Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be (Part 3 of 3)

Part 1 - inner simplicity
Part 2 - first 5 suggestions for a simple life 

6. Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.

One of my favorite places to be is in the woods on a cool autumn morning.  There have only been a few times in my life when I've gotten to experience such a wonderful solitude.  The beautiful colors of the foliage, the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet, the smell of a distant smoldering campfire... a sensory explosion.  Who could deny a Creator in such surroundings?!

When I'm truly enjoying nature, whether in the mountains, on the beach, at an aquarium or zoo, I can feel the weight of the world lift off my shoulders.  I usually leave such places refreshed and renewed.  I should remember these feelings when I'm planning vacations and activities.  Take time to include a creation experience on a more regular basis. 

7. Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes.

Steve and I were lucky enough to be exposed to Dave Ramsey during our engagement.  I know Dave's principles and demeanor are not everyone's style, but we learned so many important lessons that gave us a strong foundation for money matters in our marriage.  A huge lesson we took to heart was to save cash for items we want to buy.  It's very easy to get in over your head in credit card and miscellaneous debt.  Do we really need fancy furniture NOW or can we practice some self discipline and save up to pay cash for it?  Our money almost certainly has a more kingdom-worthy use than paying interest.

8.  Use plain, honest speech.

Have you ever committed to something and then a more interesting opportunity came up that made you back out on your original commitment?  I sure have!  Living a simple life means we are dependable and trustworthy.  We mean what we say.  

9. Reject anything that will breed the oppression of others.

This is a hard one!  Most of the clothes and much of the food we purchase are produced in a country where labor practices are unfair.  There are several ways we can reduce the role we play in these immoral cycles.

Steve and I have decided that we are going to purchase our clothing through either thrift stores, American-made brands, or fair trade resources.  Thrift store clothing may have been made in a sweat shop, but giving them a second life prevents one more shirt or pair of pants from needing to be produced.  Purchasing clothing that is American-made might not be as cheap as clothing made in Indonesia which is a change in mindset for me.  I'm always looking to spend the least amount of money possible on clothing.  But I can't justify the abuse of others to save myself a few bucks.

Where is your coffee grown? Your electronics produced?  Do you ask others to do a task you find beneath you?  Taking baby steps to improve the lives of those who work to provide for you in one way or another is at least a step in the right direction.

10. Shun whatever would distract you from your main goal.

Back to the issue of the iPhone... I read A LOT online about gentle parenting, being a woman of God, healthy cooking, and minimalism.  I try as much as possible to follow Christian bloggers or those that express Christ-like ideas.

I acknowledge, however, that I struggle with being WAY too distracted by these wonderful blogs.  I don't feel the need to shun my phone, per se, because I find such encouragement from what I read.  It's a support system for me in way to know there are others out there seeking to live out their faith in the same ways to which I'm feeling called.  But I am going to challenge myself to limit my time on my phone to certain times a day and for limited amounts of time.  It's more important to me to focus my energy on my family and friends.

Some things we might need to shun, depending on our distractions, include certain TV shows or TV altogether, shopping for leisure, buffets, or secular music.


With all of these 10 suggestions for expressing simplicity in your life, you need to spend some time in reflection.  No two people will have all of the exact same convictions when it comes to living a simple life.  A struggle for one person may not be an issue at all for another.  Above all, spend time in prayer to seek out how God desires for you to live.

Foster eloquently closes out the chapter with a prayer:

"God give us the courage, wisdom and strength always to hold as the number-one priority of our lives to 'seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,' understanding all that that implies.  To do so is to live in simplicity."

Tis a gift to be free (Part 2 of 3)

In my last post, I discussed focusing our inner attitudes about simplicity on worshiping The Lord.  But as Foster says, "the inner reality [of simplicity] is not a reality until there is an outward expression."  When our spirits are truly focused on Him, we can't help but live it out in our everyday lives.

Foster then gives 10 "suggestions" on how to live simply.  He cautions that these shouldn't be viewed as law lest the actions no longer be genuine acts of worship.  Here's the first 5 suggestions and how I'm hoping to implement them in my life.

