Walk Slowly, Live Wildly

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2007-05-04T00:09:00.001-07:00

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Transforming

2007-04-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

There have been hundreds and hundreds of books and articles written on the Proverbs 31 woman. Many of us have probably heard those verses too many times to count. However, like any scripture, it must be "chewed" on, meditated upon, and processed over and over so that it can permeate our daily lives. I want to work through some of these verses and share my thoughts on them...and as always, I look forward to hearing yours!

I have heard so many women get frustrated as they read these verses...feeling like they could never live up to the "standard" that is set forth in this passage for a godly woman and mother. But take heart and don't be discouraged! These are words of encouragement...to uplift and guide you in your journey...not a list of rules. So read on with an open heart and let God speak to you where you need it the most.

Bring Good, Not Harm

v. 11-12
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
v. 23
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

In the early days of my marriage, I decided that I would never speak harshly about my husband in the presence of others. Not even in jest. No matter how frustrated or annoyed I might be with a situation, it was between Matt, myself, and God. I didn't run to my girlfriends, my co-workers, my mom, or the message boards. I spoke directly to Matt about my feelings and also to God. And in 7 years of marriage, we have never had a "fight" that lasted more than a few minutes. We never go to bed angry. I attribute those things largely to the fact that I focus on "bringing him good, not harm". I don't talk to others about our home life and let harsh feelings brew and brew all day.

Of course, it goes without saying that if you are in a verbally or physically abusive relationship, you must speak with someone about it. And if you and your spouse cannot get past certain issues, you may need counseling with a third party. But those interventions are very different than speaking with others about him and bringing him "down" in their eyes. Build him up! Help others to see him for the amazing man that he is.

I also want him to be confident in my abilities to run our household whenever he is away. If he knows that he doesn't have to worry about what is going on at home, then he is free to focus on the other important things in his life.

Shop Wisely

v. 13
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
v. 16
She considers a field and buys it;out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
v. 18
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

In our consumerist society, we are constantly fighting against messages of "buy me!" and "pay later!". These three verses are each speaking against impulse spending and frivolous purchases and calling us to shop wisely with consideration, eager hands, and resourcefulness. We can apply these verses to our life whether we are grocery shopping, browsing eBay, or trading services. A few ways that we can do this:

Make a grocery list and menu plan before going to the store.
Stretch what you have and "make do".
Plan ahead.

Rise Early

v. 15
She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and
portions for her women servants.

I've posted about this before, but for my own sake, I need to talk about it again. This is something that FEELS almost impossible for me to master. When I was in college, I went through a phase of about 6 months where I was getting up every day at 5:30 a.m. and reading the Word...preparing for the day ahead. It was an amazingly sweet time of fellowship with Christ and I benefited greatly. However, since getting married and having a child, this discipline of getting up early has eluded me. There is just no comparison between having your quiet time in the early morning hours and having it later in the day. It is a battle with my flesh to get up early...especially if I have stayed up late.

This verse doesn't speak directly about getting up early to pray or meet God, but I am assuming that this is a given. She gets up while it is still night (BEFORE) the rest of her family and feeds HER soul first so she can then feed her family (body and soul).

E.M. Bounds, a pastor who was born in 1835, wrote one of my favorite passages on the discipline to rise early:

"A desire for God which cannot break the chains of sleep is a weak thing and will do but little good for God after it has indulged itself fully. The desire for God that keeps so far behind the devil and the world at the beginning of the day will never catch up.
It is not simply the getting up that puts men to the front and makes them captain generals in God's hosts, but it is the ardent desire which stirs and breaks all self-indulgent chains. But the getting up gives vent, increase, and strength to the desire. If they had lain in bed and indulged themselves, the desire would have been quenched. The desire aroused them and put them on the stretch for God, and this heeding and acting on the call gave their faith its grasp on God and gave to their hearts the sweetest and fullest revelation of God..."

This man is completely amazing. The "chains of sleep"? Oh yes. I can realate. Read more of his thoughts on prayer here. Several other authors have fueled my desire to rise early over the years. Becky Tirabassi, author of Let Prayer Change Your Life (you all must read this!), made a vow to God that she would get up early and pray for one hour every day for the rest of her life. She has an amazing story. Another woman, Laine, is a beautiful woman of God and she writes "letters of encouragement" to other Christian women. She speaks extensively on this topic...in a very convicting fashion!

Jesus modeled getting up early to pray over and over...along with other disciples. This is one of the disciplines I am actively working on in my life right now, and I would love to hear those of you who have "mastered" it! I take comfort in knowing that because it's something that is God's will for me and that He will be pleased with, He will not hesitate to answer my cries of "HELP ME GET UP LORD!".

Work Vigorously

v. 17
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

The definition of "vigor" is "energetic activity; energy; intensity". I want to apply this to my life immediately. When it's time to do dishes, I want to do it with INTENSITY! When it's time for
laundry, I want to do it with great ENERGY! Not only will it get done faster, but it will be a great workout, which completes the rest of the verse. My arms will be STRONG for my tasks. If I can do housework in a speedy fashion, I will have less need to work out every day because it will come naturally. I like it.

Be Generous To All

v. 20
She opens her arms to the poor and extends hands to the needy.

A generous woman is a beautiful woman...one who is constantly looking to help people. Looking for opportunities to bless others. When it speaks about the "needy"...it doesn't necessarily mean someone needing money. It could be a friend who just needs a word of encouragement. "Extend your hands" today to someone who needs help...whether it be someone on the street or someone in your family.

Clothe and Take Care of Your Family

v. 21
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothes in scarlet.

Basically, take care of the needs of your family. Clothe them. Feed them...be prepared FOR them. Make sure there is enough food on hand. Have a plan for the day. If you see clothes that will fit your child next year for 25 cents...buy them. If they are "scarlet"...that's even better. :) hee hee...

Be Crafty and Make Your Home a Haven

v. 22
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothes in fine linen and purple.
v. 24
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Not everyone is blessed with the desire to "make" things...but I think these verses go beyond just "sewing" and making things. Just the fact that she is making things leads me to believe she is concerned about the "feel" of her home. We are called as wives and women to make our homes inviting, cozy, and wonderful to be in. It's part of the way we can bless our family and our husband...creating a haven for him to come home to every night.

Laugh At The Future

v. 25
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Wow. This is one of my favorite verses. To be clothed with strength and dignity is an amazing picture of a Godly woman. Think about the Christian women in your life...I'm sure you can pick out a few that embody this description...I know I can. Even amidst life's difficult times, they can still LAUGH at the days to come. I recently heard John Piper speak about this verse...and he said that this type of woman is not naive...she KNOWS that there is difficulty ahead, but she can still look to the future with HOPE. Here is an excerpt from his sermon (which you all should go listen to or watch). Powerful stuff:

The deepest root of Christian womanhood mentioned in this text is hope in God. “Holy women who hoped in God.” A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or in getting a husband. She does not put her hope in her looks. She puts her hope in the promises of God. She is described in Proverbs 31:25: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” She laughs at everything the future will bring and might bring, because she hopes in God.

She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases. She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and help her strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakable root of Christian womanhood. And Peter makes it explicit in verse 5. He is not talking about just any women. He is talking about women with unshakable biblical roots in the sovereign goodness of God—holy women who hope in God.

Speak With Wisdom

v. 26
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

I went to the commentaries for this one...

Matthew Henry: She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue.

John Wesley: She is neither sullenly silent, nor full of impertinent talk, but speaks discreetly and piously, as occasion offers. In her tongue - Her speeches are guided by wisdom and grace, and not by inordinate passions. And this practice is called a law in her tongue, because it is constant and customary, and proceeds from an inward and powerful principle of true wisdom.

The tongue is a powerful thing...especially one wielded by a woman. It's very easy to use it for harm and not for good. I pray that my words would be full of wisdom and grace, not "impertinent talk". Every word is counted in heaven...have I said anything today that I would not want to have "counted" by Christ?

Watch Over Your Household and Don't Be Lazy

v. 27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Another great commentary by Matthew Henry: Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world.

Wow. It is possible to be overwhelmingly busy running your household and still have a heart focused on God. I love the phrase "watches over the affairs of her household". A woman of God will know what's going on. She knows when she's out of dish soap and she does something about it. She knows when her children need her undivided attention...she knows when something needs to be taken care of...she just KNOWS.

Now...for the next part. Eating the bread of idleness. An interesting word play for me...because I LOVE bread. Bread is tasty. Bread smells good. Bread is warm. But too much bread is bad for my body. Just as too much idleness is bad for my household, my spiritual life, and my family. Two other verses come to mind regarding this:

Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:17
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us...yes, establish the work of our hands.

God wants to help you be productive. He wants to help you effectively "run" your household. He wants to show you HIS plan for your day...but you must let Him. Pray that He will reveal that plan...even if it's at the expense of YOUR plan.

Be Praised

v.28
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

If you are striving to be a woman of God...focusing on all of things things talked about here...your family should be happy! They will be happy because they will be taken care of, fed and clothed...and the household will be running smoothly. There is no greater joy for me in earthly endeavors than to have Matt praise me for how I am doing as a wife and mother.

Beauty Is Fleeting

v. 30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

We live in a nation obsessed with looks. Hair, nails, clothes...how much time did you spend today making sure that all of that was how you wanted? I hope that we can all spend MORE time with God each day than we do getting ready in the morning. Piper had wonderful words on this from the same sermon that I linked to above:

And this leads to a third feature of Peter’s portrait of womanhood, a focus on internal adornment, rather than external. First Peter 3:5 begins, “This is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves.” This adornment refers back to what is described in verses 3-4:

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

We know this does not mean that all jewelry and all hair styling is excluded because then all clothing would be excluded as well, because it says, “Don’t let your adorning be external . . . the clothing you wear.” What he means is: Don’t focus your main attention and effort on how you look on the outside; focus it on the beauty that is inside. Exert more effort and be more concerned with inner beauty than outer beauty.

And he is specific in verse 4. When a woman puts her hope in God and not her husband and not in her looks, and when she overcomes fear by the promises of God, this will have an effect on her heart: It will give her an inner tranquility. That’s what Peter means in verse 4 by “the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

I bolded the part that I really like. Our MAIN attention in life should be inner beauty: getting to know who your heavenly father is...learning His will and studying His word. If you can do that, it will transform you from the inside out and will affect much more than just you. It will affect your family, your friends, and everyone you come into contact with.

There is a book that I have been reading consistantly over the years and it has had a profound impact on my views of womanhood and motherhood. It's called "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. I am going to devote an entire post to this one book because I know that many will benefit from her words. If you've ever wondered or struggled with the "submission" part of a Christian marriage, stay tuned :) In the meantime, I will leave you with a passage from that book called "The Heart of the Homemaker". My post on the book will go into more depth, but I felt that it coincided well with my desire to be a Proverbs 31 woman:

The Heart of the Homemaker

I will get up before my family, in order to prepare myself spiritually and physically.
I will prepare breakfast for my family and sit with them while they eat.
I will work diligently to send every member of my family off in a good mood.
I will consult my husband every day to see if there is anything special he wants me to do for him.
I will keep a neat and orderly home.
I will respond positively.
I will meet my husband's needs.
I will put my husband before my children.
I will personally meet and greet each family member as he or she returns home.
I wlil be predictibly happy.
I will prepare special, good food for my family.
I will make dinner a special time.
I will grow DAILY in the areas of Lord, marriage, family, and homemaking.

She wraps it up by saying...

Is yours the heart of a homemaker? If not, ask God for His transforming touch. As He empowers you to obey, He will give you JOY at the task to which He calls you and enhance the beauty of the tapestry you are weaving.

I'm off to ask God to TRANSFORM me and make me JOYFUL about my alarm clock ringing at 5:00 a.m....wheeeee! Bring on the coffee!

Local vs. Organic

2007-04-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Do you know where your food comes from? Do you know how many miles your apple traveled so you could crunch on it's juicy goodness? You should. I read labels like it's going out of style (was it ever IN style?). I want to know where my food is produced. I've been known to come home from the grocery store and look up the farm who has their sticker on my avocado.

Luckily for me, Montana and the surrounding states have a huge number of organic farms. AND, if it's not organic, it's local. BUT SARA! Aren't we always supposed to eat organic so we don't die a horrible pesticide-induced death? Well...yes. However, buying local has many, many advantages. I love going to the farmer's market and meeting the farmer's face to face. When I eat that delicious, red, tomato...I know who picked it. If the farm is not certified organic, I am able to just ask the farmer what they use on their produce. There were several vendors in Iowa at the Farmer's Market who were not certified, but did not use pesticides. You just have to ask. However, it's harder to call up the corporate farm in California what they used on their crops.

I started thinking more about buying local foods when I found the 100-mile diet site. It's radical and wonderful. I love my avocados and bananas a little too much to do it, but I love the concept. Last summer when we had a share in our local CSA, I experienced a little of what it might be like to eat 100% local and 100% in season. When the tomatoes were done, they were done. You better savor it now, because pretty soon, they won't grow anymore! Boo hoo! But it made me appreciate the food so much more. Someday, I would love to grow all of our food...canning and preserving along the way to sustain us through the winter. Oh, and I want to live in a sweet yurt . But that's another blog.

On my most recent trip to the coop, I was looking at salsa and I was disappointed because almost all of them were made by "big organics" (companies who are owned by a larger, nastier corporation...i.e. Boca, which is owned by Phillip Morris! Oh the horrors!). So I turned around and in the cooler, I found a yummy, bright red salsa made just a few miles north of town! It was not organic, but in that case, I would much rather support my local grower than Muir Glen...which is owned by General Mills. It also tasted so much better than the jarred variety.

I walked over to the bread section and I made sure to grab 2 loaves made locally by Wheat Montana instead of the Rudy's, which I used to buy. They aren't organic, but they have the ingredients I look for and no added sugars...except honey. AND, they are made right here. We also have a delicious bakery just a few blocks from our house called On the Rise...and I buy yummy crusty bread from them.

If I can't find something completely local, I go for the next best thing...the surrounding states. I will choose Oregon, North Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin over other states. Be sure to READ your labels! Every mile your food travels (a.k.a. food miles) to get to you is gasoline being burned and resources being used up. Most sources say that the average piece of produce travels about 1,200 miles to get to your plate. Yuck! I just don't like the thought of all my food traveling in a truck to get to me. I especially don't like thinking about buying food from other countries. How do I know that those organic grapes from Chile are truly organic...and who knows what kind of residues are on them from the trip. Call me paranoid. Just another reason to buy close to home or grow your own.

When we are thinking about going out to eat...we try to always think about where the restaurant is getting their food as well. We have a great Farm to Restaurant program here...and most of the places we support buy locally, and some are organic too. We have so many amazing local restaurants here...the food is so fresh and perfectly prepared. Living in a tourist town has it's perks.

