a tricky balance!) and always seemed to be happy with it.  I regret that we didn't spend more time with them now that I can relate to missing the grown kids.  It made them so very happy to see us when we visited.  There's never enough visit time with the kids.  I guess the trick is appearing happy with that.

Now we can't visit them as much and I miss them.  Now that Pop is with the Lord I can't be there with mom. I'm sorry, mom, I wish I could.  I love you.

My beautiful daughter-in-law: she is blessing to my son.  What more could we possible ask?  I see them, happy and doing all the in love things and it blesses my heart.  Their life is in full swing!  If I don't call enough it's because I'm trying to strike that tricky balance between so much that it's annoying and not enough to seem interested. If I don't ask about your life it's because I don't want to seem intrusive.  If I don't say I love you enough it's because I'm a jerk; I should.  I do love you, it's just still an awkward dance sometimes, getting all the steps right without stepping on any toes.  A few more years in the in-law class and I'll have 'er down pat!  ;-)

I love you all and I'm very thankful for you.

Moving into a Small Home - Attitude

Going on the assumption that you might be planning to make a change in your life toward smaller living or that perhaps you are curious as to what it may be like, I want to start with the most obvious area: space.  This is a really big topic, so I am going to try to break it up a bit.  There are some basic areas I want to try to cover in the next few posts:

Necessities - You are going to have to re-assess what you have always thought of as being necessities.  I was just certain I couldn't make it without all of my kitchen equipment, for example.  Surprise!  Not only could I, but I had to, so I might as well learn it!  You may have to break a lot of basic living habits.

Personal belongings: Storage - It's hard, but some things just have to go.

Daily Activities and Ministrations - Reading, writing,, paying bills, cooking, doing dishes, home entertainment, sleeping, etc... all of these situations become more interesting when you are only a few feet apart.

Cabin Fever? - Any way you slice this pie the pieces are small.  You can enjoy it or not.  It's your choice, but it's a situation that requires some reprogramming, a lot of self-education and preparation leading into it, and a whole lot of deliberate patience.

Attitude! - I want to say at the outset that we are not perfect family and any one can do this, but wrong or bad attitudes can make it very, very difficult.  If the whole family understands this and has made a quality decision to give their best effort you are WAY ahead of the game.

Which brings me to the topic I wanted to deal with first:
Perception -  I want to address specifically the attitudes you are probably going to get from other people when they learn you're planning to move into something small.  To the world's way of thinking we're going the wrong direction. We're supposed to go bigger and bigger not smaller.  I've had people think I was crazy, they've gotten angry, (yes, really) they've been sorry for me, afraid, confused, you name it.  Some wished they could do it, some tried to talk me out of it.  You will hear it all.

As I said in an earlier blog post, living small is historically very "normal."  It's only in the last few generations that we have decided we need big  homes.  We think that if our children don't have their own 'XX' square feet of privacy that we have somehow injured their development.  If I can't have perfect surroundings for each activity I have to perform then I just can't do it!  Even though this is NOT TRUE, it is accepted by society completely.   As a result you can get any number of reactions from people. Be prepared! Pick your battles.

Some people don't matter a whole lot in our everyday world.  We like them, they are acquaintances or whatever, but they don't factor into our day to day life very much.  Not everyone needs to know or even wants to know what you're up to.  Don't even bother to tell them.  If they find out and feel it necessary to pipe up about it, don't feel the need to explain yourself to them.  A simple, "Really? We like it," or something similar will do.  Some are bold or just nosy, but they can be politely dismissed.

Among the people who do matter to you there may be some strange responses.  Some of them we are in close enough relationship with to sit down and intellectually discuss it, and walk away with understanding and even support.  That's how it should be with most of the people, but there are those who are actually sad or afraid and you can't make them understand.  Honestly, I can not figure out why anyone would feel that way.  I've tried and tried to explain our hearts and minds to them, but they don't get it.  That's why I say now you should just politely dismiss them. They will wear you out and it is pointless to belabor it.

This is what I mean by pick your battles.  Those you care about who are having trouble with your "weird lifestyle" are just going to have to be marginalized in any future discussions about it.  A lot of "yeah, uh-huh's" and letting them know you're "fine" and life is good.

In our own situation, there were those who meant well, I have no doubt, but they really didn't get it.  They will point out a lot of negatives and they can stress you out about things where you don't need any added stress.  Everything has a negative side.  If you start listening to too much of that and begin to dwell on it you doom yourself to failure.  Don't allow it.  Dance around the topic however you need to, smile and talk about the good things.   I suggest you avoid the subject altogether if you can once you have determined they aren't going to support you.  If you felt you needed to tell them your plans, then you've done your part.  Now it's time to protect your family and home, not defend your decisions to people who, other than being a little concerned, aren't really directly effected by it.