1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.

I feel like I have a handle on this for the most part.  When I was a teenager, I did worry about clothing brands.  This is not a concern for me anymore, even for the clothes that the girls wear.  Obviously I want to look nice, but who's really going to pull the tag out of my shirt or pants and judge me if it says Faded Glory instead of Gap?

Other areas of life we might struggle with this as adults is what neighborhood we live in or what kind of car we drive.  It's not inherently wrong to live in a nice house or drive a nice car, but do so because it's the house or car that meets your needs.

2.  Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.

I hate forming habits.  Occasionally I'll commit to stop checking Facebook or turning on the tv, etc because I realize I'm not being intentional.  I'm doing things out of habit and distraction.

Where do you see addiction in your life? Sodas, coffee, tv, games, food, money? Free yourself from things that stand between you and a simple life.

3.  Develop a habit of giving things away.

This especially applies to anything you are attached to.  I seriously have clothes in my closet from high school that I hang on to for that one time I might need it.  Ridiculous.  This is an area where I'm challenging myself.

I wouldn't consider myself a hoarder by any means, but I still finds rooms and closets that need decluttering.  If I'm feeling stressed by the amount of toys scattered on the floor or the mountain of laundry needing tending to, I know that's my cue that it's time to let go.

4.  Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.

Hello, iPhone!! I REALLY struggle with what I'm supposed to feel about mobile devices.  I LOVE my phone, I LOVE the iPad.  Does that mean I HAVE to give them away?  Not necessarily I'm hoping. ;) (can you tell this is a touchy point for me?)

I got my iPhone when I dropped our iPod Touch in the toilet.  I used the iPod Touch along with my $10 go phone to do all the same things I do now with my iPhone.  So while I was "simplyfying" the number of gadgets I carried around, I opened the door (or toilet lid as the case may be) for buying a gadget the world convinced me I needed.

Do you need the newest upgrade of a mobile device or other item just because it's available?  Consider using something until it wears out.  

5.  Learn to enjoy things without owning them.

This can apply to large purchases such as time shares as well as small purchases such as books and movies.  In our younger days, early in our marriage before expenses like babies came along, we dreamed of someday joining the Disney Vacation Club.  We were suckers for that Disney spirit. :)  We now have other financial priorities and desire to see much more of the world than we would be committed to with the Vacation Club offers.

On the smaller scale, the library is an amazing resource for being able to enjoy books and movies without actually spending any money.  (Unless you're like me and forget to renew 3 DVDs for a few days.)  Katie is obsessed with a Toy Story Collection book we checked out from the library.  We can check the book out for 3 months as long as no one else puts a hold on it.  And if she decides a couple weeks later she wants the book again, we can check it out for another 3 months.  Surely by then she or I would get tired enough of the book that we'll be glad we didn't fork out $15-20 for the book just to sit on the bookshelf.  Don't get me wrong, I think books are one of the best investments you can make for a child.  But the extensive selection available at the library guarantees exposure to a plethora of writing styles, illustration styles, and topics.

Don't underestimate the value of friends with resources either.  If you're considering purchasing an appliance that you would use on a very rare occasion, check with friends to see if they already own a similar appliance.  Chances are, they're only using the appliance on a rare basis and would love to have an excuse to blow the dust off of it.  Borrowing appliances such as ice cream makers, bread makers, sewing machines, etc. can save you a lot of money.  You might find you don't care for a particular brand or don't have time to use the appliance as often as you thought.

So that's suggestions #1-5 of living a simple life.  Part 3, we'll explore #6-10.

~Carla 

My name is Katie. I am three! I would really like to see a tree...

A few months ago, I started asking Katie what theme she might like for her third birthday party.  I love to get all crafty and plan ahead.  She had become obsessed with the Lorax movie around that time and decided she wanted a "Lorlax birthday."
 