To sum it up...buying local is tastier, better for your local economy, and great for your body. If you can find something that is local AND organic, life is good. KNOW your food. KNOW your farms. Where you put your grocery money is as important as your vote! Be informed about your food choices.

Disposable

2007-04-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking trashy thoughts again.

I have re-read Garbage Land and I've been putting my trash can under scrutiny...and I recycle everything I can. However, instead of focusing on reducing TRASH, I want to start focusing on reducing intake of potential trash into my house and life. Where is it all coming from?

Disposables: For the most part, I have gotten rid of all of the disposable products in our house. The occasional bottled water creeps in, especially after we've been traveling. I hate bottled water, but it tastes so much better than nasty gas station water in the middle of Wyoming! I carry my trusty Klean Kanteen bottle everywhere (and one for Bella too) and we fill it up whenever we can. I am going to focus more on this and try not to get caught "waterless". And for those of you who are buying bottled water for use at home...STOP! It creates so much waste (even if you are recycling). Instead, invest in a water filter. If you're like me and just like to have something cold to grab from the fridge, fill up empty glass bottles with filtered water and keep them in there. Bozeman just announced that it's not recycling glass anymore, so all of my old root beer bottles are now water bottles. Wine bottles work great too and make an elegant water pitcher when company is over!

I am also guilty of one too many disposable coffee cups in the trash. I have a harder time remembering my stainless steel coffee mug when I go to my local cafe, but I'm getting better. Most shops have no problem putting your drink into your own cup...and some will even offer a discount. That's great, but the discount is just pathetic. It's usually around 10 cents. 10 cents! It's just not very motivating. Now, give me 50 cents off my coffee and I'll never forget my re-usable cup. Chains like Starbucks and Caribou usually don't offer a non-disposable option...but many local cafes do. You may have to ASK for a ceramic glass, however, as most will give you a disposable cup by default. It's mind boggling to me to think of how much coffee cup trash I have been personally responsible for in my lifetime (case in point...the above photo is my cup from Sunday!). Here are a few stats on disposable cups. And a great article about how Starbucks could have saved the world.

Packaging: Have you ever REALLY paid attention to the hideous amount of packaging you bring home when you go to the store? I did an inventory of my kitchen...in search of items that I can buy without a package. Check out your own kitchen and see where you can reduce. An easy first step is to not bring anything into your home that is "single serving" or "single use".

Cereal...will only be purchased in bulk. This will avoid the box that so quickly crowds my little recycling bin.
Granola bars...will be made from scratch. Matt takes a Clif bar with him to work everyday, so I will TRY to start making them from scratch to avoid the box and endless wrappers.
Condiments and misc...such as ketchup, butter, mayo, etc. I can make ketchup, mayo, and mustard from scratch (they are much tastier too!). I will examine all options when shopping for these types of items.
Milk...most of the time I buy soy or almond milk in cardboard containers. I can make my own nut milks at home and put them in reusable glass containers.
Much of what I purchase is already in bulk...spices, grains, flour, tea, etc. and I already have containers at home for them.
Other types of packaging...such as that for craft supplies, etc. can be avoided by striving to buy used. The thrift stores don't have any packaging!

Paper: There is so much paper! It's everywhere! Whenever I can, I use an electronic copy of a document and try to avoid printing at all costs. The invention of email/internet was a wonderful thing to save paper waste. Of course, if you print out your emails or articles online, that kind of defeats the purpose. Receipts drive me crazy. I rarely keep them (unless it's a large purchase or I know I might return it). If all retail establishments, fast food chains, etc. would implement a rule to ask if you want your receipt before they print it...just think of all the paper saved! Around the house, be sure to use both sides of the paper, re-use envelopes, etc. for craft projects, re-use padded envelopes for mailing, and shred paper to use for packing boxes. And of course, RECYCLE. However, just becuase you CAN recycle something doesn't mean you should use it. It's best to not use it in the first place. Especially with paper because it can only be recycled a limited number of times, unlike glass which can be recycled endlessly.

I found an interesting little clip detailing our country's trash addiction. It's 19 minutes long, but worth watching. See it here. It is based on the book "Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage". Their website offers lots of statistics:

Packaging comprises the single largest category of household waste, taking up 30% of all landfill space in the U.S.
About 80% of U.S. products are used once and then thrown away.
More than 60% of waste in U.S. landfills could be composted.
Methane gas, which is always produced by trash rotting in landfills, is 21 times more heat trapping than carbon dioxide; garbage presents a major global warming threat.
Garbage production in the U.S. has DOUBLED in the last 30 years.

I have always been interested in the concept of "Zero Waste". I am inspired by communities who have taken the initiative to make hard changes. EcoCycle describes this in more detail and has lots of links.

San Francisco has recently banned plastic bags AND has proposed banning Styrofoam take-out containers. Go San Francisco! That's my kind of town.

The trash problem in the U.S. seems so overwhelming, but people are taking notice and changes are slowly being made. If everyone makes small changes, it will add up to a big change! What will you do to REDUCE your trash today?

Voting is Fun

2007-04-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

I adore Apartment Therapy and have always wanted to enter one of their contests. So, with this last apartment, I finally did! Our apartment was listed today...in the running for the "Coolest Smallest Apartment" for 2007. Click here to check it out and vote! Pretty please? Can I bribe you with promises of posting more often? tee hee!

Thanks everyone!

No Impact Man

2007-03-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting blog...No Impact Man. It's one man's radical attempt to decrease his family's "impact" on the earth over the course of a year. It's inspiring and CRAZY. It's been in the news lately, so you may have already heard about it...but I know that many of you will enjoy tracking his progress this year as they live mindfully.

Walk Slowly

2007-03-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

“Anywhere is walking distance, if you've got the time.”
Steven Wright

Walk slowly...or quickly if you're late. Just WALK! One of the reasons we fell in love with our new apartment was because we have so many amenities within walking distance. There is no reason to use my car to run errands. All of the following is within a 5 minute walk:

4 grocery stores (including the coop and another smaller health food store)
Library
Post Office
Hardware store
8 coffee shops
Children's Museum (indoor playground)
Park
Ice cream shop
Every restaurant imaginable (from sushi to pizza)
Video rental store
3 Thrift Stores

And if I just have to go somewhere else...the bus stop is 1 block away. Of course, when it's freezing cold, walking doesn't sound so appealing, so I do drive sometimes...but I try to avoid it. I have been working on planning my week so that if I do have to drive, I can clump everything into one trip. I've also been trying to be more mindful of if I truly "need" something. For example, do I NEED to go to Costco to buy my bread? They carry a locally made brand that I like...but it's on the other side of town on the busiest road in town. I can walk directly to the bakery that makes it and even though I'm spending a little more, I am saving on gas, emotional energy drained in traffic, and I would be supporting a local business. Or I could just make my own bread! But that's another post. I would encourage YOU to examine your extra car trips and work on condensing them or eliminating them altogether.

This morning it was about 20 degrees and we bundled up and walked to our friend's house for a play date. I was not really looking forward to the cold weather, but the rewards were many:

Exercise. It feels so great to walk. Move those legs!
Fresh air. Freezing cold fresh air. It was good.
A slower pace...which results in you inevitably looking around at your surroundings. Today I noticed so many wonderful things on our walk...a family having breakfast around their table, cute houses along the way, majestic mountain views...things that I wouldn't have paid attention to if I would have jumped in my car and rushed over there.
Time to think. Check out this interesting essay on walking by Henry David Thoreau.

My entire life I've wanted to live in a city that I could walk places, but I've always thought I'd have to move to Manhattan to find it! Walkability will be at the top of our lists the next time we move (let's hope that's not for awhile). I feel so blessed that we have the opportunity to "stroll" to our destination. Next on my list...a sweet cruiser like this one. Wheeeeeee!

Comfort

2007-03-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

"Whenever I go on a trip, I think about all the homes I've had & I remember how little has changed about what comforts me."

-Brian Andreas (Story People)

Glowing, cozy rooms. Comfortable couches. Hot tea and cookies. Thai food. My Bible. Curling up with a good book or magazine. Great fellowship with friends. These are just a few of the things that "comfort" me...and like the quote says, those things have never changed. No matter how many times we move and how much "stuff" I get rid of, as long as I have a few wonderful things, I am comforted.

We are now settled in our new apartment and whenever we are there, I am comfortable and content. A calmness comes over me when I sit in our living room and drink it all in. Here are more photos...come take the tour!

However, none of these good feelings can compare to the comfort and peace I receive from Jesus Christ. But so often, I look to the "created comforts" of this world to bring me those feelings...my home, my rituals, my friends and family, my hobbies. While I adore living in a space that I love and in a town that I love...would I still be contented and praise Him in different circumstances? I've been pondering that lately. I have a feeling that this is why my emotions start to go crazy when my house is a mess and things are in disarray. A clean house is always nice, but I tend to let it affect me deeper than it should. Can I be full of joy even as I clean up the mess?

True joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness can come and go with circumstances and moods...but joy comes from Christ. Knowing that ultimately, no matter what happens in my life, I will spend eternity with Him. Paul had this mastered...here is what he wrote as he was sitting in jail.

"I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
Philippians 4:12 (The Message)

I am so encouraged by this verse...and I like this particular paraphrase a lot. I cannot say that I have conquered the "wants" in my life. I have found that when I am not spending time meditating on God's word...those wants seem to multiply out of control. When I am disciplined and reading daily, I am better able to demonstrate self-control (or Jesus-control!) over my desires and wants...especially for material things.

Knowing that we can have joy despite what is going on around us is transforming. It frees me from the worry, wanting, and fear that come with daily life. I am enjoying the amazing blessings that God has given us...but I know that I can't place my hope or confidence in my apartment, relationships, or my things. My comfort and hope comes from Him.

On The Move

2007-03-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hello friends...
Time is just flying by right now. We have not had ANY Internet connection at our apartment for a few weeks now due to technical difficulties. We've been going to coffee shops and the library every couple of days. So just in case you were wondering where I went...I'm alive and well, just not connected. Luckily, we will be moving again in a week or so, and we have free high speed wireless at our new location.

They're moving again?! Yes. We have decided to cut our housing expenses in half and move to a much smaller place even closer to downtown. We've been busily painting, tearing flooring out, painting some more and sleeping hard. We've also had out of town guests and more out of town guests and dinner guests, so we have been B-U-S-Y!

You can see the "before" photos here and read more about the apartment. In the coming weeks, I will take the "after" photos and you can see the progress! We're having a blast making it our own and I am ecstatic to be moving into a smaller space again.

Some of you have asked how we stay on the Compact while moving and remodeling. Luckily, our landlords have said they will help with much of the costs of the renovations. We have been buying most of the remodeling items new (paint, tile, etc). If it was my own home and we were paying for it, I would probably buy used. It's proving very difficult to find some household items used...but we are doing our best and having a great time! The thing that helps me the most is to have PATIENCE. I am usually able to find what I need or something that will work if I just wait. eBay is my new friend. I'm learning a lot about my character in this process because I am definitely not naturally a patient person.

I have many new topics to write about and discuss with you...but my blogs will be on hold for just a bit longer while we finish the apartment, move, and get settled.

Blessings...and stay warm!

All Natural

2007-02-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Flickr/strph

Hello friends. I apologize for being gone for so long! It's been a crazy couple of weeks...we are still getting settled, my mom flew in from Des Moines and was here all week, we don't have a consistent Internet connection, and well, I've been busy living life. Please don't fret if I'm not "keeping up" with my blog. I have lots of ideas...but not a lot of free time. Thanks for your patience!

I'd like to share a few of my thoughts on cleaning products...both for home and for body. The cleaning product industry is BIG business. Just walk into Target or any drugstore and count how many items you have to choose from to clean your floor. Or you face. Or you toilet. It's madness. Even the natural cleaning market is easy to get sucked into. There is a better way!

Natural Home
About a year ago, I decided that I wanted my house to be completely safe...and I didn't want to spend a lot of money doing it. I gave away all of my old cleaners...Lysol, Clorox Wipes, 409 spray, etc. It was amazing how much space I had under my sinks and in my closets after they were gone. I replaced it all with a simple spray bottle of vinegar, water, Dr. Bronner's, and essential oils. I use this mixture as a multi-purpose spray for everything. For windows, I use straight vinegar and wipe with newspapers. For scrubbing the counter, sinks, tubs, and toilet, I use baking soda and essential oils.

I love letting Bella help me clean now (and she loves it too) because I know there is nothing that could hurt her. She sprays and I wipe...we're a great team. There is no way I would have ever let her help when I was using traditional cleaners. I have noticed that I am much more sensitive to the harsh smell of cleansers now that I don't use them. I usually have to tell hotel staff to not clean the bathroom while we are there because the chemicals are much to strong.

When you make the change to natural cleansers, the first thing you might notice is that they don't "smell clean" like you are used to. There is no bleach smell. No chlorine. No watery eyes, itchy skin...no turning the fans on and opening the windows. You may get a slight vinegar scent, but it fades quickly. The smell of the cleaner is not what cleans...don't be deceived :)

I also think that we, as a culture, have become so phobic about germs, etc. There is no need for artificial anti-bacterial soaps, sprays, etc. They actually hurt your body's natural ability to fight bacteria. Plain 'ol soap and water is the best defense again spreading germs.

Adding essential oils to your cleansers is so fun...because you can choose your scents! I especially like tea tree oil for it's natural anti-bacterial power and lavender for it's soothing scent. Lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and sweet orange are also high on my list. The sky is the limit...there are so many options.

I stick with a very basic concoction...I just fill a spray bottle up about 1/4 way with white vinegar, add a little Dr. Bronner's (so many scents to choose from there as well), add my essential oils (just a few drops) and fill the rest up with water. That's it. Simple. One bottle.
If you need a "recipe", check out this site. And more here. They have everything from furniture polish to drain cleaner to air fresheners.

I use a natural soap for washing dishes. I will be switching to my own mixture for laundry soon. Here are the recipes I am checking out. Baking soda is an amazing help in the laundry room and everywhere else. Being that we don't use bleach, our whites tend to look a little dingy. Sunning is a great natural way to bleach things. Even in the winter, you can lay or hang things in sunny windows. We don't have a dishwasher right now...but please be aware that traditional dishwasher detergent is one of the most poisonous items in your home. Go natural!

There is a huge market for all natural cleansers...but they are SUPER expensive. I do purchase them sometimes...but there really isn't a need. If you read the ingredients, you will see that all it is is exactly what you can make at home. You can make wonderful, inexpensive cleansers for pennies.

Natural Body
Shampoos and conditioners have insane amounts of disgusting things in them. I can hardly believe that our government allows us to purchase some of these items and put them on our delicate bodies! Some of the main ingredients to avoid are sodium laurel sulfate and any parabens. Yucky!