We had people in our lives that we were very close to, people we loved and who loved us, begin to look down their noses at us over this.  OK, yeah, so that's their problem, but in a discussion about the effects of this lifestyle and it's ups and downs, this needs to be mentioned because it hurt us.  A lot.  And it happened.

I have an internet acquaintance who actually had a "friend" turn her into the state child protective agency because he felt that the rooming and sleeping accommodations they made for the children was  somehow not up to snuff.  They were actually investigated.  That is a nightmare scenario!  Thankfully it was tossed out, but the point is, some of the consequences are far more severe than the situation deserves, so, if they can be avoided by just keeping it to yourself, maybe that's the best game plan.

With most people, it's out of sight is out of mind anyway.  They'll drop it if you will.  Just leave it.  Ask yourself why you feel compelled to discuss it with anyone you might be getting ready to discuss it with.  It might just be excitement on your part, but not everyone will be as excited as you are and you might be borrowing trouble, so weigh it out.

I guess I said all that to say this: Be ready for some opposition.  Who knows why; it just happens.  Just be sure going in that it's the thing you want to do, and do it for real, well thought through reasons.  The best way to calm everybody's nerves is to be a success at it.  You can only do that if you're sold on it yourself.  We just recently passed our one year mark.  If, later on, anyone who had any of those thoughts about us in the beginning actually let it cross their minds that we live in a small place, which I doubt, then they would probably say to themselves, "Wow, they did it."  That's good enough.

November - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 11

Today I'm thankful for my the smell of fallen leaves on a cold night.  I went outside  tonight and it was so strong in the air I could almost taste it.  I think that if I had no idea what season it was and someone woke me out of a sound sleep, blindfolded me and put me outside in the yard, I could have told you from scent alone that it was November.  Rich, heavy, and earthy made crisp on the the cold air!   Someone should figure out how to bottle that smell.  It's one of life's greatest smells.  That and the smell of book pages.  And coffee.  And toast.  Toast is good, too. 

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November - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 10

I'm thankful for my church.  We are really new here and it's a big church.  It's hard to find your place and fit in and make friends in a new church, particularly a big one.  I am tempted at times to give up trying and go someplace different, smaller and more personal feeling, but I know God has brought us here for a purpose, so I continue to go.  I know that the passage of time will fill in all these uncomfortable "stranger" gaps.  In the mean time God has given me  a timely word each and every time I have gone there.

I am thankful that when I feel alone God is with me.  He led me to this river and He will send ravens to feed me if He has to.  I will stay where He puts me.   Imagine!  I will receive from the Hand of God when I go where He sends me!  There's nothing better than that!

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Important Lighting Issues and Options

I learned something new about living in travel trailers again this week:  if you are planning to live in one full time and still plan to use the lights as you usually would have in a standard home, you should switch the light bulbs from incandescent to LED or fluorescent.

The 12 volt fixtures in an RV save a lot on electricity, and I really like them.  The bulbs last a long time in them, they are easy to change and clean and all that, but the incandescent bulbs that are made for them get too hot if you leave them on too long, and they can (do) melt some of the pieces of the bulb and the fixture.  It seems bad that they would sell you something that could cause this.  I guess they expect you won't be in it so much or something, I don't know, but it's a scary arrangement. I've heard all the stories about fires in trailers and electrical fires, and I don't like the thought of either of them.

We had a fixture short out in the bathroom.  This one was a two sided fixture, and we noticed the bulb in one side had gotten dimmer than in the other over time.  My husband took note of it one day.  I assumed if it was a problem he'd say something more, but he never really did until it blew a fuse.  He fixed the fuse, and it seemed alright, although the light was still dim, but when it blew another one he checked on it, and I'm glad he did.  It had melted the end of the bulb to the point that it came apart and had melted the wires in the fixture.  I'm glad my husband understands electrical things, because I certainly don't, yet.  I'm also really thankful he was at home this week to fix it!  

The bulb itself never burned out on it's own, it just dimmed.  I didn't think much of it in the beginning because the bulbs in the fixtures are the same ones that were in it when we bought the trailer a year ago.  No telling how long they'd been in there before we got it.  They had been burning out, presumably because they were old, and I'd been replacing them as we went along, so I was expecting more to go pretty soon anyway.  One more was not too alarming. 

I did note it was the only one that just dimmed. I probably should have taken note as to which ones I'd changed.  It didn't seem important at the time, but looking back, had I kept track of it I might have had a reason to red flag it and have him check into it before we had trouble.  I could't remember if that was one I had already changed or not.  That's another good reason to keep journals.