The main premise behind the Dr. Seuss book and movie is that the Lorax character is the guardian of the trees.  When the Onceler starts chopping down the Truffula trees to makes Thneeds (a fine thing that all people need), the Lorax sets out to warn him about the dangers of cutting down the forest.  Can I just stop here and say how warm it makes my heart that my daughter is a tree hugger at her core? No brain washing needed. :)

Keeping with the environmental awareness theme of the story, we used no disposable kitchen products other than the flexible straws that we decorated with Lorax mustaches for the kiddos to use.  I really appreciate our family and friends going along with keeping up with their plates, napkins, cups, forks.  Next year I'll try to remember that it would be nice to have separate plates for dessert.  To me, the clean up was really not much more work since we just put everything in the dishwasher.

Here are some shots from the festivities:

Truffula tree light fixture

Katie's artwork for the party.  The Lorax on the left and the Onceler on the right.  I am extremely biased, but I see a little bit of a future Picasso in her collages here. ;)

 

Trina and Levi playing pin the mustache on the Lorax.  He was a little dizzy from spinning in circles before making his move. ;)

Cake! Made with almost all natural or organic ingredients.  Used spinach for the green icing color.  Truffula tree tooth picks from Target and Barbaloots made out of Teddy Graham crackers.

Happy Birthday to you!

A few of Katie's friends enjoying cake.

I am the Boo.  I speak for the trees.

Since her birthday actually falls on Easter this year, we thought a "small" party with her little church buddies and a couple of cousins would be easier than planning a big shindig right before Easter.  By the time we added in parents and siblings, we had a house full.  And the kids partied hardy!

A huge thank you to all our friends and family that helped us get ready for the party and celebrate!  We are so blessed to be surrounded with love!

~Carla

Prairie Unplugged

I watched a lot of Norm Abram and melodramatic after school specials growing up.  Sure I felt a little deprived not getting to watch Nickelodeon or Real World marathons.  But I truly didn't know what I was missing out on until my parents finally got cable when I was 17.  We were "movin on up!"  I then had access to seemingly hundreds of channels.  And you know what?  I still complained that there was nothing on sometimes (ridiculous really).

Neither Steve nor I had consistent access to TV for most of college.  I never missed it!  However, we have had either cable or satellite for the last 6.5 years of our 7.5 year marriage.  We became experts at DVRing two shows at once while watching a show we had previously recorded.  Prior to becoming parents, we watched A LOT of TV.  What else was there to do?

Parenthood has changed our lives completely.  I am home with Katie during the day and try to keep the television off as much as possible.  I want her to play and be creative.  When we do watch TV, she really likes the shows on PBS.  In the evenings, Steve and I typically wait until Katie is in bed to watch anything because we don't want to expose her to some of the language and subject matter of prime time.

We have debated cutting the perverbial cord several times in the past.  But a few months back we were started looking ahead at our looming satellite introductory rate expiration.  I already felt like we were paying more than I was comfortable with and couldn't stomach jumping up a significant amount more (you know I'm a major tightwad).  We finally decided we were done... at least for now.  Steve mourned the loss of convenient access to sports, especially UK games.  I binged on Sister Wives and David Tutera's My Fair Wedding.  On the morning of December 31, we turned on the TV to find our service had been cut off.  It was an end to an era.

Here's what we're doing to "cope"

• UHF/VHF HD compatible antenna - not pleasing to the eye, but gets us 9 local and public broadcast channels
• Netflix membership - this is very handy for filling the void when "nothing is on"
• Watching some of our favorite shows online
• Listening to UK games on the radio
• Exercising
• Reading
• Getting stuff done!

We have also considered a membership to HULU Plus, but have decided to forgo that for now.  We plan to hook up our old VCR to record shows when we either can't watch a show in real time, or catch it later online.  

We know how difficult this decision was for us, so we know it's not a decision that's right for everyone.  It's just a fun exercise for me, though, to challenge myself to break habits and find what my bottom line comfort level is.  I'm not ready to completely throw out the TV.  I've had friends in the past that did and I admired what other activities filled their time.  Baby steps...

~Carla