Your skin is your largest organ and it drinks in everything you put on it. I like the rule "If you can't eat it, don't put it on your body!". You can check your own beauty products here. There are 8 ingredients/chemicals that have been outlawed in America, but over 1,000 that have been outlawed in Europe. I urge you to do your own research on the ingredients in your makeup, shampoos, soaps, etc. If you aren't scared, alarmed, and angered...something is wrong with you. However, if you have trouble believing it...it might be because there are billions of dollars spent on commercials to tell you otherwise. You will find contradictory information on everything, but you have to think for yourself and make the best decision for you and your family. There is a lot of money at stake...if everyone switched to natural body care, the beauty product business would be in a lot of trouble. I'm sure someone is making sure that doesn't happen. It's always about the bottom line.

What are the options? Natural shampoos and conditioners. Pure bar soaps for shampoo or body. Many people go without soap altogether because it's so drying. Hot water and a wash cloth work great. Pure toothpastes (fluoride is poisonous ...I'm not crazy...do your research). You can use baking soda for toothpaste, flavored with essential oils. You can use Dr. Bronner's to brush your teeth as well...it's very sudsy, but it works. The other (and I think better) option is to go completely natural and use baking soda to "wash" your hair and apple cider vinegar to rinse. You can also use honey and other foods to condition. It's wonderful.

As for face washing routines...I use the oil method. I'm sure many of you have heard of it or use the same thing. Basically, you wash your face with oil...because oil dissolves oil. It's the best face cleansing "system" I've ever used...and I've tried MANY. My skin is acne prone and oily and this really helps to keep blackheads under control. Here is how you do it:

Combine 1 part extra virgin olive oil (organic is best because pesticides are concentrated in fats) to 1 part castor oil and add whatever essential oils you want. I like tea tree oil and lavender. Store it in an airtight glass container. If your skin is super oil, you may want to increase the amount of castor oil...to keep it lighter.
Tie all your hair back and have a wash cloth handy. Pour a liberal amount of the oil mixture into your hand and then start massaging it onto your face. Think of it as a mini-facial. Massage the oil into your skin for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
Wet the wash cloth with STEAMING hot water. Ring it out and lay it on your face. When it cools, do it again. And again. You're steaming out the impurities. Just be sure to make the water as hot as you can stand. Sometimes I'll just sit on the bathroom floor with the wash cloth on my face and enjoy my facial.
Rinse the wash cloth out and use it to wipe the oil off of your face. Be sure to get all of it...especially on the jaw and hairline. This is the part that exfoliates...your skin will be silky smooth!
Splash more hot water on your face and pat dry.
Use extra moisturizer after your done if you want...you can just use a small drop of the oil and rub it in your hands and then on your face as well.

I was hesitant to use this at first because I thought it would make my face more oily, but it doesn't at all. It's wonderful and my skin is amazingly soft and glowing. It does take more time and energy, but it's worth it.

Another wonderful, cleansing practice is dry brushing. I first heard of it when I was on my raw food kick last summer, and I love it. Check it out.

It's really easy to make your own lip balm, lotions, salves, etc. But if you want to buy them...one of my favorite sources is Prairieland Herbs. I have met the mother and daughter who make and sell the products and they are wonderful. I love the lotion bars and the cheek gloss. The soaps that they sell on the site are amazing too.

The only mainstream brand I will buy is Aubrey Organics (if I do buy something...which is not very often). All of my research shows that they are the purest and "cleanest" brand out there.

Please be aware that the phrase "natural" is not regulated by the FDA. Any company can put "natural" in their advertising and get away with it. Even many of the brands you can find at Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and your local health food store contain the ingredients I have told you about. Be sure to read labels...and then read them again! If it's a long list of unpronounceable ingredients...don't buy it!

There is a lot of information here...and it can be a bit overwhelming. Try not to become cynical...it's easy to just dismiss it and say "well, everything is toxic...who cares?!". But please consider how many times a day you put on that chemical lip gloss, and the 12 gels and lotions and concoctions when you're getting ready in the morning. Every day...for your entire life. There are so many cancerous chemicals that we willingly put on our bodies. Educating yourself is the first step.

Go check out your bathroom right now...and make the choice to go natural!

Tree Hugger

2007-01-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Flickr/KbH

Tree Hugger. Granola Girl. Eco-Freak. Crunchy Mama. There are lots of ways to describe me...and all of the aforementioned names are compliments in my mind. My path to "green living" has been slow and steady...definitely not an overnight conversion. Every piece of knowledge has led me in a new direction, and helped spark interest in other areas (i.e. I cloth diapered, so it was a natural fit to use cloth toilet paper). As a Christian, I feel even more compelled to be a good steward of the earth. It's not just about stopping global warming or saving trees, it's to honor God and to be wise with the resources He has abundantly given us. We live in a nation of excess and ease...we need to get back to the basics and "live simply so that others may live" -Gandhi.

After reading a great thread on Mothering, I thought I would do a quick overview of the things I do to reduce my footprint on the earth (and things I am still working on). It will be a reminder for me to remain diligent in them, and will hopefully encourage you to start or continue in your own journey towards natural/green living.

When you know better, you do better. -Maya Angelo

Use clothesline/hang clothes outside. Our landlord is going to build me a clothesline this summer...I could not be more excited! In the meantime, we do hang some clothes on a rack inside.
Be mindful of what lights are on and turn them off when not in use. We do have lots of natural light in our apartment, so this is pretty easy.
Keep the thermostat set low. This is so difficult for me to do because I LOVE being warm. Our utilities are included in our rent, so I'm not motivated by the money savings. I must decide to motivate myself for the pure ecological impact.
Reuse clothes that aren't dirty. This is another hard one, especially with Bella. She changes clothes about 5 times a day...and yes, they are all dirty. It's so easy just to run a load now that we have our own washer and dryer. Luckily, it is an efficient front loader and the dryer has a sensor in it. However, still not a good excuse.
Decrease garbage. With recycling and composting, this has become easier. We go through about 1 bag a week. Go check out "Garbageland" to understand the business of garbage better. I think it should be required reading for everyone!
Use cloth bags at the grocery store. I have been out of my "routine" with this for awhile and need to get a system in place so I have them when I need them.
Use hand dryers in public restrooms instead of paper towels.
Carry stainless steel water bottles for drinking when away from the house. (Sigg or Klean Kanteen). I phased out all of our Nalgene bottles a few years back due to health concerns, especially regarding women. This is controversial, but when it comes to plastic, I don't like ANY of it. Especially for food. They just haven't been around long enough to perform long-term studies.
Use cloth hankies/bandanas instead of tissues.
Use cloth napkins.
Use cloth towels for cleaning.
Use cloth mama pads and The Diva Cup.
Use cloth toilet paper/family cloth.
Rinse/reuse plastic bags and aluminum foil.
Use glass jars for storing food in fridge and for bulk items.
Recycle everything.
De-clutter and donate on a continual basis.
Don't buy anything new.
If I must make a purchase, buy locally...from small stores.
Shop at thrift stores.
Buy more in bulk to reduce packaging.
Use natural bar soaps with few ingredients for hand/body washing.
Use all natural body care products.
Would like to wear only natural fibers (wool, cotton, linen, flax, hemp...).
Dreaded my hair. I am now able to use less products and less electricity.
Use earth-friendly/homemade cleaners (my next blog will be about natural cleaning products...stay tuned).
Would like to get rid of particleboard furniture in the house (off-gassing).
Would eventually like to get an organic/natural mattress. I have my eye on one of these...they are locally made.
Replaced all Teflon and similar cookware with cast iron and stainless steel.
Replaced plastic containers with glass storage containers for food storage (dry goods and in the fridge).
Compost! We are just starting to compost and I am amazed and saddened at how much food we have wasted in the past. I am very aware of how much food I toss because we don't have a disposal either.
Eat organic foods at home...we are at about 90%. When we are out and can't choose our meals as much, I try very hard to avoid the "dirty dozen". This is not only for our health, but for the health of the earth by reducing pesticides, etc.
Eat more raw foods as a way to prevent disease, feel more alive, and save energy by not cooking. To learn more about raw foods, check out Alissa Cohen's site. Eating raw food doesn't have to be difficult...just add a smoothie for breakfast and a big salad for lunch and you're on your way.
Eat a vegetarian diet. Read "Diet for a New America" or "Food Revolution" to learn how your food choices affect more than just you.
Buy locally grown foods when possible.
Breastfeed Bella for optimum nutrition.
I'd like to learn to can and freeze this year.
Start gardening this summer.
Walk more, drive less. Even in the winter, we can walk to the co-op to do grocery shopping, get coffee, etc.
Ride bike more often. Obviously this will be easier when it's not snowy and icy...but I am so excited to bike to my errands! Wheeeee!

This is by no means an exhaustive list..because it's always changing and growing...but it's amazing to me how adaptable humans are. Five years ago I would have laughed out loud at the thought of most of the things on this list. So, if you are just starting your journey, take heart! Just pick one thing at a time to change and keep moving forward.

The Journey

2007-01-21T18:09:00.000-08:00

Dreadlocks. The mere mention of the word has my grandmothers running for the hills. But I love them...and I have always wanted my very own. So, after we moved West, I decided that life is too short to keep wanting. I didn't want to turn 80 and wish I had done dreads when I was younger. So, I did it. My lovely and amazing friend, Becky, flew up from South Carolina to visit me and she helped start my hair on it's dreading journey.

For those of you who don't know anything about dreads...this will be a wonderful chance for you to open your mind and broaden your horizons. Dreads are not just for pot smokers, homeless people, hippies, African-Americans, or Rastafarians. Basically, ANYONE can have dreads if they stop combing their hair. They have been around for a long, long time. There is a great book I recently added to my collection called "Dreads". It has tons of stories and beautiful photos.

Here are a few excerpts of dreadlock history:

The first known examples of the hairstyle date back to ancient Egypt, where dreadlocks appeared on Egyptian artifacts. Mummified remains of ancient Egyptians with dreadlocks have even been recovered from archaeological sites.
The Old Testament also recounts the tale of Samson and Delilah in which a man’s potency is directly linked to ‘the seven locks on his head’ and according to Roman accounts, the Celts were described to have ‘hair like snakes’ Germanic tribes, Greeks and the Vikings are all said to have worn dreadlocks too.
Dreadlocks are a universal phenomenon in the East as well as in the West.
Spiritualists of all faiths and backgrounds incorporate into their paths a
disregard for physical appearances and vanity. And so, throughout the world,
such seekers often cease to comb, cut, or otherwise dress their hair: This
is how "dreadlocks" are born (click here for more info).

Dreads are hair that is knotted, matted, twisted...and uncombed. Stop combing your hair today, and in a year or two, you'll have some dreads. However, you can help the process along. There are several different ways to make them, but I chose back-combing. Becky separated my hair into random 1" sections and she used a metal comb to backcomb every section. It took 3-4 hours. I did have the option to use wax (a beeswax concoction) to help them stay together more, but decided against it. This is the method advised by dreadlock megasites Dreadhead HQ and Knotty Boy. However, I have heard way too many horror stories about dreadlocks and wax gone bad. It will take longer for them to "lock up" without the wax, but it's worth the wait.

One of the main misconceptions about dreads is that if you have them, you can't wash your hair. This is absolutely untrue. You can wash your hair every day if you want. Of course washing your hair everyday isn't good even if you don't have dreads. In the beginning, it's best to wait at least a week while they mature a bit. However, what I've found is that because I'm not using any products at all, my hair stays nice and clean for a long time! Every 2-3 days is more than enough. You can always spray your hair with some yummy essential oils if you feel like it. Peppermint is good.

I have had many people ask me why I finally decided to go for it. Here is the short list:

I like them. I think they look cool.
Profound, I know.

I wanted to simplify my beauty "routine".
Prior to dreads, I used (and toted around when I traveled):

Shampoo
Conditioner
Mousse
Volumizing Spray
Comb
Round brush to straighten my hair
Blow dryer
Pomade/Wax
Hairspray

Now I use:

Shampoo (Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree...cheap, all natural, and I can use it for other things)

That is just mind boggling to me. I never realized just how freeing and simplifying having dreads would be. It has been so wonderful not having to "do" my hair everyday. I've had less stress...and more time. I use less products...and save more money. Hair products are expensive! Another perk is the added space in the suitcase! I love traveling light.

They are a reminder to me that I am set apart for Christ.
The entire journey is very spiritual. Dreadlocks are rooted in spirituality...back to ancient times. In these last 2 weeks, I have learned so much about myself and who I am in Christ.

I am learning patience. My dreads will take about 3-6 months to "settle down" and about a year for them to be completely locked up. Dreads are constantly changing and forming. There are lots of photos in this set of dreads I love. Whenever I'm discouraged with them and the process, I go and look at photos of people with mature dreads and I am encouraged.
I am learning non-judgement. In purposely becoming unlike anyone else around me, I can relate in a new way with those people who feel judged by others.
I am learning about commitment. Dreads are long-term. If I want them to look how I imagine...it will take time. The same is true with my commitment to Jesus. It takes commitment become to become like Him! Every time I look in the mirror, I am reminded of recent commitments I've made to Him.

So there you have it. I'm going to be posting photos of my journey on this Flickr set. It will be fun to watch as they lock up.

About a year ago, I read a great book by Anne Lamott called "Traveling Mercies". I wrote several quotes from that book in my Moleskin journal and found them recently. I love them and this is a great place to share them:

"No one knew the effort it took to make my hair look like it hadn't taken any effort at all (p. 234)".
This was definitely me BEFORE I dreaded my hair. It took so long for me to get my hair looking like I wanted it. My hair is very fine with no body at all...and it took a lot of coaxing to make it work.
"How much longer am I going to think about my hair more often than about things in the world that matter? (p. 235)"
So true. Hair is big business. Women (and men) are consumed by it most of the time. How it looks. What color it is. If their mother-in-law approves of the style. I'm not saying I will stop thinking about it...but I really want to focus on other things that are way more important.
"Dreadlocks would be a way of saying that I was no longer going to play by the 'rules' of mainstream white beauty...but that I was going to CELEBRATE instead (p. 234)"
Doesn't everyone want to CELEBRATE? I do.

The best compliment I've gotten came from my sweet daughter, Bella. We were talking recently and out of the blue she said,

"You're a good mama. These dreads are cute."

Children always know just what to say to make you smile.

Come Out, Come Out!

2007-01-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

If you read any other blogs...I'm sure you have heard that it is National Delurking Week. Being that I have been traveling for the last week, and will be gone for another week, I probably won't post any blogs for a bit.

SO, it's YOUR turn to "blog my blog". I would LOVE to hear from all of you that read...where you are from, your interests, how you found my blog, etc. Basically anything interesting you can think of. This is especially for those of you who never comment...but I want to hear from my regulars as well! I am so encouraged by all of your comments and I appreciate you so much!

Have a blessed week...

