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Boom! The crash of machinery against masonry shatters our quiet morning. I've heard this sound before. I load my son into his stroller, and we set out in search of the source. One street over an excavator's claw rips into the side of a house like the mouth of a hungry dinosaur. My son stares in wide-eyed fascination as we watch yet another house being torn down. We'll return later to watch the bulldozers and dump trucks finish the job. Where a family's home once stood, a vacant lot awaits the construction of a new mini-mansion.

How much is enough? Our culture encourages us to live large. Yet my family is blessed to live small. We live in a "mustard seed house," the smallest one in an established neighborhood of single-family homes. Before children it felt roomy, but our growing family soon gave me growing pains.

Several lots in our neighborhood contain new dwellings that dwarf the surrounding homes. I used to look at these neighborhood castles and covet the extra space. Even though our current house was half-again the size of our first home, I wasn't always content. Then one day I really looked at our house and experienced a shift in thinking.

Our house is a blessing from God. We live in a beautiful, waterfront subdivision where we know almost every neighbor on our street. I'm able to stay home with my sons and make ends meet on one income. My husband's short drive to work means he spends less money on gasoline and more time at home. Viewed in this light, my house is just right.

Living small has always been a part of our lives. During my college and early career years, I shared dorm rooms and tiny apartments. My sister recalls the time when her family of four lived on a 32-foot sailboat in the local marina. The birth of her youngest son prompted a move to a house, but the boys still shared a room. We remember the freedom of having all the essentials of life—food, clothing and shelter—and none of the hassles of the possessions that now require so much of our attention.

Living small is about trusting God to meet all our needs and practicing good stewardship of money and resources. Lower utility bills mean we save on the long-term financial and environmental costs of cooling and heating our home. Living within our means allows us to be generous to those in need.

Living small is about family stewardship. A smaller home means I have more time to invest in my family. We live, work and play in every square foot of our home, but I have less area to clean and maintain. When space feels tight we visit our local parks, library and museums for a change of pace.

Living small is about letting go. A small house forces me to be selective in what I purchase and what I keep. Every new appliance or gadget requires time or money for maintenance and room for storage. I've discovered when I own too many possessions, they begin to own me. I can't purchase every new gadget I see simply because there's no room. I can't store up treasures, so I learn to let go of items I don't really use and find I use what I have more efficiently. In our mustard seed house, we're growing as family that, if not large in space, will be large in love.

Author and former librarian, Karen Wilber is a member of the MOPS group at Northside Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. She and her husband are the parents of two boys, ages 3 and 1.

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