When I tell people I have bought land in Texas and I'm soon to move there and build my own home and homestead, there's an interesting phenomenon that occurs ...
Many of them express an opinion of disbelief. Then the reasons start to support that disbelief ... but what about the drought? What about fire insurance? Flood insurance? What if it's unsafe? Don't you want a real builder to build your home? Why wouldn't you live in a more conventional manner?
Some, like a few of my readers here, are more supportive of a man and his family striking out to do this. A very few even take it in stride as if it's the most natural thing in the world and why wouldn't everyone want to do so?
Do you believe that a homecooked meal is better than the meals you get in restaurants? If so, then why wouldn't you also extend that to a handcrafted home?
We do not need the legions of experts who have gathered to interpose themselves between us and God's will and who advocate that only they are the ones who have the knowledge and ability to supply life's essentials (often at great financial cost to us). Are you somehow less capable than your great-grandfather? Are you less hardy than those pioneers who carved out homes for themselves in the wilderness? There's a grocery store less than 12 miles from my homesite, 3 building supply stores in nearby Brownwood, and I have a Visa card. That's way more than Pa Ingalls ever had. And for a decade now I've been reading on homebuilding techniques and have visited (and ate fine dinners) in many homes built by "amateurs".
Am I nervous about this undertaking? Yes! It's huge and there will be hardship involved. That doesn't mean I won't try though. God is leading us to this place and filling my head and hands with the ability to do it. All that is required from me is to show up and try.
6 comments:
Having grown up with a father who was a carpenter, we were taught to "just try to do it yourself". If you couldn't do it then seek assistance from someone with more experience. You'll never know what you can accomplish without trying first. I say go build that dream that you and your family have! Together you'll build more than just a house, you'll build a home and teach your children about confidence in their own abilities and how to succeed in life. Your family is in my prayers, during your moving adventures and beyond.
I think it's referred to as the "won't club"... Won't even try to see if they can do it...
In my experience it's not so much the "can't" club, but the "why would you?" club. Why would you make a homemade meal when you can just go through a drive-through? Why would you put in a garden when you can just buy it at the store? Why would you build a home with your own two hands on your own land when you could just buy a cookie-cutter house in the suburbs? Why would you choose the path that requires work instead of the one that's easy?
I've found that there's a lot of people on the easy path and very few on the one that requires work.
Gee.. my first thought was.. I'm jealous! then.. good for them.
As another said, it takes great courage to do what you and your family are doing. Heck, I got "you're doing what!!" when I announced I was moving from NYC to AZ.
Why can't people just be happy for others when they are following their dream?
I'm in the camp of it being the most natural and normal thing in the world! It's hard to believe that so many people choose debt slavery rather than being willing to do without a few luxuries and work with their hands to provide for their families!
Kathleen
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