The August Shopping Challenge

It's another shopping day here at the Cottage. We're still adhering to the August Shopping Challenge, created by an accounting error. While today's budget is more than double last week's, it's still significantly less than the original budget plan. I can easily meet the challenge, but it does mean doing without items with which we've done without for weeks. I had hoped that after a tight month in July, we'd have an easy month with August. Alas, we will only have a relatively easy month in September, then tight in October, then holiday expenses for November, then tight and holiday expenses in December. Thus, the challenge this month will but steal us for the months to come. We will be quite acclimated to doing without for the rest of this year. However, we now have a plan and a strict budget, whereas in years past, we just muddled along. Furthermore, we now have prayer and a stronger faith than ever before. As nice as it would be not to have this challenge, it will be even nicer in future years to not have this situation ever again. We progress toward our goals with gratitude and Grace.