Sharing

2006-12-28T22:08:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Flickr/achbrown

In my journey of downsizing and "letting go" of my stuff...I have often thought about what it would feel like if I truly had nothing. What if I was so poor and in need, that I didn't have even ONE thing that I could get rid of? I've never been in that situation, so my mind can't even fathom it, but so many people live with SO LITTLE, with no end in sight.

During this holiday season especially, I am reminded over and over of how much I do have. We are wealthy beyond measure. If I need something, I can go and buy it. If we need socks, shoes, food, bedding, or eyeglasses, we just go buy it. With that said, the following statistics are shocking...

Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day. ¹
“The combined wealth of the world’s 200 richest people hit $1 trillion in 1999; the combined incomes of the 582 million people living in the 43 least developed countries is $146 billion.” ¹

Source: Poverty Facts and Stats

What would Jesus say to this? You don't have to look far to find out. Jesus talks about the poorA LOT. He talks about giving your belongings to them... feeding them...caring for them. Basically, treat them as you would want to be treated...and most of all: SHARE your stuff! The second statistic above is just mind boggling to me. When Jesus looks down on us, he sees enough food, enough money, and enough shelter to keep everyone in the world from wanting. But not many will share.

"John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Luke 3:11

If we take this scripture to heart/literally...how can we biblically own more than we need? This has been on my mind a lot as I go through my possessions. I ask myself..."Who could use this RIGHT NOW?". Sure, I "might" need it "someday"...but I can give it to someone that needs it today. But what about those homeless/needy people who appear to have the means to get out of "their situation"? Doesn't giving to them just enable them to remain homeless? I truly think that if we are giving abundantly to others, Jesus will take care of the rest. Of course, exercise due caution, and don't give cash directly. There are so many other ways to help.

What was so different about the early Christian church? Why could they live this way and today we find it beyond impossible?

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 2:44-46

Why does one neighborhood need a lawn mower in every garage? Why does each individual family spend money on things they will only use a few times a year? Why not have a common area where things can be "checked out" from? Part of the reason is that we have isolated ourselves and no one knows their neighbors anymore. We are an automated and isolated nation. I am fascinated by communal living and intentional communities with this type of possession "system"...but that's a different blog post altogether! :)

I'm quite disturbed about the homeless situation in our country. Let me start by saying that I don't know anything about being homeless. I haven't ever volunteered at a homeless shelter, I've never housed anyone who was homeless, I've never been without a place to sleep at night. But I just can't stop thinking about it.

The majority of homeowners think that they "need" a guest bedroom that will be used a few times a year. These rooms sit empty when there are people living on the streets. Not that all of you who have guest bedrooms should go and find a homeless person and put them up...I'm just interested in this crazy trend.

Shane Claiborne, author of "The Irresistible Revolution" has a lot to say about the homeless and how Jesus would treat them. This book is hands down my favorite of the entire year. I jokingly call it "my second Bible". It will forever change you. Here is a review...

If there is such a thing as a disarming radical, 30-year-old Claiborne is it. A former Tennessee Methodist and born-again, high school prom king, Claiborne is now a founding member of one of a growing number of radical faith communities. His is called the Simple Way, located in a destitute neighborhood of Philadelphia. It is a house of young believers, some single, some married, who live among the poor and homeless. They call themselves "ordinary radicals" because they attempt to live like Christ and the earliest converts to Christianity, ignoring social status and unencumbered by material comforts. Claiborne's chatty and compelling narrative is magnetic—his stories (from galvanizing a student movement that saved a group of homeless families from eviction to reaching Mother Teresa herself from a dorm phone at 2 a.m.) draw the reader in with humor and intimacy, only to turn the most common ways of practicing religion upside down. He somehow skewers the insulation of suburban living and the hypocrisy of wealthy churches without any self-righteous finger pointing. "The world," he says, "cannot afford the American dream." Claiborne's conviction, personal experience and description of others like him are a clarion call to rethink the meaning of church, conversion and Christianity; no reader will go away unshaken.

It's my dream to go visit his community, The Simple Way. I would love to interact with that group for a month and learn to truly look beyond appearances and love beyond myself.

One of my favorite singers, Ani Difranco, wrote a song called Subdivision. You can hear it on this site. Her music and her message are beyond amazing. And although I don't agree with all of her positions on everything...and she likes to cuss, I think she is one of the most talented and brave voices out there. Here are some of the lyrics of Subdivision that have really stuck with me:

I remember the first time I saw someone lying on the cold street
I thought, "I can't just walk past you, this can't just be true."
But I learned by example to just keep moving my feet.
It's amazing the things that we all learn to do.
So we're led by denial like lambs to the slaughter
Serving empires of style and carbonated sugar water and the old farmroad's a four-lane that leads to the mall and my dreams are all guillotines waiting to fall
And I wonder then what it will take for my country to rise.
First we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes.

Whenever I have visited a large city...with homeless lying "on the cold street"...something churns within me. I wonder what circumstances led to them losing their home. Drugs? Losing a job? Some other addiction? Just a bad string of events with no family to help? I always want to ask. But like Ani says ... I've "learned by example to just keep moving my feet". So sad.

I went to see the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness " a few weeks ago and it deeply moved me. I depicts the true story of a single dad and his son...fighting to make it...and they do end up on the streets for awhile. It was heartbreaking, but such a wonderful film. Not a feel good film, but one that will open your eyes.

These thoughts have been on my mind for so long...it's such a hard topic to talk about because if we truly LIVE out what Jesus has shown us...it requires us to ACT. It requires us to take care of others unselfishly. I know that there are many who can debate this topic more eloquently than I can...arguing that the wealthy need their large homes and toys to minister to those people who will only respond that way to Christ. I'm still thinking through all of that...and I know that God uses everyone where they are at right now, and with the possessions they have right now. But how much is too much? Where do we draw the line between having excess possessions to "minister to others" and living as Christ commands us? Where is the line between being too radical in your lack of possessions (if there is such a thing) and having too much?

Amazing Gift

2006-12-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

It's been a beautiful Christmas day! We've played outside, sat by the fire, and enjoyed family. I love holidays...when the pace slows down to a stand still, even for just one day. Here are some memories from our day.

Thank you Jesus for the most amazing gift.

Powered Off

2006-12-15T23:47:00.000-08:00

During the course of simplifying our lives, I have become increasingly sensitive to all of the electronic gadgets we use everyday. I find myself asking questions like, "What did people do before cell phones?" and "Why on earth would people watch that television show?". And finally, "Could I live without my computer for one week?".

Maybe the better question is, "Why would you want to, Sara?". Well, let me tell you. It's addicting, and I don't like feeling that way. When I wake up in the morning, instead of an intense desire to meet with the Lord, I have an intense desire to check my email. When I have some spare time in the day, I would rather check blogs than read to my sweet daughter. When I should be going to sleep at night to refresh and heal my body, I am editing photos, posting blogs, or just mindlessly roaming the Internet.

During one of my quiet times this week, I started to talk to the Lord about my computer habits and I asked him if I should take a break. The next passage I read was this:

"I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.

Isaiah 42:8

Wow. Ok Lord...you got me. I realized that the Internet, blogging, and computer time in general have become an idol in my life. It sounds so harsh, but an idol is simply anything that you are putting ahead of God. I have chosen the computer over God SO many times, and it needs to change. My God is a jealous God...he LOVES me so much and wants my attentions and worship. When I start to use energy that could be spent glorifying Him and getting to know Him better, He is saddened.

I am in no way saying that computers and the Internet are bad and that Christians shouldn't be using them. To the contrary...there are so many amazing Christians who are online making a huge impact for Christ. It's when we let it creep ever so slowly into our lives and take over that it becomes a problem. When our online community of friends is taking the place of real-life conversations and our time online exceeds the amount of time spent with family and with God...something needs to change.

When I am on the computer too much...so many things suffer. My relationships, my housework, my hobbies. I have made the decision to take a week off from the computer so that I can SLOW DOWN. I want to read books. Lots of them. I want to go to bed early. I want to get up and read my Bible over a delicious cup of tea without the computer beckoning me away. I want to give my FULL attention to Bella at all times. It's also perfect timing, because we are all packed and will be moving tomorrow! This time of transition will be a great time for reflection and journaling. Plus, my laptop is in need of a few repairs, so it will be physically sent away this week to IBM to be fixed.

I am so excited for this break, and yet I am nervous. Nervous to feel the extent of my addition to this machine. I can't wait to share with you all of the wonderful things God did because it was gone. I know I am not the only one who struggles with this problem, and I pray that if you are feeling Him tugging at your spirit right now...join me in this journey and be sure to tell me all about it!

I am so humbled and blessed by all of you that read my blog. I am amazed by you all! I love reading your comments and all of your own blogs. I hope that you will come back in a week and check in. I have several fun topics brewing in my head. But for now...it's time to turn it off. Have a GREAT week! I know I will.

Photo credit: Flickr/ahhyeah

Heading West

2006-12-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, we will be heading to Bozeman, Montana to spend time with Matt's sister, Mindy, and her husband, Ryan. Ryan is the Director of Lion's Ridge, a retreat center that is nestled in the mountains just a few hours north of Yellowstone National Park. We spent last Christmas with them as well and fell in love with Bozeman...the town, the scenery, the adventures! We felt God calling us there...and had a deep sense that we would eventually live there, but we had so much to take care of before that could ever happen. We work for my family and Matt runs a significant portion of the company. At that point last year, we owned a house, had so much debt, and not much free time. Our dreams of a simpler life were still far away.

Well, a year later...God has opened doors for us and we will be making the trek to Bozeman for Christmas again, but this time we will be pulling our entire life behind us in a 4 x 12 trailer. Yes...we're moving! Our last day in Des Moines will be December 15. After that, we will spend a week in Brainerd, MN with Matt's family and then we will all head out from there. We will spend a couple weeks at Lion's Ridge in the cabin you see in the photo above...and then will travel to Boulder, CO to visit our best friends for a few weeks. When we return, we will know more regarding a job opportunity in full-time ministry there. I will share more with you as things become more finalized. What we have realized is that we need to be back in ministry, paid or unpaid. We know that Matt has been called to that...and we want to be obedient to his calling.

We have sold all of our furniture (yes, even our bed, kitchen table...everything!) and our bus and have only kept the things we love. That made for a much easier move! We are looking forward to starting fresh and trusting God to provide fun, "new to us" furniture and such when we arrive. It's definitely been a growing experience as I learn to release my earthly possessions and focus on where God is leading. We feel so light and free!

God has been so good to us...and we are so excited to be starting a new adventure. We have much to look forward to.

A wonderful church with which we are already acquainted with.
God-ordained friendships (a crazy story for another time!)
Family...Ryan and Mindy are so much fun, I am excited to have them so close!
Shops and restaurants galore!
An amazing co-op
Mountains!
A slower lifestyle

So now you understand why I haven't been posting as much lately...I've been busy packing! We moved out of our apartment a few weeks ago and we are spending these last days in Iowa with my parents at their house. Please bear with me during this transition, I'm not sure how much computer time I will have. But I am so excited to share every step with you all...telling of God's amazing provision as he leads us WEST!

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12

A Compact Christmas

2006-12-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

Several of you have asked me to post about buying Christmas gifts while doing the Compact. It's really quite simple. Here are my tips:

Shop early.

It's pretty much impossible to buy used/barter/trade at the last minute. Well, you could, but even Goodwill is pretty picked over by Christmas eve!
I've been slowly collecting gifts from consignment stores and thrift stores..and occasionally trading for photography.

Always keep an eye out for a gift...even if you aren't specifically shopping for that person.

I have found the greatest gifts when I wasn't really looking. Keep a list of all the people that you are shopping for so you can keep track.

Keep a gift "box" under your bed or in a closet so that you can have them all in one place.

I love this. Anytime I find a cool gift, I just pop it right into my gift box and know that I can forget about it until Christmas! This is a great thing to have year-round...because as birthdays pop up, you can just grab a gift from the box.

Don't buy gifts for everyone.

I used to do this...because I LOVE giving gifts. But this year, I am limiting it to family and a few close friends. For Bella, we would like to start the tradition of 3 gifts only...representing the 3 gifts the wise men brought Jesus.

Homemade is fun.

Last year I made cool magnets. It's always cheaper to do something crafty. I usually do a lot of photo-related gifts, especially for the grandparents. I have some crafty things that I am making this year, but I can't reveal it on my blog...that would ruin the surprise!

Don't get stressed. The focus is on Jesus, not gifts. The gifts are just a great symbol of what God gave us in His son.

Giving gifts is so much fun for me. I thought about just not doing any gifts this year...but then I realized how much joy I get from seeing someone's face light up. Compacting this Christmas has been enjoyable and easier than I thought! And I am THRILLED to not be out at the malls. Wheeeee!

Photo courtesy of Nathan Gibbs/flickr.com

Satisfied

2006-12-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking so much about what it means to be truly satisfied. I can look back through my life and pick out so many things I pursued that I thought would satisfy...but they all came up short. Relationships, money, possessions....none of these things satisfied me completely. Temporarily, yes. But not completely and without fault. The only thing that can offer that kind of satisfaction is Jesus Christ. Knowing Him. Loving Him. Glorifying Him. To quote John Piper, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him".

Psalm 90: 14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (I love this one...when I meet with Him early in the morning, I am filled and satisfied all day. I am much more able to resist the temptations of this world!).

Psalm 145: 15-17
15The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Over and over, He says that HE will satisfy our needs. But in a culture that screams so loudly about how we'll never be satisfied without more money, more stuff, more square footage...it's no wonder we are distracted to the point of forgetting His promise.

If we take Jesus at his Word, and start trusting that He will give us all that we need...why do we need to pursue all the things that the world pursues?

Piper has this to say about it:

If Christ is an all-satisfiying treasure and promises to provide all our needs, even through famine and nakedness, then to live as though we had all the same values as the world would betray him. I have in mind mainly how we use our money and how we feel about our possessions. I hear the haunting words of Jesus, "Do not be anxious, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things" (Matthew 6:31-32). In other words, if we look like our lives are devoted to getting and maintaining things, we will look like the world, and that will not make Christ look great. He will look like a religious side-interest that may be useful for escaping hell in the end, but doesn't make much difference in what we live and love here. He will not look like an all-satisfying treasure. And that will not make others glad in God.

What would happen if every Christian lived a life that "looked different" than the world? Would it be possible to live lives like those in the early Church? To live in complete community and share all that we have?

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales, and put it at the apostles feet and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. *Acts 4:32-35

There were NO needy persons among them?! Amazing. The thing is, if everyone just shared what they had today, the same would be true. There is more than enough to go around...enough for the entire world. I know I'm thinking crazy thoughts...but it's good to think about such things.

No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had?! Wow. Think about how much crime and hatred is the result of jealousy of someone else's possessions. How caught up we get in determining what is mine and what is yours. Lawsuits, wars, divorces...

