People are so nice to us. We have the most incredible friends and neighbors. People have given us so much, like food: just this year we have been given 6 bushels of corn, about 50 lbs of beef,30 pounds of pork, 60 lbs of cucumbers, maple syrup, garlic, fresh trout and walleye. These things help us out tremendously on our grocery budget.

We have been given pianos,a horse, tables, an automatic washer, and a wringer washer, piles of lumber, tires, tools, lawn furniture. We have a good neighbor who bales our hay every year. Another neighbor gives us tons of clothes for our girls and Cale. Another neighbor gives me boxes of fabric.

People have helped us during illness and un-employment. I remember once I was pregnant and so SICK, it was just awful. Cale wasn't working, and here came some people from the church with 3 big boxes of groceries. It was such a shock, and so appreciated. We would have made it without these things, but there were some nice snacks and treats for the kids, so it really broke up the monotony of deer meat and potatoes!!

It is amazing how a need will arise, and then a solution appears!!! I want you to know that we give as much as we get. We donate all unused items to our annual firemens auction, all clothes are passed on to others who can use them, and all surplus garden items are given away. Cale often gives people loads of firewood, and I do taxes for free to those who are struggling. I also do a lot of volunteering. We have often thought what a great world it would be if each person had just what they needed without having to struggle to pay for everything. If those who had extra would pass it on, and help each other along the way. Pretty idealistic, isn't it??? But it would surely be nice... We never sell anything, it is just not in our nature to make a profit on anything!!

It is so nice when friends and neighbors can lend a hand to one another!!!

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), November 07, 2001

Answers

We have been given many things that have been answers to prayers. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with friends and family who help when times are tight. I am thankful, too, for those who give us their time. I can't even begin to list all the times people have helped us.

-- Jo (mamamia2kids@msn.com), November 07, 2001.

My dad, in remarking about the children we kept having, said, "You can't clothe them in hand-me-downs forever!" meaning that we might not be able to afford all the children we have. I have always remembered that statement with just a touch of triumph. Don't get me wrong; my dad and I have always been very close. But I took his words as a challenge to see how inexpensive AND well-dressed children could be.

Can't afford brand-new clothes, except for extremely special occasions. I could count on both hands the times we have bought brand-new for any of us in 15 years (exception: underwear, socks, shoes). Once, the older boys needed church clothes and my sister (my main source of hand-me-downs) hadn't been able to send us anything. I went to various thrift shops, and even looked at new stuff, but couldn't find the right sizes at the right price. Came home and found a paper sack of shirts, pants and dress shoes on my doorstep! Everything fit. When #2 son was on his way, we found a bag of baby boy clothes in the car after church one night. Carters, OshKosh, Spencers, even a little 12 month size London Fog coat! The time came when my sister had more boys of her own, and I started passing stuff back to her. She said once that she always put the holey jeans in my bag, knowing that they'd come back to her mended! She never was much for sewing:) Eventually, though, we moved further away and it cost too much to send boxes of clothes from PA to Texas and back, so we had to quit. I wondered what we'd do then. But in Texas we got more clothes from people than I knew what to do with. I shared with whoever had kids the right size. Anytime I shared clothes with anybody, I'd get it all back, plus some, the next time I needed them. Carters used to have a jingle, "If they could just stay little till their Carters wore out." I have a Carters nightie that is 30 years old and has gone through 10 babies; it is still in good condition. Everywhere we've lived, we've gotten hand-me-downs galore. They say children get fussy about clothes as they get older, and my children definitely have their preferences. But so far we have clothed everyone in reasonable style without raising the clothing budget.

Food. In Ohio, we lived on a busy intersection on the outskirts of town. One day a woman knocked on my door and asked if she could sell vegetables in our front yard. We said yes, and she paid us $10 dollars a day plus all the fresh veggies we could eat. I did my first canning there, with stuff she had left at the end of the day. Once, after a rather slow day, she left us with 60 dozen ears of corn! No way could we shuck and can so much with more coming the next day, so we called the local rescue mission. They were delighted with so much fresh corn for their soup kitchen. Now we have a man in our church bringing groceries every week, but with all our garden in and chickens butchered, we are telling him not to come so much. We were able to can his tomatoes for him when he went out of town, and have given him some of our canned stuff and some chicken.

Housing is another thing. How many landlords will put up with the wear and tear of having 3-6 young'ns in the house? We found five so far. Not only that, but cheap. Two places we rented for $100/mo.; one we fixed up instead of paying rent.

