Isabella Alden (Pansy) is one of my favorite authors. She was a pastor’s wife, a godly Christian, and an outstanding homemaker. The Pocket Measure is one of my favorite books, and it’s my goal to read or listen to it every year in January. This year while I read it, it was a blessing to take note of some of my favorite parts.
This is a story of a young married couple who is striving to live on a very modest income while still setting aside the first 10% of their income for giving. There are too many favorite quotes to count, but I trust the few that are below will encourage you to read the book for yourself to see what you can learn from it.
1. “But to Mrs. Spafford the house was simply perfect. I do not know that she would have had a door or window in it altered.”
The book begins by describing how tiny this newly-married couple’s home was, and yet the wife was content to live in the house. Sometimes we think we can be content if we only had more, and yet how much do we have if we are blessed to live in even a tiny home? Living in cramped quarters may be challenging, and yet it is a blessing to have one’s own place to live. While we may not have the beautiful dishes that someone else has, should we not be thankful to have any dishes at all? We may not have a guest bedroom, and yet having a guest bedroom is not a requirement for having overnight guests.
Go here to read more about contentment from Ma Ingalls.
2. “The furniture in their bit of a house, though so limited in quantity, had been the subject of much thought and care.”
Sometimes we may feel deprived if we think we do not have enough furniture or something else, but as long as we have the ones we love with us, we are truly blessed. Also, the furniture was chosen intentionally, not on a whim or with carelessness since there wasn’t much money anyway. This young married couple lived on purpose. If they had lived today, they may have purchased their furniture from estate sales.
3. “They had furnished their house, and bought twenty-five pounds of flour and a bushel of potatoes, and paid a month’s rent in advance, and they owed no man anything.”
What an example of thoughtful spending. They had furniture, and yet they did not spend all their money on it. They made sure they had food to eat, money for rent, and no debt! Another interesting tidbit in this quote is that although it was just the two of them, they purchased plenty of flour and potatoes (according to this website, they purchased about sixty pounds of potatoes) to stock their pantry. In today’s world, people may be thought to be poor if they don’t have much money for food, and yet sometimes the money is there and used on things that aren’t as important as food.
For example, you can spend money on fruit snacks that don’t have much nutritional value and won’t satisfy a hungry person, or you can spend money on real fruit. Using money for staples instead of convenience foods can help you to feed your family and give them the nutrition they need. Let’s take for example the potatoes that the Spaffords purchased. From them, Mrs. Spafford could have made mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, potato soup, fried potatoes, and much more.
This couple could have purchased more furniture or more expensive furniture, but in their shopping, they remembered that food is important too. As a matter of fact, they had purchased but one rug instead of multiple rugs.
Also, in today’s world where debt is considered normal, they made it a point to stay out of debt at the beginning of their marriage (and this debt-free theme continues throughout the book).
4. “… their one extravagance, a small, light rocker of delicate workmanship.”
It’s fascinating that although they had very limited means, they did plan for one extravagance. However, a chair is a necessity, and they chose to purchase a rocking chair and one that was beautifully made. Having a small income does not mean that a family cannot have nice things. Rather, the family must plan these nice things into their spending.
If you read the book, you will see just creative they were in the furnishing of their home!
5. ” … suppose by careful management we can save a dollar a year on each of our expenditures, we could keep a savings-bank account against the rainy day that people are so fond of getting ready for.”
Do you get the idea that this couple was resourceful? First they decided to live within their means; now we see them saving just a little bit of money in each category of expenses so that they would have a savings account. One thing they discovered was that by purchasing car [trolley?] tickets by the month instead of by the week, they were able to save a small amount of money! Don’t discount small savings; they do add up. May this be an encouragement to all of us to save for a rainy day instead of spending all we have, whether it be little or much.
They had already saved money by purchasing flour and potatoes in bulk. Now they continue to be intentional in their purchases to see how they can continue to save money.
In today’s world, there are numerous expenses that cannot be avoided, such as the need for transportation. People choose to save up for cars and pay for used ones in full to avoid being in debt. They also save up and pay for their car insurance for more than one month at a time.
One wise statement I have heard is that it’s not a matter of if you will need new car tires, but when you will need them. The same goes for house repairs, appliance replacement, and much more in our lives.
6. “… value wealth less and hearts more.”