When we release our possessions and recognize that everything we have comes from Christ and belongs ultimately to Him, it's much easier to have a loose grip on it all. We are just stewards of everything God has given us...none of it is OURS anyway. They are His to do with what He wants. It's much easier to be satisfied when you take the distraction of possessions out of the picture. Jesus loved talking about money the poor. Fifteen percent of all His teaching revolves around those topics. I used to just skip over those passages apparently, because it wasn't until I went deliberately searching that I realized how much Jesus wants us to take care of the needy.

Lastly, I will leave you with one last passage from Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life". It's such a great reminder that although we should be salt and light and be "attractive" to others in order to win hearts to Christ, we also must be wary of becoming to comfortable in the "world".

I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in. I start to love what others love. I start to call earth "home". Before you know it, I am calling luxuries "needs" and using my money the way unbelievers do. I begin to forget the war. I don't think much about people perishing. Missions and unreached peoples drop out of my mind. I stop dreaming about the triumphs of grace. I sink into a secular mindset that looks first to what many can do, not what God can do. It is a terrible sickness.

A very convicting reminder...we are in this world but not of it. Do you look different? I'm going to leave it at that, and let you ponder. If you've never read of heard John Piper, I urge you to check him out. It's deep stuff for sure, but well worth your time.

Be satisfied!

Wanting

2006-12-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

Wanting: \Want"ing\, a. Absent; lacking; missing; also, deficient; destitute; needy

During the holiday season, it is very easy to feel like our current possessions are "lacking" and "deficient". Everywhere you turn, there is an advertisement for this or that. Even though you may only hear them in passing, they do affect you deeply. The advertisements are created to MAKE you feel want...like you are "less" if you don't rush out and purchase their item. Or, during this season, you are less if you don't rush out and purchase it for your friend, spouse, child, etc.

Recently, I took my grandma to the mall because she wanted to get some gift certificates for Christmas. I hadn't been out to walk the mall in a long time...and I found it completely overwhelming. The people, the noise, the bright and shiny objects! I started to find myself looking in the windows ... and feeling that WANTING that I so hate. I was in the mall for literally 5 minutes or less, and in that little space of time, the sirens sucked me in. I walked out chanting to myself "look straight ahead, there is nothing you need"! I am so glad I don't have to deal with that anymore this season!

I started to think about other ways that WANT is created in my life. I have discussed this before, but it's worth doing it again. It's an ongoing battle, and if you don't think about it and how it happens, it will control you.

I started with my email inbox. I went through and unsubscribed from every single newsletter, update, etc. that I receive. I was astounded at how many businesses/spammers have my email. It took several hours to complete this, and I am still doing "maintenance" unsubscribing daily. I needed to do this because there are several really fun crafty sites that I get updates for...and even though they are homemade, ethical, etc, I do not need them. Opening those emails only creates want. Having less emails makes me spend less time at the computer and have less distraction in general. I also unsubscribed from several discussion groups that I just didn't have time to read. From now on, I will make a point to be more protective of my email address. I know that spammers can get it without me knowing, but I will do all that I can.

The other "tool of wanting" that I've been thinking about lately is the TV. I know that most of you will agree with me on this one...but I want to talk about a certain genre in particular that I used to find harmless. The two channels that I used to give myself "permission" to watch, HGTV and TLC, are experts in creating want not just in their advertising but within the programming. What?! Say it isn't so! Yes. Think with me for a moment.

"Dream House", "I Want That", "National Open House"...these are three programs that create want in myself when I watch them. Basically, when you are looking over and over at lifestyles, people, and possessions that don't align with your values or your budget, it will only leave you "wanting". When you see "excess" as the norm, your standards and expectations start to change. The same principle applies to reading gossip magazines (i.e. People, Us, etc.). If you read it enough, focus on it enough, and desire to KNOW and imitate other's lifestyles enough...you will continue to WANT.

On TLC, there is a show called "What Not to Wear". The hosts go into someone's closet, basically tell them what a horrible dresser they are and how ugly they look, and they throw away (donate?) all of their clothes and give them $5,000 to go shopping for a new wardrobe. First of all, clothing is an extremely emotional and personal choice. When you come in an dissect someone's wardrobe, it's traumatizing. Secondly, I could buy a whole army a wardrobe with $5,000 (does anyone else think that is insane?!). With that said, I can see how it sucks people in because I used to be very entertained by it. But when I would watch them go shopping, I started to wish that I could just go on a shopping spree like that. I WANTED to be them. TV turns you into a happy little consumer.

John Piper, one of my favorite pastors and authors, calls TV the "great life-waster". He has this to say in his book "Don't Waste Your Life":

"The main problem with TV is not how much smut is available, though that is a problem. Just the ads are enough to sow fertile seeds of greed and lust, no matter what program you're watching. The greater problem is banality. A mind fed daily on TV diminishes. Your mind was made to know and love God. Its facility for this great calling is ruined by excessive TV. The content is so trivial and so shallow that the capacity of the mind to think worthy thoughts withers, and the capacity of the heart to feel deep emotions shrivels."

So, there you have it. In addition to creating WANT, watching TV turns you into a shallow idiot.
Turn it off! (Please don't tell me that TV is educational. Get out there and LIVE life instead of learning about it on your TV).

I want to stop wanting. Looking back at the definition...I am not lacking, missing, deficient, or in need of anything. The only thing I am in "need" of is God's grace and forgiveness daily. I want to be satified by Christ alone.

*photo courtesy of davepatten/flickr.com

Compact Lessons

2006-11-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

It's been 46 days since I took the Compact pledge. It has been a interesting experiment in self-discovery...I have learned so much about myself and my spending habits. A few things...

It feels so good to NOT buy something after having the urge to do so. Realizing that I actually demonstrated self-control is exciting.
Shopping at Goodwill is fun. It's much more exhilerating to find the exact item I need at a thrift store...than to just run into Target and walk right to it. Less convenient, yes..but more fun.
I can overspend just as easily at thrift stores as I can in Target.
I am extremely senstitive to how I am feeling when looking at advertisements. I can take the time now to dissect those emotions and realize that they are constructed.
There have been several times when I've thought, "I would have totally bought that if I wasn't Compacting!". I started to add up all those things I kept saying that about...and it was several hundred dollars. It's a great feeling to save that money instead of spend it on things that I wouldn't want a few hours later anyway.
Doing the Compact seems to make some people upset & confused. Like the fact that I am actually THINKING about my purchases throws their whole existance out of whack. Apparently, compacting is very threatening.
I haven't found it to be particularly difficult to buy used, barter/trade, or make do. It's been great!

I have especially enjoyed finding Christmas gifts this year. I thought that it might be difficult, because I am usually a Christmas Eve "hurry up and buy anything!" kind of shopper. Total procrastination. I am happy to say that I am almost done shopping for everyone on my list! Here's to 319 more happy days of Compacting!

Military Girl

2006-11-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

Approximately 8 years ago, I graduated from Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. I know, I know...I can hear some of you *gasping* right now! It's true. I'm a military girl in a military family. My father was a top gun fighter pilot and my brother was a crew chief. I was born on an Air Force Base (Davis Monthan, Tuscon, AZ) 30 years ago and I was a photographer in the Air National Guard (North Dakota and Nebraska) for 6 years (1998-2004).

Basic training is such an intense time of emotion and physical strain...you can't help but make lasting friendships, because if you don't, you're utterly alone. It was the greatest spiritual time of my life...the ultimate in simplicity. The only possessions I had for 6 1/2 weeks were my clothes and my Bible. Some nights, I would pull my blankets over my head and snuggle in with my flashlight and read God's promises over and over. I understood the importance of memorizing scripture during that time...it was the one thing they could not take away from me.

My subsequent technical training was 6 months long. I was stationed at Fort Meade, MD. It's such a gorgeous part of the country...I was so blessed by being there. We spent many weekends in Annapolis & Baltimore. Washington, D.C. was close as well.

I lived in an extremely diverse community of people and became friends with quite an interesting bunch. Bethann was from South Carolina and could turn anyone's head, anywhere. She had a southern drawl to die for...and the attitude to match. She went on to be a combat photographer in Afghanistan. Lee was from near New York City...complete with the accent as well. He went on to be a police officer in Middletown, NY. I've never forgotten them...and often wonder how they are doing.

Many memories have faded...but photos bring them back to life. I found a bunch of them while cleaning this week. I scanned and uploaded them to Flickr with a few notes. See them here.

My days in the military were difficult at times...and great at times...but worth every moment. I am SO glad I got out when I did, but I have so much respect for others that are still serving. I have changed so much since I wore that uniform...I have new opinions, new ideas. But I will always remember my time serving our country with a happy heart.

Incense

2006-11-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

I love incense. I love it's sweet, musky smell filling the room...but more importantly I love the symbolism of the smoke swirling and rising. On bibletools.org it describes incense as:

Figuratively, incense was symbolical of ascending prayer. The multitude were praying while Zacharias offered incense (Luke 1:10, thumiama), and in Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3 f., the incense in the heavenly temple is connected and even identified (Revelation 5:8) with "the prayers of the saints."

Watching the smoke rise from my incense is even more powerful when I think of how my prayers ascend to heaven to my heavenly Father. I'm a very visual person...so it helps me to "see" my prayers go up before Him in my mind.

I do understand that incense has been heavily used in eastern and new age religions...but I don't see why they get to claim exclusive rights to it! It's biblical!

A psalm of David ::: Psalm 141.
¹ I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me;
hear me when I call to you.
² May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer ::: Revelation 8
¹ When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
³ Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God's people, on the golden altar before the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up before God from the angel's hand. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

My favorite scents...nag champa and a great oolong tea incense I got at Gong Fu. My incense holder is from Lotus in the Old Market of Omaha, NE. I love watching the smoke escape from the different cut-outs.

Clothing

2006-11-17T02:57:00.000-08:00

Clothes. We all wear them (well, hopefully!). They can be a symbol of power and success …or poverty. They can be a source of ridicule at school or at work...or they can land you in the “cool” crowd. Do you ever notice how clothes tend be a major conversation starter? It's always interesting to talk with people about their clothes. You can learn a lot about people by how they view their clothing...where they shop, etc. Clothes are a powerful tool…but they can control us if we let them.

When you are trying to simplify your life and downsize your possessions, you can’t ignore this area. It tends to be avoided because clothing is so personal...there are often a lot of emotional attachments connected to it.

As I looked through my closet about 6 months ago, I started to ask myself some questions?

Why do I have 4 plain white t-shirts?
When was the last time I wore those shoes? Last year?
Why do I “need” 6 pairs of jeans?
How many pairs of socks do I really need?!

I had to look inward and try to discover why I felt like I needed all of these clothes…when there are others who have so little. I also started to wonder when our culture became clothes obsessed. According to the hgtv.com website, clothes used to be stored in chests or armoires up until after WWII...and then there was a bigger need for housing and they started to build closets as they build the new homes. This is also around the time that TV was being introduced to the masses. I can't help but think that all advertising created the false sense of need for more clothing. Even today...if I watch too much TV/advertising, I immediately start feeling discontent with my current possessions and feel like I need to buy more to be happy. After we stopped watching so much TV, I no longer had a "voice" coming into my home telling me what to wear, what to think, and what to buy.

Stewardship: What would Jesus say if he opened your closet door?
I have to admit that I hadn’t ever really thought about what Jesus says regarding clothes up until about 6 months ago. Growing up, I had the typical attitude that you just couldn’t have enough clothes. And don’t even think about wearing USED clothes! *GASP!*. It takes time to change how you’ve always thought.

When I started studying on that topic…I realized that Jesus really doesn’t care about clothes much at all…and he tells us that we shouldn’t focus on it so much.

John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Luke 3:11

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Tim 6:8

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" Matthew 6:25

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin." Matthew 6:28

He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Luke 9:3

It’s clear that Jesus thinks we have better things to put our time, energy, and money into than clothes. If you are going to focus your energy on it...it should revolve around getting clothes to people who truly need them.

“But...I Need It!”
Our clothing needs are really very minimal. Depending on where you live in the country (seasonally) and if you work outside the home, you will need a couple pair of pants, a couple shirts, undergarments, shoes, and a coat. That’s it. Now…I’m not saying that’s all we should have…but it will do us good to think about what a “need” truly is. I’m also not trying to turn everyone into a minimalist or say that clothes are inherently bad. Clothes are fun. It’s great to find that “perfect outfit”…I’m just asking you to think about your closet and what it says about you and what you value. On the Simple Living boards, there are several threads about clothing. In one of them, I found this little tidbit:

"I found out that the less you shop, the desire to shop would decrease. And eventually, when you are walking in a mall, you have this weird feeling while watching people buying stuff...thinking, why would people need THAT...and you suddenly feel like an alien."

I can definitely relate to that feeling...especially now that I'm not shopping at malls. It's a very weird phenomenon.

New...or Not
When you are purchasing a new piece of clothing…why do you have to buy it new? There are so many second-hand stores, consignment stores, etc. that have racks and racks of clothes at a fraction of the price. You can look just like everyone else (if you want to) and have all the same brands and still have money to go out to eat. If you are someone who “just doesn’t shop at thrift stores” … examine why that is. Is that an attitude handed down through your family? Do you feel some sort of shame by not buying new? Granted, it is much easier to just run to the mall or Target to pick out the latest fashion. It takes a little planning to buy used, but it’s so much better for the earth AND your pocketbook. There are many fun groups and websites that focus on recycling clothing and "re-fashioning". I've shared them on another post, but they are worth sharing again:

Wardrobe Refashion
Little Brown Dress

Passing it On
Ok. So you’ve made the decision to downsize your closet. Where do you begin? There are several “methods” to help you decide whether or not you still need an item of clothing. I would suggest taking an afternoon and putting all your clothes in a big pile. Set up 3 boxes and label them “Give”, “Keep”, and “Not Sure”. Then get to it. If you think you should keep an item, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I feel GREAT in this?
Does it fit me correctly? Or have I just been telling myself that?
Have I worn this in the last 6 months?
Is it practical?

If you can’t answer yes to all of the above, throw it in the “Give” pile. If you having some emotional issues letting it go, throw it in the “Not Sure” pile. The key to going through your clothes is to do it FAST…the more you sit and think about each item…the more you will THINK you want/need to keep it. Clothing is easy to come by…if you give away something you need later, find another one. Also, it does help to have a friend or spouse do this with you…so that when you need a second opinion, there is one readily available. However, don’t ask your packrat friend to help you…she will only hinder.

A side note…I know there are some of you thinking, “What about my Aunt Berta’s pink leather jacket”! If you have heirloom items in your closet that you no longer want…you should ask around the family and try to pass them on that way. If not, take a photo of the item, put it in an album and write out all of your memories about it…and then get rid of it.

