Freetime is Priceless, Spend it on Someone You Love

Amy Hannold,

247Moms.com Frugal Living Editor

In Washington, we've had unseasonably nice weather. Plants and trees all around us are well in gorgeous bloom, giving us what I consider to be a lengthened spring.

I wanted more snow. Nature however, gave me spring - and early at that. As a Mom, it's easy to see the early start to spring as an opportunity to "get so much more done" before we have to actually get out there and enjoy it. Wrong. Today is the day to get out there, with the kids, and enjoy whatever sort of weather is outside.

When I was a kid, I learned to go out and seize a snow day - whenever the snow would fall deep enough to sled in. Often time

I treated my kids to a "Snow Night" this past year, in honor of the time my parents gave me. As a parent now, I took the deep breath, looking into my son's eyes - and was as delighted as he looked.

That "snow night" was our only sledding opportunity this winter.

Sunny days and snow days are God's gift to us. This is the day the Lord has made. We must make memories and rejoice - it does our woes a whole lot of good to drop what we're fretting over and cherish our children.

Where is the "Thrifty" in this?

God gives us 24 hours each day, like a stack of money to spend. Ads we lay down our heads at night, where have we invested it? What return can we expect on that which we gave our attention and talent?

Take care as you spend. Make time in your routine for things to go wrong, take longer than you thought - and best of all, drop it all when God calls the kid in you outside. Now is all He gives us.

Invest in your health, treat yourself well and surprise those around you with more time out of your day than you had planned.

That's why I strive to save money, work efficiently and live intentionally. It's all I can hope to leave my children as a part of me, no matter what else I leave behind.