This was an admonition to a former classmate who was still single and was telling Mrs. Spafford that she wouldn’t marry a man unless he were rich. The quote is Mrs. Spafford’s reply, telling this classmate that she should not marry until she “values wealth less and hearts more.” We would be wise to choose our friends and our life-long companions based on things better than riches, which make themselves wings and fly away. Hearts are much more valuable than any amount of wealth! Also, some of the kindest people I know don’t have much, but they are always praying for others and giving of their time and resources.
7. “I should never have dared to assume the cares and responsibilities of our home if I had not know that I could go to Christ for direction as how to wisely spend the money. He put into my hands, and how to order all my affairs so that there would be no friction.”
Do you ever feel as though all your prayers must be for others or for “spiritual” things? We have all been told to pray for our nation’s leaders, for our church leaders, for missionaries, and for the ill–and we truly should be. However, in addition to that, we can and should be praying for wisdom for ourselves. How much better would our homes be run if we realized we can pray about our homemaking, cleaning, food purchases, and more?
John 15:5b says, ” … without me, ye can do nothing.” Earlier in the story we learned that Mrs. Spafford was her mother’s household manager before she was married. However, she does not take the credit for her success as a wise money manager. Instead, she humbly says that she would not be able to do it without asking God for direction and help.
8. “Mrs. Spafford’s quiet economies and self-denials shall be left like those of hundreds of other Christian women, with God and her husband.”
In today’s world where it seems that it is not only acceptable but expected, being silent about some things is healthy. No one needs to know all the ways we save money or all the things we deny ourselves. If the Lord knows and your husband knows, that is enough. Just because some people flaunt their huge purchases, it doesn’t mean we should display all the ways that we save money. Many things should be private. 🙂
9. “Many a time had she rejoiced over the monthly dividends from the little firm, which, though so small that they would have made a business man shout in derision, had added not a little to her hoarded ‘extras.'”
Mrs. Spafford had set up a little business with a group of young ladies, and although her share of the profits was by no means huge, it was something, and she added it to her savings account. How often do we think that a small commission here and there is discouraging? It is not, because that is money we otherwise would not have had! The small amounts do all add up.
I think this is another way in which Mrs. Spafford showed contentment and patience. She did not expect a small business to bring in enough money for groceries the first year. Furthermore, she did not waste this money but saved it instead.
10. “Do I think you can so love Christ that whatever sacrifices of personal ease or comfort you may make for His sake will become so much of a joy as to cease to be claimed under the head of sacrifice? Ay, indeed, there is a higher plane than sacrifice.”
When we do something for someone we love, we do not keep score of all our “sacrifices.” Rather, we call them normal every day actions. Why, then, are we so quick to list all our sacrifices for God? Maybe we should consider that our time to serve Him on this earth is limited, and that we don’t want to be ashamed when we get to heaven?
11. “Mr. and Mrs. Spafford frequently prove the fact that they have money, by the way in which they give it, if they don’t by spending …”
Today’s world considers someone wealthy if they have multiple homes, cars, and luxury items. And yet how often is this a sign not of wealth but of unimaginable amounts of debt? The Spaffords decided to buy a larger home when their family grew, but they did not purchase a luxury mansion. Is there anything wrong with a luxury mansion? Absolutely not if that is what God gives you. However, I think that in today’s world the emphasis is much more on buying all the stuff we can instead of buying to meet our needs and also prayerfully giving. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think God asks us to starve so that we can give money to an unworthy cause. In addition, He may give one person a very small, modest home and another person a much larger and more beautiful home.
Earlier in the story a very wealthy lady who did live in a beautiful home shared with Mrs. Spafford some thoughts on why she does buy silk clothing (to support a Christian widow) and how she uses what God has given her to be a blessing to others. I don’t think it’s about the money or our possessions but our attitudes about them.
Mrs. Spafford’s classmate also commented on how absurd it was that Mrs. Spafford wore the same coat she wore before her husband was promoted to a better job. Always know that some people will criticize you no matter what you do, because they are unhappy with their own lives.
Which of these quotes is your favorite? Have you read The Pocket Measure? What are some of your favorite quotes? Please feel free to share them in the comments below.
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If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy the following:
My Favorite Quotes from The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss
10 Homemaking Lessons from Aunt Hannah and Martha and John
10 Homemaking Lessons from Little Fishers and Their Nets
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