“It is desirable that a man live in all respects so simply and preparedly that if an enemy take the town... he can walk out the gate empty-handed and without anxiety.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
I don’t know how much more difficult this year would have been if several months ago I hadn’t responded to God’s calling to lead a more simple life. It’s amazing to look back and realize how He has been leading me ever so gently in this journey. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been so worth it.
We live in a very fast paced world. Driving down the interstate last night I could feel the tension of life at high speeds. Why were we all driving so fast? Where was everyone going in such a hurry? Why didn’t I take a side road and gone home at a slower speed and a more normal heart rate? It feels often that we live life as if driving on the interstate. We speed through our days working on our never ending to do lists. Just today Facebook reminded me of a post I shared a few years ago. In it I said that I needed to finish my to do list quickly so I could go outside and play with my son. Why didn’t I go play first and then worked on that always growing to do list?
So over the years God, who has been trying to do some major remodeling in my life, has been telling me to slow down, and I have. It has been a slow slowing down until the beginning of this year when I think I finally got the message and just went for it. It hasn't been easy because I’ve had to get rid of a lot. I got rid of a lot of stuff, plans, ideas, habits, and a whole lot of myself, but all of that is nothing in comparison to what I’ve gained. I’ve gained less stress, more calm, I’ve gained a cleaner home, opportunities that I hadn’t had before, a smaller waist line, better sleep, more energy, and my favorite, I’ve gained time. Time to use on what is truly important in life, like playing with my son, talking with my husband, serving others, reading, writing, learning, and growing.
I have by no means achieved the perfect simple life yet, but I have tasted it, and it’s delicious, abundant, and I want more of it!
It has been interesting to read my Bible lately with the perspective of a simple life and realize that God has been calling us to it all along. He doesn’t want us to be so busy. He doesn’t want us to be worried. He doesn’t want us to neglect ourselves or our loved ones because of a lack of time. He doesn't want us to be so distracted with our busyness. He wants to give us beautiful abundant lives, and I’m learning that this comes from a simple quiet life focused on Christ.
So today maybe take the side road and slow down a bit. Get home at the end of the day and have a simple supper of steamed vegetables with a side of artisan bread. Maybe leave the cleaning and the shopping for later and play a board game or catch outside with your children. Maybe today you don’t have to get out of bed and quickly have breakfast because lunch is coming in a few hours and we need a healthy amount of time between meals for digestion. Maybe today plan for a brunch and a lupper (word we've made up for a meal later than lunch and earlier than supper.) Then go back to bed and enjoy your family’s company and bed hair, all wrapped in the warm covers, while talking and laughing about nothing and everything. And that’s exactly what I did…
"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
- Hans Hofmann
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