Frugal?.... or Cheap?

We make a LOT of cookies here at our house... and I use cookie sheets often. Since they get used so much, they tend to wear out, although I just keep using them.  In the last couple of months, my kids have been asking if they can PLEASE throw away a couple of the cookie sheets....

   I didn't want to throw the one away because though I had other cookie sheets for cookies, I didn't have enough cookie sheets WITH sides, so I kept using these. When I make things like 
Buttery Crescent Rolls 
I need something that will keep the butter from rolling off the sides into the oven and creating a fire hazard.

 You can see that the corner is not in good shape here.... in fact 2 or 3 of the corners were breaking and becoming sharp.

This still worked for setting under a pie, though and for other uses.

Yes, it looks like it should be replaced.

This is certainly not in the best of shape and someone had been scratched on it, so it's true.... it was time to replace it......and it probably had been for a long time. 

 This other cookie sheet was used for so many cookies... lots and lots. It has been my favorite cookie sheet for probably about 20 years since I found it at a garage sale for 15c.  REALLY!! I remember the price because money was so tight then and I really needed a cookie sheet and prayed... and God provided this one.  :)  When I bought it, it was in great shape and none of the aluminum was showing (I do not normally use any aluminum for cooking).

 Over time it has been bent a bit, it has cracked....and my guys have crimped it back together with a pair of pliers or a vise. After thanking them, I would say,   "See,it still works".... and it did.

The cookie sheet was also quite warped and bent out of shape and while I never would have bought them this way, I had gotten used to using them.

 In fact, both of them look pretty bad and out of shape. Both were warped and bent and damaged.

 I am determined to be content, though, and I have been and will continue to be. However, there comes a time where being "frugal" is actually being "cheap"... and that is not a good thing. I want to be frugal, but I do not want to be cheap or stingy. A while back, I told the kids they could throw them away as soon as I bought new ones... and I would look. Well, with all of the difficulties with my dad's health
 When An Emergency Strikes
in the last couple of months, I rarely even went to a store, so I forgot about it.  We were in high alert status and such things weren't really important... and I just forgot.

When we opened gifts on Christmas morning, it was different than usual, but it was still very good. 
 A Different Kind of Christmas

 One of my boys gave these 2 new beautiful cookie sheets to me for Christmas. I was really surprised.... and quite pleased. :) What a treat... and we all laughed because now, those old cookie sheets would be thrown away.

The guys celebrated by making the start of a "paper" airplane out of one of the old cookie sheets.  :) 

I realized that I could have (should have) made it a priority to replace those cookie sheets. Yes, I am frugal... and that is really a good thing. I save my husband lots of money, I am content and not a complainer and I will use what we can afford. I think I have gotten so used to doing without certain things that I just didn't even question it... I'm just thankful. Those cookie sheets have been made fun of much over the years, especially this cookie sheet... and I defended it... at the time I really couldn't afford to buy another one.... and I was thankful.... and if that's all I had, I would still be thankful for it... I believe that is the right thing to do.  But, I am sorry that I kept something too long and it started to scratch us.... it had served its purpose and it was time to get rid of it... so why did it take my kids to tell me that? 

I wonder how many times we do that in life.... we get used to things and we don't complain. It is good not to complain and yet I wonder how many times we accept things that should be discarded and replaced.  Those new cookie sheets are a joy to use... they sure improve the whole baking experience.
This week, we just had new windows put in.... we have saved for quite a while to do this... the old windows were old, but we were thankful for them and yet we are so enjoying these new ones.... and our house stays much warmer since the wind isn't coming in around the windows anymore. 

So should we just spend money on everything we think we need?  NO.... that wouldn't be right either. I see women who "need" this and that.... and buy things easily, and are not content. I have seen husbands who feel despair over their wife's spending habits and division is happening. That isn't the answer either. Rather I think we need to be thankful (the Bible says to be thankful and content) and we need to also evaluate what needs to be replaced  and do it when we can... while also being thankful for the old and the new. I am so glad for my new cookie sheets....   
 
Thank you for joining me today..... I hope you have a great week. :) 


























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