Where do I take it? Can I sell it?
If you want to sell some of your clothes…try a consignment store. You can take your clothes into the store and as they sell, you will get a percentage of the profit. I prefer to just get rid of it all and be done with it…so I usually opt for Freecycle or Goodwill. Fill a bag, take it in, DONE. You could also take them directly to a women's shelter...they are always happy to receive nice women's and children's clothing. I have sold some nicer items online if I know there is a market for them and I needed some quick cash. You could also try a a clothes swap...or as I've heard them called, a "Naked Party" and invite a bunch of your girlfriends over to swap clothes. Here are the details on how to do it.

Disposable Clothing
We live in a "disposable" obsessed culture. I have switched my house to completely re-usable/cloth everything... so why do I buy disposable clothing? The items that I've bought in the past from Old Navy, Target and other discount stores are usually a one- season item and then they are trashed. If I would have just bought higher quality to begin with, many resources (and headaches) would be saved. Now that we are Compacting, I'm not going into those stores at all anymore and my closet is so much better off! I think that is one of the great things about thrifting...almost everything I've found has been a high-quality brand that will last and last...but without the high price.

I've also found that when you have less clothing, you tend to take better care of what you have. With my "disposable" clothing, I didn't care if something stained it or if it ripped.

What does YOUR closet look like Sara?
In the photo above, you can see what my closet looks like. The far left section is mine. Over the last 6 months I have gotten rid of about 75% of my clothes…and I don’t miss them! It’s so much easier to do laundry, to clean up, to sort…when you don’t have a mess of clothes in your closet. It’s immeasurably easier to get dressed in the morning when you only have a few choices. Since moving into the apartment, I’ve gotten a few more items simply because we don’t do laundry as much now. But I LOVE the simplicity of having less clothes. Less stress. Less mess. Less is good…now go clean your closet!

Togetherness

2006-11-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend, my friend Kristin came to visit. I am so blessed to call her my sister, my confidante, and my friend. She is generous, creative, fun, silly, kind...the list could go on and on. I love that we can be real when we are together...we know each other's shortcomings...but we love each other in spite of them! We have so much in common...we kind of blend into one another :) It's been such a blessing to be able to spend so much time together over the last couple of years. God is good! Here's to many more spring rolls, my friend. Check out the details of our weekend here.

Self-Discipline

2006-11-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

Self-discipline does not come naturally. We are born with the desire to do whatever feels the best, and it's difficult to overcome. However, once it is mastered, it makes a huge difference in every area of life.

Self-discipline defined: the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses.

Ah-ha! No wonder it's so hard. When is the last time you heard a commerical on TV telling you to DENY yourself? It's a dual struggle...against our flesh AND the culture we live in. The only way for me to gain control of my impulses, as the definition implies, is to pray continuously. Here are some of the areas that I struggle with:

Sleep. I wrote about this yesterday...so no need to go into detail. I have a hard time denying myself of more internet time and my bedtime gets pushed later and later and later. Consequently, I am too tired to get up at 5:30 a.m...which is when I desire to meet with the Lord.
Exercise. I used to work out daily at 5:30 a.m. 6 days a week. But that was back in year 2000 BB (before Bella). I have the desire now...but no discipline. For the time being I get my "workout" by chasing Bella, lifting her on my legs, climbing the stairs, etc. But it's not enough to maintain a healthy heart. Maybe I will add that to my things to do when I get up at 5:30 a.m. :)
Money. I have battled money issues throughout my adult life. It started in college...they told me I could have a free t-shirt if I signed up for their credit card. Sweeeeet! Next thing I know, I have $5,000 on that card and it's only the end of my freshman year. Luckily, I snapped out of that, paid it off, and met Matt. We still had to learn a lot of money lessons the hard way when we were newlyweds, but it's under control now. Especially with the Compact in full swing. We have no consumer debt and we only pay with cash, using an envelope budgeting system. However, even though we are following a budget, the struggle is with the DESIRE to buy things...not actually buying them. Wanting more, when I have more than enough. Even while on the Compact, I have choices to make regarding what we do spend. For example, I went grocery shopping today and I could have easily spent $100 if I would have allowed myself to buy everything I "wanted"... bread (instead of making my own), a sandwich for lunch (instead of going home to eat), apples (they are so expensive right now!), crackers for Bella (instead of making our own)...the list could go on and on. Instead, I stuck to my list and got an amazing amount of food for only $55.00. It was exhilierating to deny myself in this case, because it resulted in saved money.
Food. I have always had a fast metabolism...and didn't really have to watch what I ate. Now that I'm getting OLD...I need to be more mindful of what I put in my mouth. I have a horrible sweet tooth, and if I let myself start down a sugar path...it's hard to come back. With that being said, I have incredible self-discipline when I want to...especially in the area of food. Eating only raw foods for an entire month? No problem. No meat for 2 years? No problem. It's all the other little battles. Having another peanut butter cup doesn't really seem like a spiritual battle...but it's the attitude of that heart that matters. If I can practice self-discipline in the little matters...it will be easier during the bigger trials.
Maintaining my home. When I discipline myself to clean the apt. throughout the day and put everything away after each use, I am a MUCH happier person. Disciplining myself to create a "place for everything" blesses my family. If I decide that I don't "want" to do the laundry for 2 weeks...there are big problems. Isn't it amazing how God can teach us lessons even through the mundane?
My mouth. After high school and college, gossiping became a thing of the past for me. However, I still have to be very careful about my use of sarcasm...and my tone of voice in everyday conversation. It is especially important as a Godly wife to never speak badly about my husband to others. Every word out of my mouth is counted in heaven...I long to please Him with every breath. So challenging...

Basically it comes down to denying myself now for a greater reward/benefit in the future. Getting up early might not feel great now, but the long-term spiritual benefits are plenty. Deciding to exercise and eat healthy even when I don't feel like it will bring health to me through the years of my life. Not buying everything I desire will allow us to save for more important things in the future. Having a discplined mouth brings honor in the present and no regrets in the future.

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor 6:12

I want only to be "mastered" by the Lord...who knows my struggles and my heart. He knows how to best teach me in this area. He displayed the ultimate self-discipline as He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins. My prayer is that I will die to myself daily...for I am not my own.

The Miniature Earth

2006-11-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

I came across a wonderful website today. The Miniature Earth explores what the earth would "look" like if it was reduced to 100 people, but the proportions remained the same. It's so easy to forget that we, as Americans, are not the only people on this earth. It's easy to forget that we are wealthy beyond measure when compared to others across the world.

Along the same lines, Peter Menzel has created 3 books that have been life-changing for me. Material World, Hungry Planet, and Women of the Material World. He compares famililes from around the globe and give us a glimpse into their everyday lives. Here are a few of the families that are featured. These books were pivotal in my journey towards a more simple and sustainable lifestyle...I just could not go on doing the same wasteful things, knowing that the rest of the world has so much less.

Breaking the Chains of Sleep

2006-11-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

Throughout my life, the most rewarding and wonderful times in prayer have been when I have gotten up EARLY in the morning to meet Him. When I give Him the very first part of my day, I am able to accomplish much more than I ever thought possible. When I can make breakfast, get the laundry done, put supper in the crock pot, and have prayer time in before 9:00 a.m...life is GOOD. Scripture speaks over and over about the benefits of rising early.

"She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls." Proverbs 31:15

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35

There are two women that I have been so encouraged by over the years. The first is author and speaker Becky Tirabassi. About 6 years ago, I read her book, Let Prayer Change Your Life. She is the one who initially got me into "the early hours" and also into journaling. Secondly, a woman named Laine who writes letters of encouragement to Christian women on the web. She has written so much about her early appointments with the Lord. She's an amazing woman of God and I come away smiling after every letter I read.

E.M. Bounds is one of my favorite voices on the topic of prayer. Even though he was born in 1835, the wisdom he relates is clearly still applicable. Here are some of his thoughts on prayer, excerpted from the book "E.M. Bounds on Prayer":

A desire for God that cannot break the chains of sleep is a weak thing and will do little good for God. The desire for God that stays far behind the Devil and the world at the beginning of the day will never catch up. It is not simply getting up that has brought men to the front and has made them leaders in God's hosts. It is the overwhelming desire that stirs and breaks all self-indulgent chains that does so. But getting up gives vent, increase, and strength to the desire. If they had lain in bed and indulged themselves, the desire would have been quenched. The desire aroused them and inspired them to reach out for God (p. 491).

More time and early hours devoted to prayer would revive and invigorate many a decayed spiritual life. More time and early house for prayer would manifest in holy living. A holy life would not be so rare or so difficult a thing if our devotions were not so short and hurried (p.518).

The first step to being able to get up early in the morning...is to stop staying up so late! So it's off to bed I go. May you greet Him early...

Celebrity Green

2006-11-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to very few magazines, but one of my favorites came this week. VegNews is packed with great recipes, vegetarian news, fun interviews, and more. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fabulous article on Daryl Hannah and her efforts to promote green living and other social issues. She has a website with "mini-documentaries" that I have fallen in love with. Each little movie is so rich with information. She covers a wide variety of topics...from bio diesel to hemp to bike culture. Go check it out for yourself!

Another celebrity that I have come to love is Woody Harrelson. Woody isn't afraid to speak the truth, and I think anyone who is actively trying to educate others about living "greener" and more simply deserves respect. I first learned of his activism when I found the documentary "Go Further" on Netflix. The film shows Woody's bicycle trek down the West Coast. He makes stops along the way to educate students and anyone else who will listen about bio diesel, the sustainable uses of hemp, deforestation, raw foodism, and more. There are tons of "extras" on the DVD, including a little clip of Julia Butterfly Hill, whom I also admire. You can check out more of his work at his website, Voice Yourself. If you decide to watch the movie...you will also love the companion book, To Go Further: A Guide to Simple Organic Living. It's a favorite on my bookshelf.

Simple Pleasures

2006-11-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

It's the simple pleasures in life that make everyday fresh and new. This weekend, while visiting with Matt's family...I realized that I had the rare opportunity to wash clothes and hang them OUTSIDE on the line. Oh the excitement! I've never had a clothesline of my own...so it's quite a novelty for me. It was a gorgeously sunny fall day, and I savored every clothes pin. Every breeze. Every piece of clothing was lovingly adjusted to look just right on that line. What are some of your simple pleasures?

Trashy Trash Trash

2006-10-31T22:16:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about trash.

Moving to a small apartment with a small garbage can has made me very aware of what I throw away. Having to walk the garbage bag down 3 flights of stairs, then down another to the basement, out the back door...and a short walk to the ally makes me not want to make much trash! We usually fill up one small garbage bag a week...but even that seems like so much! I'm still trying to figure out where I could take my food scraps to reduce that even further. One of my goals during The Compact is to buy groceries/food with little to no packaging. This drastically reduces the amount of trash one produces. I'm amazed by how much trash we can throw away just by ordering take-out one night! Wow.

A movie that is closely related to this topic is "The Gleaners and I" (thanks Ali!). I just finished watching this quirky little French film about modern day gleaners and urban scavengers. It was incredibly interesting to me...I've always been curious about the lives of experienced dumpster divers and people who live completely off of the trash that others create. The movie goes far beyond that and delves into the world of found object art and into the lives of those making a difference in their neighborhoods. I can't say enough about this movie...I think everyone should see it.

The Compact has me on the lookout for items that I can re-use or use in a different way. In my research about these things, I came across some fun Flickr groups dealing with this topic:
ReUSE Project
Tips for Recycling and Reusing
Junkin'
Trashion Nation

There are also some great sites dealing specifically with re-fashioning items of clothing:
Wardrobe Refashion
Wardrobe Refashion (Flickr)
Little Brown Dress ::: Recycling Project

And more sites discussing found object (trash) art:
Metroactive
Art from Trash

Books to check out:
Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash
Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things

Today, when you throw something away...ask yourself if it could be recycled, re-used, or given to someone who needs it (Freecycle!). In a disposable culture...it may feel weird at first, but it does the earth GOOD!

Photo credit: D'Arcy Norman

One Day in October

2006-10-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful fall day today...possibly the last of the season. Even though the wind was blowing, it was a balmy 70 degrees. Perfect weather for a leisurely walk. We live in the best walking neighborhood in Des Moines...there is something new and unique to see with every step. Come walk with us...and see why we love it!

Rituals

2006-10-29T14:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks the last Farmer's Market in Des Moines for this year. There will be two more "winter markets" indoors, but the REAL farmer's market is over. This makes me sad because I LOVE the Farmer's Market. I love the people watching, the food, the atmosphere. I have created many rich memories with friends and family walking the streets of downtown. I am giddy with excitement when I think of one of my favorite rituals... getting my soy caramel latte from Java Joe's. Java Joe's is a local establishment that has a great vibe. Their baristas are fun and diverse...there are always tattoos to check out and dreads to behold.

Getting my coffee on Saturday mornings is one ritual in my life that brings me happiness. My tea ritual, my bedtime rituals...they are all part of who I am. I believe that rituals are so important...to bring order, to bring comfort, to bring expectant joy. Rituals are especially important for children, and we strive to have them in our family. Family dinners, reading familiar books, having nightly rituals. At the same time, we enjoy being free-spirited and take part in spur-of-the-moment activities. Ritual does not mean a loss of spontaneity in your life. Ritual is life!

Finding Your Tribe

2006-10-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

Fellowship. Community. Support. All of these words bring to mind warm and cozy feelings. In the stay-at-home mom "world", there is nothing more important than getting connected to a group of like-minded friends who you can converse with, laugh with, and love. I have been so fortunate to find this type of friendship. It all started when we moved to town and I attended my first La Leche League meeting. I met new people and had a great time. Not too long after that, I was invited to one of their homes for a "cloth diaper party". Basically a playdate...and we talked about diapering our babes. After that meeting, we had a huge increase in the number of "natural parenting" groups in town. I started a babywearing group, my friend Sarah started a cloth diapering group, the Holistic Moms Network started meeting, the Attachment Parenting group was growing..and POOF! A community of like-minded families rallied around each other and we started our own little tribe. We have meetings of some sort nearly every week, as well as a weekly playgroup. Several of us get together in each others homes as well to chat and let the kids play. And it was during one of these playdates that a couple of us started talking about the importance of community, especially with mothers of young children. When you get together with other moms, you realize that you're not the only one who has a messy house. You're not the only one who get burned out. You're not alone in your frustration with your 2 year old. When you can talk through these things with others who have been through it, your load becomes lighter. It's also reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who is obsessive about organic foods and non-plastic / non-commercial toys for my child.
Here is a great article detailing the process of helping out in each others' homes...and building your own tribe. Put some hot water on for tea and invite another mama over today!

Paper or Plastic?

2006-10-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Neither! Because...

1. Both use up valuable natural resources for a single-use, disposable product
2. Both have negative impacts on wildlife and pollute our environment
3. Both create significant toxic by-products during their lifecycles
4. Neither is effectively recycled

If you've ever tried to decide which one was better for the environment, look no further. Read this great info from Reusable Bags and switch to cloth today. Someday in the near future, you might just save a lot of money by doing so. Ireland, and many other countries are already implementing taxes on plastic bags...and the U.S. isn't far behind.

