Apr. 8, 2009 - How Do We Live Simply?

Living Simply In A Crazy Busy World

How can we live simply in the craziness of this world? I know this is a question so many people looking for a simpler way of life ask themselves. I think some people think if we could just move to the country things would be simpler, but that turns out not to be true. Others want to live a simpler lifestyle but want all of the so-called modern conveniences to go with it. They soon find out their life isn't any simpler. What are we to do? What can we do?

I believe in order to live a simpler life you first have to change your way of thinking and the way you look at the world. We have to put the pressure of the world to conform to what it deems living the good life means behind us. Keeping up with the Jones can no longer be our motto. We can't allow ourselves or our children to influenced by every whim or fancy the world is caught up in. Our Lord and our family needs to come first before careers, status, and trappings of this world. God and His directives for living need to be our guide. Not conforming to the world, Step One.

I think the second step to living more simply is getting rid of stuff. I know you have probably heard that a thousand times, but I believe it is true. Not only do you need to purge, you need to organize the stuff you have left. Now some of you are probably thinking how can we as homeschoolers do this? We have extra stuff because we homeschool. That is true, but it can be organized in a way that will not cause chaos. Show me a chaotic house and I will show you chaotic lifestyle. Some of us will be more organized than others (that is me). Others will be able to live with a little more disorganization and that is okay. The key is to scale things down. Do your children really need to dozens of toys they have drug all through the house when they only really play with one or two? Do you really need trunks full of every piece of paper your children have doodled on through the years? Can you pare it down to you have only the most important keepsakes? What about all of the other stuff you have laying around your house? My philosophy is if I haven't touched it in a year than I really didn't need it and the item goes to Good Will. Get control of your stuff, Step Two.

If you are one of those people who moved out to the country seeking a simpler lifestyle but haven't found it, ask yourself this question; Did we give up all the busyness and running around when we moved out here? If you didn't then, you are probably not living the simpler lifestyle you wanted. DD took a gymnastics class when she was younger. I was amazed to hear other moms talking about how they had to get their duaghters to karate classes as soon as this class was over, then they had a girl scout meeting to go to, and they were trying to figure out when to fit in supper. Who can live under that craziness for long? Yes, our kids need to be involved in things but it isn't your job as a parent to run them to 10 different things just because it is what all of the other kids are doing. Let your kid pick one or two things they are interested in and let that be enough. Church can also be the cause of busyness. I know I probably just shocked some people, but her me out. If you are living a godly life and imparting the knowledge of Christ to your children, you don't need to be at church every time the doors are open. Pick one or two things to be involved in, that's it. Family and time with my family comes after God but definitely before church activities. You have to leave the busyness of running around everywhere and doing everything behind to live a simpler life, Step 3.

Our lives are full of so-called modern conveniences, but are they really conveniences or nuisances. Do we really need all of them? Do we need cable or satellite tv with all those channels of absolutely nothing to watch? Would we be happier with some truly treasured DVDs of old movies and old tv shows? Do we need to be in touch 24/7? Cell phones are wonderful things for emergencies but do we need them attached to our side like a new grown body part? Frankly, people wearing Blue-tooth phones scare me.  When you happen upon them talking, you don't know who they are talking to and you wonder if they may not be crazy. (I have enough family members with bi-polarism not to wonder about the mental soundness of people seemingly talking to themselves.) Do we need the Blackberries, the 3G phones, the PDAs, IPODS, MP3 players with us at all times? Do we have to constantly be entertained? Won't a good book or a real live conversation do? We have to limit our reliance on technology in order to live a simpler lifestyle, Step 4.

The simpler lifestyles we live will not be carbon copies of each other. Some will choose to simplify things to make living more manageable, but they will keep most of their technolgy around them. Others will put away most if not all of technology in order to live a simpler lifestyle. Some will move to farms and live off the land. Others will continue to live in communities but make changes to their surroundings. The key is letting the Lord be your guide to the lifestyle He intends for you to have and to find what works for your family.

Mar. 13, 2009 - Living Simply

Living The Simple Life

A few months ago, I started up a new category on my blog which I called "Living Simply". I never really did much with it. This new category had 2 entries in it. One entry didn't fit in with the subject matter I had in mind. Another was a rambling bit I did on tv. I deleted it. Now that I have a clearer picture of what I want to do with this category, I am going to be adding new entries. So here is this first.

How do we define "living the simple life"?

For some, mostly city dwellers, it is the yearning to get out of the hectic, fast pace, rat race life they led. They want to slow down the running around they do. They want to spend more quality time with their family. They want a little place out of the city limits to call their own on the weekends. Or they want a nice house in a development out in the country to come home to each night. They long for a slower pace and place, but refuse to give up the gizmos that go with their fast pace life (cell phones, blackberries, laptops, cable tv, iPods, MP3's, etc.). They bring their city ways with them and want the same trappings around them as they have in the cities. The end results is the place they went to for refuge usually ends up ruined because of the baggage they bring with them. Leaving them once again yearning for a simpler life.

For others, they want to make a total break from the world and go back to our ancestors roots. They leave behind the trappings of the world and learn to live with out electricity, running water, and other modern trappings. They farm the earth growing their own food out of the soil. They raise animals to provide food and other items they need to survive. The Old Order Amish and Mennonites having been doing this successfully for the past several decadesof the late 20th and early 21st century. There have been other Christians that have excelled at it and wouldn't change a thing. The life of simplicity they choose is filled with satisfying hard work that leaves you bone tried at the end of the day, but the rewards are great. 

However, there are those whom for all their zeal and belief in living simply is the right way to live that have made this way of life into an idol. They believe to live simply is an all or nothing proposition. They almost make martyrs of themselves and their families. They shun those that attempt to add some beauty to the simplicity and chastie them for any small comfort they may have. While they are criticizing some for these reasons, they still have their internet and generator power to watch DVDs. They simply want their cake and to eat it too.

So where do I stand on the issue of "living the simple life"?

I truly believe God intended for us to live an agrarian type of life. I believe He wants to work the earth to provide the food we need. I believe He intends for us to work hard partly to keep us out of trouble. I believe He wants us to live in this world but not be part of the world. I believe He doesn't want us to surround ourselves with the gizmos and gadgets of the world or to rely on them. I believe He doesn't want us to have quality time with our families but have quantity time with our families. I believe He wants us to live a lifestyle that reflects and professes the faith we have in Him. I believe that while living as simply as we can He wouldn't deny us the pleasure of surrounding ourselves with beautiful things.

There is a balance that can be found between all of these view points. That is what we are going for. In the days and weeks to come, I will share more on what I think "living the simple life" entails and how our family goes about trying to accomplish it. Most of all, I will talk about the most important thing in choosing how we live and that is glorfying God.