Owe Only Love

What has continued to baffle me throughout the tiny house build is the people around us . . . their reactions, their enthusiasm, their misgivings about our upcoming lifestyle, their involvement.

Some we know, in their 50s or 60s and still working to pay down a mortgage, are concerned that our children won't have enough space inside to play, or that raising a family in essentially a small cabin is impossible.

Some younger friends who have expressed support and enthusiasm and even dreams of their own related projects in the future are suddenly not available to help out, or free for only a couple hours over a few months.

Others, some we haven't even known for very long or very well, have seemingly appeared out of nowhere, showing up at every build party, dedicating dozens of cheerful hours of help, much to our dismay and disbelief.

Those who have helped us build our home in the most generous and significant ways include an older man recovering his strength from cancer, a young family homesteading an hour away on the Wyoming border, and the hardworking, whimsically energetic family of 12 with whom we're still living after the adventure in Italy. I am beside myself in debt and gratitude to their efforts, without which we would long be camping in the plywood-walled tiny house of many weeks ago.

Of course, absolutely no one owes us their time, efforts, or support. This project of ours is our vision and our responsibility. And we've undertaken it in large degree because we have not been able to be as generous to others as we would like, encumbered with debts and low pay, as so many people are.

Still, I have to battle with myself to not get too disappointed with absent friends, when I don't understand the reasons, and also not too mortified with ever-present friends' abundant generosity, when I can no longer have a hope of paying them back.

For those who may or may not read this blog but who have given of yourself, prayed, supported, sacrificed . . . we thank you and can only hope that our future frees us to give back in likewise fashion.

Older kids from family of 12 fluffing alpaca wool

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8