Thankful Thursday - Magical

Popping in with a recent photo I took while on a walk with my sons, that I have paired up with a lovely gratitude quote.

Hopefully, I am not boring you with all these scenery photos from our latest rental home. I do have plans to share some sewing (yes! I am finally set up and sewing again!), as this is supposed to be a sewing blog. ;o)

Although this is only a temporary home for us, we greatly appreciate the obvious blessings it provides for us - along with all the deeper thoughts about life, it has stirred.  The longings for a home we can call our very own, has not lessened with this experience (as beautiful as it is here), but I think it is being refined.  Which is exciting!

It has been an interesting turn, to take on short term rental homes (twice this year), rather than finding a home that we could rent for a longer term (which is how we've lived for years).  Admittedly, doing this came about due to circumstance, rather than being premeditated as the route to take towards home ownership.

A time of letting go - literally and mentally.  Our first move this year, although unexpected, prompted the first round of release.  Physical goods, firstly (lots of donations taken to our local thrift stores ;o) and then as the day of departure quickly approached, we had to open up (or let go of our long held thoughts) to other rental options.

The rental market here is/has been tight - meaning prices are easily outstripping affordability and the offerings can also be less than adequate (example: the home that advertised  2 full bathrooms, but in reality, it was two rooms - a toilet and sink in one room and the tub/shower with a sink in the second room. Hmmm... ). Scary thought? We actually were considering renting that place! The logistics of four adults making that set up work for the long term had me shaking my head, let me tell you.  Lest you think I am somewhat of a prima donna when it comes to housing, you may remember that I have lived in a 100+ year old home that was slated for demolition (click here  and  here, and more here with the conclusion here; if you want to read about that experience).  

Perhaps the mental shift in our thinking has come from age - more than ever the realization that life is short and the knowledge that our dream of living on the land, will only be achieved one step at a time and the route may be one that is less travelled.  It may mean short term rentals as we work towards that dream and it may mean that we need to "let go" more in our lives, meanwhile I aim to keep gratitude as the center of my thoughts and let the magic flow from there.