The next day, fresh on the heels of this event and keenly aware of the heat of the bulbs now, I remembered having a bulb go out in the kitchen recently, so I went in to check on it.  Lo and behold, when I touched it, it flickered.  It wasn't burnt out at all, it was shorted out like the other one.   I was afraid to touch it!  I did, however, and managed to remove the bulb, and it, too had melted and parts of it had disintegrated and it had come undone in the socket.  Obviously we determined that we had to do something about the rest of them.  Short of sitting in the dark, we found two options.

#1 - LED bulbs.  

1. They are COOL to the touch.
2. I could keep my existing fixtures and just replace the bulbs.
3. They are bright and come in lots of colors, or tones, or hues or whatever, to make it easy on the eyes.
4. They last a very, very long time: 100,000+ working hours.  Obviously they would pay for themselves over time. 
5. They are very cost efficient to operate.  They use about twenty percent of the power of an incandescent bulb, which matters on your bill when you are hooked up, but will matter even more if you are *off grid and have to monitor how much juice everything uses. If you take into consideration the number of bulbs in the trailer, and we have around twenty including outdoor lights, we could considerably reduce the battery drain by switching to LED.  If we had all twenty of our incandescent bulbs turned on at one time they would draw in the neighborhood of **20 amps, which would drain a single **12 volt battery in a matter of a few hours.  If we replaced them all with LED and then ran them all, they would use less than four volts.  That is significant.  

*I don't understand all I know about that, I'm only learning, but I know that using less is good.  
**Please don't ask me about volts and amps and power systems for off grid.  I'm Ned in the first reader on all this stuff.

I found these great links for more info on the pro's and cons: http://eezrvproducts.com/FAQ_s__LED_s_.html

http://eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm

The downside: 

1. The bulbs are expensive.  I've seen them at RV stores for around $17.00 - $20.00 per bulb, and they aren't a lot better on the internet, at least for the ones we decided we'd like to buy. Some only shine in one direction and we want the multi-directional ones which are even more expensive, starting in the neighborhood of $35.00 each and up from there.  The prices seem to be coming down somewhat, but to replace twenty bulbs even at around twenty dollars apiece would really be quite a ticket.  We would have to do one or two at a time.  I will likely buy one of the directional ones and see how it works in one of the single fixtures before I spring for any of the really expensive ones.  When I do, I'll post.  

#2 Fluorescent lighting.

1. Cool to the touch.
2. Considerably more cost efficient than incandescent.
3. Brighter than incandescent, and I prefer the light quality; that's just my personal taste.
4. Replacement bulbs are around $5.00 - $10.00.  That is slightly cheaper than replacement costs for LED's, but they do not last as long.

The downside:

1. The lighting fixtures will have to be replaced.  There is really not a great selection of beautiful fixtures available even on the internet.  The only one available locally was less than attractive, but not horrible, so we got it... for $50.00+ dollars.  At a dozen or more fixtures, you can do the math on that one.
2. The bulbs do not last nearly as long as the LED lights.
3. I haven't seen any replacement bulbs for these type of fixtures just lying around on the shelves any more commonly than I have the LED lights because they are 12 volt tubes.  You can't just go buy one at Wal Mart.  LED is taking over the market in RV and marine lighting, so it's actually easier to find LED now days.

We went ahead with a fluorescent fixture in the bathroom, mostly because that's all they had available and we needed something right away, as in NOW while my husband was home to fix it.  I'm not at all sorry, because I really like it where it is, but I have to say, I have completely talked myself into LED while writing this post.   

No one says I have to replace all of them at one time.  Besides, it's like the industry to change the standard occasionally.  In my short studies here it already seems to me like they are trying to switch over to a different kind of a flat base which would, of course, require a new fixture, so I might as well wait to do as many as I can until the die is cast.  For now I'll plan on  getting a few bulbs.  It pains me to shell out so much dough for one measly bulb, but if it lasts such a long time and isn't hot, I'm going to hold my nose and do it.  

Right now I have to say I like the light our new fluorescent casts so much that I may eventually get one for the kitchen over the sink, unless it turns out that we like the LED's even better.  I wish I could test one.  I wish they had sample bulbs or trials.  Well, I'll let you know when I get one.

Anyway, this obviously isn't all there is to RV lighting, and these are certainly not the only options, just  the ones we are looking at.  For the record, our trailer is a 2001 model.  I imagine a lot of things have changed about how they do things in newer ones.  

Feel free to post in my comments if you have any ideas or suggestions.  I'm brand new at this and learning as I go.  Any good info is money in the bank.

Ps119:105 ~ "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

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