I know that a lot of people will argue that they use the plastic bags at home for various purposes (I do this as well right now). Even though it's better than throwing them straight in the trash, it's still better to just avoid them altogether. Honestly, what did people do before we had those annoying bags? I'm going to begin phasing mine out and not get any more.

I have blogged about my cloth bags in the past...and this is your friendly reminder to start using cloth today!

Recycling is Fun

2006-10-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

When we first moved into our new apartment, I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to set up my "recycling center". It took me a few days, but I found a solution that works great. This slick little drawer system fits perfectly in my hall closet (no, it doesn't sit in the middle of my kitchen as shown in the photo). It can comfortably hold about a month's worth of recycling. I have a separate basket for newspaper/office paper.

I didn't realize how wonderful curbside recycling really was...until now! When we lived in the house, I had 2 huge bins in the basement that I could throw stuff into. Every 2 weeks I would set it out, and poof! The recycling fairies would come and take it away. Now, I have to carry these drawers down 3 flights of stairs to my car and drive it to the metro recycling center (about 5 minutes away) where I hand sort it and throw it into the appropriate containers. It's too bad I don't have one of these nice reverse vending machines in my neighborhood. However, it does give me a great opportunity to talk to Bella about recycling while we're driving there.

If you're reading this and you aren't a recycler...give some thought to the following:

Recycling conserves our valuable natural resources.
Recycling saves energy.
Recycling saves clean air and clean water.
Recycling saves landfill space.
Recycling can save money and create jobs.

Americans throw away 44 million newspapers everyday. That is the same as dumping 500,000 trees into landfills each week
Paper products make up the largest part (approximately 40 percent) of our trash.
Paper products use up at least 35 percent of the world's annual commercial wood harvest.
People in the U.S. throw away enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.
Americans throw away enough glass bottles and jars every two weeks to fill the 1.350-foot towers of the former World Trade Center.

Recycling is much more than just tin cans and newspapers. Recycling just means "to use again" or "to adapt to a new form or function". We live in a disposable-obsessed culture...and we tend to think we can only use things one time. There are many things around the house that can be re-used. I recycle my tin foil. I recycle plastic bags (check out this cool contraption). I recycle the envelopes/packaging that people send me. I recycle jars in my kitchen and use them for food storage. I wear recycled clothing.

Whenever you recycle, you are not just saving that item from being thrown away. You are saving all the resources involved in making a brand new item from scratch. For example, recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make the material from scratch. That means you can make 20 cans out of recycled material with the same amount of energy it takes to make one can out of new material.

One of the greatest things ever invented is a recycling network called Freecycle. Freecycle's mission is to keep stuff out of the landfills. See if your town has one...you'll love it.

You may be overwhelmed and not know where to start with recycling. Call your local recycling center and find out if they provide curbside recycling in your area. Most will provide free bins. Then, start with just one item. Then move to other items. Cereal boxes, cans, plastic bottles, glass containers...there are so many things that you can keep out of your trash by recycling. Start today...every little bit helps.

Find this information and more fun facts about recycling here.

Contentment

2006-10-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

It's been 2 weeks since we committed to the Compact, and the topic of contentment has really been on my mind. It's no wonder that so many of us struggle with it. As a nation, there is discontentment around every turn. We are constantly looking for a bigger house, a better car, a more exciting job...we are told every day by advertisers that we NEED all of those things...or we will be LESS than everyone else. Less successful. Less pretty. Less desirable. Have you ever paid close attention to those feelings that are created when you are looking at advertising or at something in a store? They are not happy thoughts. Thoughts of wanting, needing...the feeling that you are somehow deprived of the true joy in life if you don't act now. When I go into a store, I am now acutely aware of those feelings...because I cannot act upon them. I look at an item, and then I stop and examine the thoughts running through my head. Pretty crazy stuff.

I've been trying to eliminate all sources of advertising in our lives over the last year or so...and it's been an eye-opening experiment. I knew that the obvious offender was the TV. But the others are not so easily detected. What about advertisements in magazines? What about the magazines themselves? Looking through magazines like Country Home, Real Simple, and others...I see so many things that I WANT. Oh the goodies! What about magazines like Health or Self? Looking at the women in those magazines will only create discontentment with your body. Now take a look in your mailbox...Crate and Barrel...J.Crew. More WANTS. Look in your email inbox. You will see passionate pleas for your to open their message. Sales! Buy now...before it's too late! The Sunday newspaper sales ads...full of STUFF to buy. Billboards that scream at you as you drive. And the most stealthy method of all...your friends. When you go to their house and see that they have something that is sooooo cool, you want it too. Even if you don't need it. I experienced this just yesterday. I was at a girlfriend's house. She has a rug that I was looking at buying a couple months ago, but decided against it. And even though I have a perfectly great rug now... for a moment, I thought that I needed that same rug because she had it.

As silly as it sounds, and as "strong" as you think you might be...it's so easy to get sucked in by all of these things. You may not act on your "wanting" impulses right away, but it's those feelings that just pile on top of one another, creating discontentment and desire, and pretty soon you're buying a McMansion and filling it with goodies from Pottery Barn.

The mall is another temple of wants that I try to avoid at all costs. The term "window shopping" is really quite silly. They should just call it "driving myself crazy by making myself want things I can't afford". And now they don't just make malls, they make "Lifestyle Centers". Made specially for you to MAINTAIN your lifestyle. They make it hard to leave...with the food, coffee, playgrounds, lakes, trails, movies, colleges (yes, in a mall), you do just want to LIVE there.

For me, contentment is clearly a spiritual issue. In the past, whenever I have gone on a spending binge, it has been during a spiritual dry spell. I also tend to spend a lot more when Matt on a trip and I am lonely. I spend to fill a void in my life...to feel "happy". That void should be filled with my relationship with Christ, not with stuff. But for some reason, buying stuff (even just a fancy coffee) changes my reality at that moment, but it's a temporary fix.

I like what Joyce Meyers has to say about this topic:

Contentment is a decision to be happy with what you already have. One dictionary defines the word content as "rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaining, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness."
We usually learn to be content by living discontented lives for a long time and then finally saying: "Lord, I don't want to live this way any longer. Getting this thing or having that thing is not worth it.
"I don't want to be miserable anymore. Just give me what You want me to have because unless You want me to have it, I don't want it.
"From now on I'm not going to compare myself with anyone else. I'm not going to be jealous or envious of anyone. I don't want what anyone else has. Lord, I want only what You want me to have."
The 2 things that really stick out to me:

She says that contentment is a DECISION. It does not come naturally. Don't beat yourself up if it's a struggle for you...but you can overcome it.
"Restraining complaining, opposition, or further desire". Further desire. Sometimes my whole mind is one big desire. I desire to be this, I desire to have this, I desire to be in another place, I desire a bigger or smaller this or that. To be content is to STOP all of those feeling that roam around your brain taking away energy. Energy that could be spent on the NOW. Enjoying your life for what it truly is. It's energy that could be spent getting to know Jesus better.

Here are some verses that speak about contentment. I am going to meditate on these verses and memorize them throughout this year as we take part in the Compact.

Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.
I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.
Philippians 4:11-13

Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I'm fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?
Heb. 13:5, The Message

Better is little with the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord than great and rich treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
Proverbs 15-16-17

Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
Habakkuk 3:17-19

Wow. Such a complex topic...I feel as if I have hardly touched the surface. But everyday that I resist the urge to buy stuff, I get a little more content with what I already have. Baby steps. Thank you Jesus for being patient with me!

What's YOUR Footprint?

2006-10-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

No, not your shoe size. Your ecological footprint. I've taken the footprint quiz before...but Jessica's blog reminded me how much I love to try to lower my score. Right now, my footprint is at 5 acres. In comparison, the average footprint in the U.S. is 24 acres. Worldwide, there are enough resources for each person to have 4.5 acres.

So that puts me .5 over my "allotted" acres and now I must REDUCE so I can stop using up more than my share of the resources! Here are some other changes that I would like to make:

Eat a completely vegan diet. I have eaten a vegetarian diet for a little over 2 years now, but have gone back and forth between vegan and vegetarian. For those of you that don't know, a vegan is someone who eats no animal products at all (no milk, eggs, butter, etc.)
Walk more. This is a little harder in the wintry cold and ice...especially because our neighborhood is very hilly! I will implement this more in the summer. It's so easy because we are within walking distance to everything.
I have always wanted to use public transportation more. However, Des Moines has a really poor system. I have contacted the metro transit authority with route questions, etc. and I want to try it soon! I am definitely not used to riding the bus, so it will be an experience. It takes more time and planning, but I love the idea of it. Much more relaxing than driving myself. There is a possibility that we will park the bus this winter and become a one-car family again, so the bus may be a necessity!
Focus on buying only package-free foods and less processed foods. Right now our only "processed foods" are chips, bread, almond milk, and cereal. I'm not counting condiments. I would like to start making my own bread again, make my own almond milk more consistently, my own granola, and my own chips. Does anyone know of any good tortilla chip recipes!?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle... I am learning more about this everyday. I am actively reducing my belongings and I am reducing the amount coming in (The Compact). I am re-using plastic bags, jars, clothes, I use cloth everything in our household, and I recycle everything that is allowed.
I would like to be even more conscious of my energy and water consumption.

There will always be something to "work on" when you're living green...but that's what makes life fun!

Photo credit: Flickr/pingnews.com

Kids and Commercialism

2006-10-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight I spoke at our local chapter of Holistic Moms Network about "Parenting in a Commerical Culture". We had a great turnout and a lively discussion about the challenges facing parents in a culture where advertisers are actively fighting for your child's mind. Much of the conversation centered around television viewing and the merchandising of cartoon characters. It was clear that everyone felt the pressure to conform to mainstream culture, but that they were taking steps to push against it. I am very fortunate to have such mindful and intelligent mamas to bounce ideas off of and turn to for support.

Here are some action tips on this topic from the New American Dream*:

Get rid of the TV.
Expose kids to other media - surrealist films, conceptual art exhibits (carefully selected), gatherings of interesting adult friends with non-mainstream stories to tell.
Remove the logos from clothes, theirs and yours. Talk with kids about why you're doing this. Suggest to kids to design their own, personal logos.
See a wonderful passage on commercialism and consumerism by Brian Swimme
Parents who resist consumerism for themselves are the ones who teach their children to resist it.
Teach children to be doers and creators rather than shoppers and buyers.
Supply them with sidewalk chalk, old cardboard boxes and other makings of creative play.
Grow your own food. Involve the kids. Teach your child of the connections within the natural world. Experience their beauty together. Talk about where things come from, who made them, what they are made of.
Teach by example and conviction a set of values that allow kids to make their own choices.
Teach kids empathy for others. Instead of buying toys, suggest they spend the money bringing some groceries to the local food bank.

*I used a handout from New American Dream that was full of great resources, websites, etc. They are a really neat grassroots organiziation on a mission. Check them out!

Ecolips

2006-10-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

I love Ecolips lip balm. It is the BEST out there, hands down. And believe me, I've tried them all. Imagine my utter glee when I found out that a friend of mine is friends with the owners! She told me one day..."I have tons that I can give you when you need it". Oh the joy! So I filed that little piece of info away until today.

I had been meaning to get lip balm for several weeks, but kept putting it off because I didn't want to spend money on it. Then I remembered my friend, gave her a call, and voila! I have new goodies for my chapped lips. And even though it would have been "allowed" on the Compact (under the health exception), it was great to get it for free!

They are environmentally friendly, organic, local (for me)...pretty much fabulous all around. They have a really great story and get rave reviews in the press. Check them out and get your own today!

Thrifty Thrifty

2006-10-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

I love thrift stores. I try not to frequent them if I'm not looking for something specific because I can get sucked into the mindset of "I don't need it...but it's so cheap...how can I NOT buy this!?" But today I went in search of a few things...and found some goodies. I was delightfully surprised to find that everything was 40% off because they are moving their store around the corner. Yay!

I'm starting a Flickr set to document my thrift store finds. There are descriptions on each photo with prices, etc. I will only document going forward...even though it would be fun to take photos of everything in my house that is thrifted. It could take days!

What has been your BEST thrift store find?

Capoeira

2006-10-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Capoeira. A few months ago I would have said..."capo what?" But thanks to my friend Rebecca, I've learned about the interesting new world of Brazilian dance and martial arts. Rebecca and her husband, Mauro, run the Des Moines capoeira group, which originated in Sao Paulo, Brazil in the 1970's. I have attended 3 of their "events" (most recently, The World Food Festival) and have thoroughly enjoyed learning about a new culture and new form of expression. I've always been fascinated by other cultures and would love to travel to Brazil some day.

Capoeira first came about in Brazil, where slaves from several different African cultures were thrown together. The slaves combined fighting, music, and dance elements of their cultures and came up with what is now called Capoeira.

African slaves developed their own fighting style to protect themselves from white slave owners, but hid their training by making it look like a ritualistic dance-game.
It was practiced by Brazilian slaves up until they were freed in the 1888, at which point Capoeira became the fighting style of criminals. Capoeira gangs would have their own turf, where they controlled the criminal activities. Capoeira at that time incorporated less ritual and music and involved the use of weapons such as knives and clubs. In the early 20th century, the first Capoeira academies were opened, and Capoeira went from being the art of outlaws to being declared Brazil's national sport.
(www.capoeiradesmoines.com)

They also teach Afro-Brazilian dance, which is delightful to watch as well. There is so much energy...the music made by the drums and other instruments is amazing. Check out some more photos here. Hear music and learn more here.

The Secret Life of Stuff

2006-10-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Last year I discovered a delightful, but disturbing, little book...called Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things (by John Ryan and Alan Thein Durning).

The book goes "behind the scenes" of your "stuff". Where did it come from? Who made it? What type of working conditions did they have? What components went into making that item? What kind of environmental impact did it have? It's an eye-opener to see how complicated and wasteful making "stuff" really is. The different items it examines: coffee, newspaper, t-shirt, shoes, bike, car, computer, hamburger, french fries, and cola.

Here are some excerpts from the intro:

"Made in Taiwan". I'd seen thousands of such stickers in my life without ever giving them a second thought. Taiwan. Taiwan. Not just a word on a sticker. It's an island. A country. A real place with real people across an ocean from me. Suddenly, the overloaded shelves around me looked different. I was stripped of the illusion that stuff comes from stores and is carted away by garbage trucks: everything on those shelves came from a real place on Earth and will go to some other place when I'm done with it. Everything had a history -- a trail of causes and effects--and a future. Everything had a life, of sorts. If you tried very hard, you could put a "Made in __________" sticker on each car wax bottle, speaker component, or old magazine on those shelves.

I started wondering where the things in my life come from. As coffee beans, newspapers, and soda cans make their way toward me, what wakes do they leave behind, rippling outward across the world? And what had to happen for millions of people like me to go about our ordinary business...using lots of stuff?

