A Journey Home (and a Lilla Rose Giveaway!)
By Contributing Writer, Bambi Moore
As an RN and former breadwinner of our family, my heart goes out to moms who would love to be at home, but are financially burdened. Our economy, cost of living and expected standard of living puts many families over a barrel, and robs mothers of their choice to be a keeper at home.
When the Lord began a work in my heart about coming home to raise our two little girls, I was working full-time. With my husband’s approval I searched and found a different position making almost the same money but only working part-time. The flexibility of shift work at a local hospital was a blessing, although physically demanding. However, the job enabled us to stop paying for childcare as long as I worked the graveyard shift. I could come home and care for my little girls in zombie-like fashion, walking through the front door as they were waking in the morning. And our bills continued to get paid on time.
Another baby joined us and it became more difficult to keep up this exhausting routine and schedule. We also made some terrible financial mistakes during this time, getting into debt for a vehicle that was well beyond our means. We struggled on like this for a few years, the conviction steadily growing in both our hearts now, that I should be home with our children; my attention undivided and normal sleep habits restored.
A few years later we took the plunge and I quit my job. That was in 2003 and I haven’t worked outside the home since. I would love to tell you that it’s been rainbows and waterfalls ever since then, but it hasn’t. Financial trials have abounded over the years, some worse than others, and most of them being rooted in mistakes and debt we acquired long before we knew anything about anything. (Where was Dave Ramsey when we needed him? 
)
Encouragement to Women Who Would Like to Come Home
Be patient. I know it can be difficult. Many trials in our lives are spent in “wait mode”. Waiting on the Lord to work the same conviction in our husband’s heart, or waiting on a vehicle or home to sell so that we can begin to live on less, or even waiting on a different job that would at least grant us baby steps toward our ultimate goal of staying home.
Be willing to live on less. One of the first big steps of faith the Lord required of our young family after quitting my job was going from two vehicles, down to one. And although the Lord kept it running well, it was a 15-year-old four-door car that required tacks to hold up the liner in the ceiling. We quit eating out and cut all our expenses down to the bare minimum. We learned the joy of entertaining ourselves at home rather than spending money on it.
Brainstorm for ways to save money. Begin to view the stretching of your husband’s hard-earned dollars as a puzzle that you get to solve. Stop using your dryer. Start to coupon or eat less-expensive meals. Swap or barter with other one-income families. Be content with less of everything because living on one income requires sacrifice.
If you are in a season of life that it is feasible, consider ways to earn money from home or start-up a home business. Over the years I have done eBay selling, home school book consignments, babysitting on occasion, home and church cleaning and most recently, soap and lotion making, along with blogging. I have also begun to sell Lilla Rose hair jewelry!
When my children were all small, all my ”free time” was spent learning what I could to simply hang on to the money that we had. Now that I have two teenaged daughters (who are my dearest friends, I must say!) I have more flexibility and am able to sell Lilla Rose, as well as maintain a blog where most of my sales come from. The whole family has a part and we work at it together. I love having my daughters by my side learning small business skills, and most importantly, that a woman can help her husband and the family economy, if she’s just willing to think outside of the box a bit.
Lilla Rose
Lilla Rose has been easy to sell because the beautiful flexi-clips sell themselves. I wear them myself and so do my three daughters, so we are walking advertisements! The styles are elegant and the clips durable and practical. In a matter of minutes a busy mom can have a lovely and feminine “up-do”. In the seven months that I have been a Lilla Rose consultant, my husband and I have praised the Lord again and again for His provision, and for giving me an avenue to help out financially, with so little time invested.
Now for a giveaway!
I would like to give away a flexi-clip valued at $15 or less, to two Visionary Womanhood readers. Yes, two winners!
To Enter:
Go to my Lilla Rose store and return to leave a comment telling me which clip you will choose if you win. This is the mandatory entry.
For Extra Entries:
Watch the sizing video and leave another comment letting me know what size clip you will need.
Follow my blog, In the Nursery of the Nation, so that you will stay updated on all my sales and Lilla Rose updates.
Share about this giveaway on your choice of social media (blog, Facebook, twitter, google plus, etc.)
Five extra entries!!: Make a purchase from my Lilla Rose store for any amount (Notice: if you have previously purchased from a different consultant, you are now her customer and this entry option won’t apply to you–sorry!)
May the Lord give us grace and wisdom as women, to be good stewards of what our husbands bring into the home, as well as learning new ways to help the family economy when we’re able.
Tags: femininity, home business, homemaking, maidens
Just made my first Lilla Rose order
excited to receive them. One’s for my mom and the other for my daughter, hoping to win one for me 
Thanks again for the giveaway!
#2 comment for purchase
#3 comment for purchase
#4 comment for purchase
#5 comment for purchase
I choose the circle stone set on emerald green small or medium. Thank you
Beautiful and simple to accomplish! I thought the petite dragonfly was pretty cute!
For a second entry, I think I’d need the small flexi clip.
For a third entry, I added In the Nursery of the Nation to my google reader. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and the post as well!
I would pick the Princess Tiara Gold! So lovely!!
For my second entry, I am a size small.
For the 3rd entry, I am subscribed to the Nursery of the Nation. Thanks for doing the giveaway!
I would choose the Soaring Butterfly in size small.
Crown of hearts is the lovey choice of mine in size extra small. Thank you for the giveaway.
This is my second entry for watching the sizing video. I’d like the medium in the scrollwork heart.
Thanks again!
I would choose the 6-0355 Etched Tiger Lily- so beautiful!!!
My size would be an extra small, these clips are so beautiful, so simple, so elegant!
I would like the Soaring Butterfly Pink. So pretty!!
I would need a mini.
I follow In the Nursery of the Nation.
I like the filigree dragonfly. Thank you.
Size extra small.
I signed up for your blog updates.
I also posted your link on my facebook page along with a rave review. I know I haven’t seen the products in person, but after looking over the web site, I am looking forward to having some for my hair. Even if I don’t win, I will be ordering a clip or two and then maybe more. Thanks!
OK. Couldn’t wait. So I made an order for two clips, one for a gift and one for me. I needed something for my niece’s birthday and the clip is perfect!