Thursday, April 7, 2011

A Call to Simplicity



Ryan and I are always talking about pursuing a simpler lifestyle; one that doesn't revolve so much around technology and excess as so many people are prone to doing (ourselves included.) We like our cable TV, our Internet access, our daily conveniences. Even though we're so accustomed to having these things, we both have a deed desire to lead a much more simple and natural life. We talk about spending less time in front of the TV and more time enjoying things like playing catch outside. We look forward to the day when we will have a yard so we can grow our own vegetables and raise chickens. We both see God in nature and in a simpler way of life, and we really feel compelled to embrace. It can definitely be difficult though to break old habits. For example, I love to declutter. I get a sense of productivity and peace from getting rid of excess amount of junk that we end up stockpiling without even realizing it. The thing that really amazes me;however, is how we can get rid of a whole lot of stuff, and in no time at all have a ton more we need to declutter. Where did all of this stuff come from? When did we start accumulating all of this? It just goes to show us how desensitized we are are building up stuff that we really don't need (or even want.)
We really feel a calling to live a simplistic life. At church, they have been talking about having margin in your life. Margin in your time, margin in your finances... something that will keep you from filling your life up so much to where there is no room for the things that really matter. We're still figuring out what a simplistic life is going to look like for us, but I'm excited to see what is down the road for us and how we will adjust to it.