Why the bad economy is good for you....

I was sitting in a doctor's office and noticed an article advertised on the cover of a magazine titled, "Why the bad economy is good for you". I opened it an began reading about how even though the economy is hard for many of us, there are some good outcomes of it. We are a little healthier, we are more creative with our means, we spend more time with loved ones because we are doing less, and so on. I wanted to share this because it reflects some of my own feelings. Not to sound too preachy, but it does seem that we are seeing many signs of the times, however, the scriptures teach that the righteous shall not fear. I never understood that. I wondered how in the midst of so much turmoil, there could be peace and comfort. I think that I am beginning to understand. I don't want to minimize the effects that the economy has had on many of us. It is very hard and many if not all of us are feeling the effects. However, it is also about perspective and attitude. We can still be happy, if not happier, with less. To illustrate, here are some pictures of the girls and some of their friends picking strawberries at the berry patch. We had a wonderful time. I have been freezing our strawberries and making freezer jam. Would we be doing things like this if we had everything at our fingertips? If so, would we have as much fun? I don't think so. I am noticing more people planting gardens, more friends asking me how to can, we are making more home-made gifts, and doing less extra-curricular activities which results in more family and friend time. I am so sad for those of us who have been hurt by job losses, however, I have to say, there is something sweet about these experiences. We have the ability to make them for our good rather than just a trial.