I was recently reading the Bible one morning to see what it had to say about building a house. I was curious what the Bible said about this topic since we are just beginning our home-building project up in rural North Dakota. I came across a verse in Isaiah 5:8:
“Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!”
This verse seems to be discouraging us from crowding our houses and lands close together. The Bible recognizes our need for space. After all, the Lord placed our first parents, Adam and Eve, in a garden, not in a bustling city (more on that in a future blog post).
Here are three reasons why I would strongly encourage you to make sure your country location has enough elbow room.
Reason #1: Privacy
Privacy is an important facet of the country living lifestyle. You need enough space to make this lifestyle a reality.
Do you ever want to live your life without your nosy next-door-neighbor being able to watch everything you are doing? Do you want to garden without someone being able to see snoop on you? What about spending time with your spouse? Do you really want to share your quiet moments by the fire pit with the rest of the onlooking world? If your answer to any of the above questions is, “no”, then you will definitely appreciate the privacy that a country lifestyle can offer.
Reason #2: Peace and Quiet
One of the greatest advantages of a country living lifestyle is the peace and quiet that a country location brings. Think of it! The incessant rattling of the jackhammer is replaced by the pleasant sound of a woodpecker making a home in your backyard. The only horns heard are those of geese flying over head. Your nosy neighbor now lives miles away. And the sky-pollution of night clubs and neon signs is replaced by a beautiful campfire under the stars.
Oh yes, the stars that you never realized could shine so bright in the night sky will be easily seen and appreciated far from the bright lights of the city.
Reason #3: Space to Garden and Develop
Let’s face it, activities like gardening require space. Having a wood pile (and trees to cut) requires having some acres of land available (or access to land). If you want a yard bigger than a postage stamp and you want to live a more independent lifestyle, then you will definitely want to head to the country. Having your own fire pit and allowing room for plenty of fruit trees to be planted is also a consideration. Raising goats, chickens, or keeping bees also require space. But just how much space do you REALLY need to be comfortable in your country homestead? That’s something we will cover in an upcoming blog post, so keep reading!
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