I could go on, but this is getting long. We also have had lean times of not knowing what we would put on the table for dinner and have people give us stuff. When I was pregnant with our first, we couldn't even afford maternity clothes. I went out to the car to pray about it at about 9 p.m. While I was praying, the ups truck pulled in with a box of clothes from my sister! We never had a ups man come so late before or since. When we moved to Texas, Tom did not have any prospects for a job; within two days he was hired as a refrigeration technician (the job he most wanted) on the recommendation of a man in the church who had never met us until we moved there.

We have found that the more we give to others, the more we receive. Not that we plan it that way, it's just the way things work: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), November 07, 2001.

Country Friend Jack Bunyard(from these forums) and his wife Mildred and their frinds Mike and Cathy Greene came from close to two hours away to help us move the "big stuff". They asked only for a good meal. That was our first meeting. We really like them, too.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), November 08, 2001.

We have moved a lot in the past. I will always remember when we moved to PA, we were only there for nine months. We had just had a baby(two weeks proior to moving there), had NO relatives out there and I had two older children. You can imagine the boxes around, trying to organize, etc. I finally did that all. I hate to ask for help. Well, one church we went to had a wonderful sister in the Lord that showed me the blessing of just being physically helpful. They didn't have a lot of money, and neither did we (PA prices were way higher than what this midwest gal expected). On my birthday, she brought a MEAL, complete with table candles and all. Set up a portable table on the patio of the townhouse, tablecloth, etc. It was really romantic. She watched all of our kids(AND HERS TOO!) and shooed us out the back to the patio, and my husband and I had a meal to ourselves. She did dishes, etc.!! EVERYTHING! I remember because she just dug in and made herself at home in my kitchen and didn't worry about asking where something was... she just found it. She brought most of the stuff with her. I was amazed, and VERY thankful. Even when someone wants to help(usually), I end up doing it all because it is faster. That night she would not let me. I guess I want someone to give me time off, but I can not stand someone else working in my house. Then several months later, she came and helped me pack. I had been looking at the townhouse, thinking..."I just unpacked!!" "WHere to start." etc. SHe again dug in and just started wrapping things in paper, etc. I was packed in no time, and she put little encourageing notes in almost every box that I found when I unpacked. :o) God is good.

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), November 08, 2001.

God has blessed me with the greatest friends and family I could ever imagine. There was a time when no one really new how bad we were off. I was a single mother and making ends meet with health problems, a new baby and no help from the father. I did make it work thou and very greatful for God's help. I remember a time when the rent was due on Friday at 5:30pm. It was Friday at Noon and I was 100.00 short, all I could do was pray.At 4:30pm a lady, who was just passing thru and saw my sign, stoped and bought 101.00 dollars in products and craft items.God answers prayers in so many ways. Now I am on my feet and I am able to help others. I feel so much love inside when I am able to help.I never want to be in that place again and I do not want others in that place either.!

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), November 08, 2001.

I cannot begin to name all the nice things people have done for me - bushels of green beans, corn, pears, lima beans from my neighbor to meals brought to me when I was recuperating from my back surgeries, to our long driveway being plowed by a neighbor after a heavy snow when we got home from work. They are just too numerous to mention! There are so many wonderful people in the world but unfortunately it is mostly the not so good ones we hear about. We, too, try to help others as much as we can. Just the other day my husband and I helped our single neighbor lady put up some fencing and when my husband is mowing, he always mows the part of her property bordering ours that is hard for her to get. I also drop off free eggs for her every week or so. It is so wonderful to help one another and the day may come we really really need that help. Thanks Melissa for reminding me how good people are!

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 08, 2001.

Well i can say the biggest thing that i am thankful for that someone has done for me. Is that my loving saviour died for me, shed His precious blood for me, even though i'm sooo not worthy. But what other people have done for me. Well, i have a best friend i have known for thirteen years, and the first six years were awful, but now , we're super close, she put up with me, and has listened to be and been there for me, she is my friend. Then theres my mom and dad, and the best thing they ever did for me was pray for me. I was such a rebellious hateful child/teen, but they kept praying for me, and were very patient with me. Then theres Daniel, he is a good friend of mine, and every time i talk to him , in his speach and manner, he respects me and is the kindest he can be. And he bought me jelly beans once. People can do little things ..a smile for bad day, a hug when we're "alone" anything, and it can be the greatest thing that they have done.

-- jillian (sweetunes483@yahoo.com), November 10, 2001.