Once Upon a Time

I was reminded tonight of the luxuries of life we have come to expect, dare I say, are entitled to.  What started out as an "*sigh*...well, I guess I don't have any choice" to thinking how blessed I truly am, how wonderful my life is and how much I miss the simpler days.

Josh finally had time to call and the decision was made that we would have the small repair done on the van before I leave Tuesday morning.  That means either arranging to drop it off first thing tomorrow morning or tonight utilizing their drop box.  (I was very comfortable doing this, Christian-family owned company)  So after trying to figure out how I was going to get the van there and get home, I made my choice.  You see, Ian was home so I had another driver, but Ashlynn was asleep.  My neighbor is out of town.  I'm trying to figure out how to get home. Mind you, it's all of maybe 2 miles. 
So...walk.  Really, Jenny, just walk.  How hard is that?  What would your grandfather have to do? Or your grandma with her 5 kids?  They would walk.  Because that was the only choice.  So I did :)

It was a nice walk, I might add.  Not only was the weather cooling off a bit, but in my first 1/2 mile I saw a loose steer, a Shepard guard dog, the sweet horse on the corner, barbwire fencing, overgrown fields, straw along the gravel roadside, and little critters.  I missed not seeing the big gardens, but unless it rains, then the gardens die.  That's how it used to be done.  You want water on your veggies?  Pray for rain.  There weren't "sprinkler systems" and fancy irrigations.  You collected rain water. God was in control of what grew and what crops would benefit.  You planted to allow for shading in the heat and built your houses according to direction.  North and South so that you had minimal window exposure on the East and West, kept the house cooler.  Not based on the best lot in the best neighborhood.
Oh, how I was being humbled and reminded of where my priorities should be.
Then...back to reality.  I pass Fire Station (lucky) number 7 and it's back to manicured lawns, common areas with regurlarly scheduled watering by irrigation systems. *sigh*.  Are we really that shallow?  Is it that necessary to have a large waterfall as your neighborhood entrance?  Aren't we on a water restriction? Funny thing is, I have neighbors that water religiously every other day (against restriction) and I haven't watered mine in a month, yet you can't tell.  Our lawns look the same.  It's Texas, people.  Let the Bermuda die and reseed in September.  Seriously.  It's cheaper. And who really cares what your lawn looks like?  You are never outside for your neighbors to acknowledge it!!
I'm grateful my grandparents (and their generation) were not as shallow, not as entitled and much more engaged with their neighbors and communities.  Without the need of a political HOA board.

I am grateful for the many blessings my God pours down on me, each and every day.