What happens around the world to support a day in the life of a North American is surprising, dramatic, and even disturbing. Multiplied by the billion members of the world's consumer societies, it adds up to stresses greater than the world can withstand. The first step toward solving any problem is recognizing it. I've started by looking at the things in my life in a new way and learning what I can about their secret lives.

One of the reasons why the Compact is so appealing to me, is that it forces me to find new avenues of acquiring things. I am becoming more creative and more patient as I search for an item that I need. When you buy something used or someone gives you a used item...you are helping to stop the need for NEW resources to be tapped to replace that item you bought from the store.

A great example of this from the book is the chapter on the life of a T-shirt. If I went to the mall to buy a new t-shirt (instead of the thrift store), the following resources would be used (paraphrased from p. 20-25):

Oil: the polyester in the shirt started as a few tablespoons of petroleum (they go on to talk about all the effects of oil drilling, environmental concerns, etc.)
Cotton: to get the 2 oz. of cotton needed for the t-shirt, 14 square feet of cropland in Mississippi were harvested. The soil was first fumigated with aldicarb, one of the most toxic pesticides applied in the U.S. The cotton seeds were also dipped in fungicide.
Dyes: Regulated by the EPA as hazardous substances.
Sewing: the fabric was shipped to Honduras. Honduran women cut and sewed it into a T-shirt and earned 30 cents an hour. After it was completed, the box of t-shirts went to Baltimore, by train to San Francisco, and by truck to Seattle. It was unpacked on a department store shelf under a 150-watt floodlamp. That's where I found it. I bought it because I liked the earth-tone color. And I brought it home by car in a bag of low-density polyethylene from Louisiana.
Laundry: I spilled coffee on myself and had to change...and I threw the other one into the laundry chute. Later I washed it in water heated to 140 degrees by natural gas flames. Boxed powder detergent and chlorine bleach from a high-density polyethylene bottle removed the coffee from the fabric. The coffee, detergent, and bleach washed into Seattle's sewer system. An electric dryer evaporated the water from my shirt. The greatest environmental impacts associated with my T-shirt arose in my own laundry room: washing and drying the shirt just ONCE demanded 1/10 the energy as manufacturing it in the first place.

What can one person do to make a change in this process? Well, let me tell you. Little things make a big difference. In the case of the t-shirt, you can...

Buy USED or vintage clothing.
Wash only full loads of laundry.
Use warm instead of hot water when you can.
Wear your clothes more than once before washing.
Look for organic cotton apparel.
Encourage others to do the same.

If anything, I hope this has encouraged you to THINK about the secret life of your stuff.

Can You Smell the Knowledge?

2006-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Books. Aren't they wonderful? So much knowledge. So much excitement. I love them. It's no surprise then, that I love the library. We are within walking distance of the brand new Central Library in Des Moines. It's huge and fabulous. It even has one of my favorite local bakery/cafes located inside...and a Starbucks right outside the doors. It also has a great selection of new releases and other DVD's that you can rent for $1/week. Kids DVD's are 50 cents. And that's not all. They have a really cool kids section with all kinds of goodies. Almost the entire building is glass...so there is lots of light and you can watch all the happenings of downtown as you browse the titles.

Right outside, there is a small "stream" that Bella loves to play in. We spent many days there this summer...going to the library, grabbing lunch and a coffee and enjoying life. I get giddy walking in the doors...just thinking of the things I could learn. I love leaving the library with 10 books in my arms. In my mind, I'm thinking...

"LOOK everyone! I got these for FREE!
They are letting me take them home for 2 weeks...isn't that GREAT?"

It's even better now that we're Compacting...I kind of "feel" like I'm shopping. But I don't have to spend money! I've also been taking full advantage of the ability to "hold" items by ordering them online (they will go pull the books and have them waiting for you) and ordering from interlibrary loan.

Here is my current list:

Books Checked Out From the Library Right Now:
Learning All the Time
How Children Fail
Playful Parenting
Loving Your Child Is Not Enough: Positive Discipline That Works
The Successful Child

Books I Want to Read:
Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith
Photocraft: Cool Things To Do With the Pictures You Love
What Kids Really Want That Money Can't Buy
Small Urban Interiors: 500 Solutions for Living
Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet
Small Spaces: Making the Most of the Space You Have
Where Women Create: Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women
Voices From the Farm: Adventures in Community Living
Memoirs of an Ex-Hippie: Seven Years in the Counterculture
Superbia: 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods
Healthy at 100

Favorites:
The Bible
The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
Blue Like Jazz: Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
The Power of a Praying Wife
Material World
Women in the Material World
Through Painted Deserts
Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right
Hungry Planet
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Your Money or Your Life
The Total Money Makeover
Diet for a New America
Food Revolution
How To Go Further: A Guide to Simple, Organic Living
The Better World Handbook
A Woman's High Calling
How to Survive Without a Salary: Learning How to Live the Conserver Lifestyle
Back From the Land
Culture Jam
Radical Simplicity
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

Handy Dandy Drying Rack

2006-10-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

This is a common sight in our living room. We've started to air dry our clothes. This handy dandy drying rack holds smaller items, jeans, Bella's clothes, etc. and we hang shirts on hangers and hang them on the shower rod. You could also use a retractable line like this. Or one of these beauties. By hanging our clothes to dry, I am accomplishing several things:

Our clothes last longer when they aren't dried in a dryer. Less shrinking, fading, etc. Dryers break down elastics, distort the shape of clothing, and they eat socks! Because the clothes last longer, you don't need to buy them as often...thus saving money and time.
Less energy consumption...the dryer is one of the worst.
Saving money ... $1.00 a load.
Eliminating static cling
Cutting down on ironing
It causes me to realize how many clothes we actually own and makes me want to downsize our wardrobe even more. It's a more purposeful experience...as I take each item, one by one, and straighten it, hang it, dry it, and take it off.

Stop using your dryer today!

Activists

2006-10-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

My neighborhood graffiti artists...they are quite the activist bunch. They must have known I was starting the Compact and wanted to give me some encouragement.

Let the Compacting Begin

2006-10-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

The empty shopping cart. Symbolic of my first day of The Compact. I wrote about it last week, but never got around to starting it. So this is it...I'm really doing it this time. I'm actually really excited to explore and conquer my tendencies to want, want, want things all the time.

My first "compact moment" came today as I was heading home. We had a birthday party to go to tonight for one of Bella's friends who was turning 2. I decided to stop and get a balloon for her. I also wanted to buy a couple plants to go in some cute little pots I have at the apt. And then I remembered...

"I started the Compact today...what am I thinking?!"

So instead of going into the store and spending money on a balloon, 2 plants, and inevitably more (because I was hungry and would have bought snacks and who knows what else too)...we continued on home. When we got there, Bella and I made an adorable homemade card together to bring to her friend, and I am going to see if I can find some plants on my local Freecycle. Whew! I passed my first test.

With that one little decision, Bella and I were able to spend time creating something together. She learned that it's ok (and BETTER!) to make a homemade gift for someone. And I saved myself at least $25.00. Wow!

Now for the rules. I tend to get very strict with myself whenever I commit to something like this...to the point of making myself crazy. So I will try not to be so hardcore that it causes me unnecessary trauma...but committed enough to make a difference. So, here is what I will do:

I will not buy any NEW items for one year.
I will only buy items that I NEED.
I will not buy any convenience foods when grocery shopping with the exception of bread and chips. I will strive to eat in season, buying as local as possible. I will bring cloth grocery bags to the store, and I will create a weekly menu/grocery list EVERY week.
I will not go out to eat at a restaurant if I have the option of eating at home.

EXCEPTION: I will allow printing of photos. Photography is one of the things I love, and to take that away would greatly decrease my quality of life...which is not what the Compact is about.

My Goals:

To gain perspective and learn contentment.
To be a mindful consumer and live lighter on the earth.
To become more patient and learn to plan ahead as I borrow, barter, buy used, re-use, and recycle.
To payoff the remainder of our student loan debt.

Thanks to Chelee for getting me started on my rule list!

Here is the "Compact Pledge":

In light of the destructive effects of personal greed, we pledge to curb our purchases, cease frivolous buying, and choose to simplify our lives. Excepting only those things needed for work and the health and safety of our families, we pledge not to buy new. Further more, we will actively seek to pass on possessions we no longer want to those who are in need. In doing so, we hope to educate both friends and family about the corrosive effects of being in a constant state of want, nurture in ourselves the uplifting state of giving, thus reducing the load on the environment and creating a more sensible path for our lives. For these reasons, we join the Compact.

- Aaron Highe at the SF site (paraphrased)

Here's to the journey! Who is with me?

Photo: Eva Marieville | Flickr

Volkswagen Madness

2006-10-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

We experienced our FIRST Volkswagen show yesterday. The Bi-State VW Club hosted it at Oktoberfest in Johnston. We washed and shined up the bus and had a great time talking with other VW owners. The best part? We won a "Best of the Bunch" award! What fun. Here is the whole set for all you VW lovers out there.

Tale of a Garage Sale

2006-10-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

This was the last one. We've had 3 garage sales this year and I don't ever want to accumulate enough STUFF to necessitate a garage sale ever again. It's not that we didn't make any money. We did...probably over $1000 for all 3 sales. I just don't really enjoy the preparation process... pricing things makes me crazy, the sitting and waiting for people, the packing it all up. I can think of 100 better things to do with my time. My plan is to donate, eBay, gift, or Craigslist in small amounts so I don't have to have a "big one" again.

I am not saying I won't GO to garage sales. I love going to them. It's amazing what you can find. My friend Natalie and her sisters are professional garage sale extrordinaires. Amazing. I love the hunt...especially if I have something to hunt for. The thrill of finding that long awaited item is beyond compare. Of course, if you go with a friend who has the same taste as you...you better be ready to race to the driveway!

Not So Big

2006-10-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Last night, I listened to a lecture titled "Not So Big Steps Toward a More Sustainable Community" given by Sarah Susanka, author of "The Not So Big House" and other related books. It was put on by the Center on Sustainable Communities, a new group in Des Moines that is doing some great things. I have read several of her books in the past, and I was so excited to see that she was going to be speaking.

Here are some of the highlights from her talk:

*Reproportioning...we shouldn't be so focused on square footage. You just need to find the right size for YOU/YOUR FAMILY. It's usually about 1/3 less than you "think" you need. The feeling of home has nothing to do with square footage...it should be quality, not quanitity.

*Building bigger and bigger homes is just kind of "expected" in our society. When you make more money, you should buy a bigger house. Status comes with the size of your house. What we really need to start doing is building smarter. Take the money you would have spent making it bigger than you need, and put it into green/sustainable design and give your house beautiful, unique features.

*We have no language/words in the real estate business for "small = better". We only talk about cathedral ceiling, spacious, 3 car garage, etc. We need to re-create the language so there isn't such a negative stigma to being smaller. We also don't have a model for knowing when enough is enough.

*It's important to create/decorate your home so you are inspired everyday. If you don't want to paint your walls, for fear of lowering the re-sale value...that's silly! PAINT THE WALLS! Whatever color will make you the happiest! Don't keep looking to the next place you'll live...live fully in the space you are in NOW.

*"Kids understand implicitly the pleasures of a cozy nook. Adults can learn something from our children as we go about designing our homes." I loved this topic, because I could totally relate. When you were a child, did you have a special place you went to where you felt safe and cozy? I did...I had a little cubby under the stairs where I would hold "secret" meetings and set up my toys. I was so happy in that space. I'm still like that today...I love a nice, cozy nook to "hide" away from the world in.

*New Urbanism...building for community and liveability.

*Have spacial awareness...don't forget the 3rd dimension. She talked a lot about adding different ceiling heights, and other architectural details. But I feel like you can do this in an apt. as well...by using hanging lamps, mobiles, etc. to create that 3rd dimension.

*Paul Ray and the Cultural Creatives...an interesting concept. I really connect with all of their ideals...I'll have to research this one more.

All in all, it was a great night. Even though much of the audience was made up of builders, architects, people who own homes or are building (and I am none of the above)...I really enjoyed it. She has a great sense of creating "home" and the importance of creating a home that you love and can't wait to come back to every day.

Blissfully Happy

2006-10-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

The stats:

From 1667 square feet TO 478 square feet
From 3 bedrooms TO 1 bedroom.
From a table that could seat 8 TO a table that seats 3.
From a 2-story house TO a 3rd floor walk-up.
From 5 closets TO 2 closets.
From $230 a month utility bill to $21 a month.
From a large, adorable, high mortgage house TO a little, adorable, cheap apartment.

We are blissfully happy in our new apartment. The smallness. The ease. The togetherness. We love it. We have gotten rid of so much WEIGHT this last year. Debt, belongings, household responsibilites. Every time I walk up 3 flights of stairs, I am reminded of our choices and how happy I am about it. Even with a 27 lb. toddler on my back. Now that's happy. Another great thing is that Matt is completely on the same page and loves it as much as I do.

Things I LOVE about living smaller:
*Everything has a place.
*It forces me to be creative with our use of space.
*I donate things regularly to clear more space.
*I don't have to wonder where Bella is.
*I don't have to yell downstairs to Matt.
*I only have things that I love around me.
*I feel light and free.
*I am not overwhelmed with housework.
*I have a smaller ecological footprint.

Things I LOVE about our apartment:
*The sound of the wind through the trees outside our windows.
*The feel of community. I have great neighbors.
*Old brick building = great sound barrier.
*Brand new laundry machines in a bright basement.
*Everything is bright.
*We are so close to everything.
*It's a beautiful historic neighborhood...great for going on walks.
*It's so fast to the freeway.
*It takes less time to get to my parent's house on the other side of town.

Ok, c'mon Sara...you can't love EVERYTHING! Fine...you're right, there are a few things that I wish were different.
*I can't paint the walls.
*Sometimes if people are smoking outside, you can smell it upstairs.
*My shower needs more water pressure.
*There isn't an easy recycling option.

That's it. I pretty much love it. I even love the on street parking. Don't mind it a bit. It's fun...and I never have to park more than a 1/2 block away.

I've created a little photo tour for you. There are lots of notes on the photos. you just have to "mouse over" the image to get them to appear. You can also leave comments (hint hint...I love comments). SO...come on up to the third floor and have a cup of tea with me!

The Compact

2006-09-23T23:40:00.000-07:00

In our quest to pay off debt faster, we are thinking about joining "The Compact" beginning in October. Here is an article about the original group. And their blog. I have another friend who is doing it too...she actually is the one who got me thinking about it again. Everytime I've heard about this movement/group, it has appealed to me. I love a good challenge. Especially when it comes to consumerism/reducing/reusing/recycling. Even if we don't do it 100%...it will still create the mindfulness about spending/consuming that we so desire.

Lately, I've found myself getting so laid back about spending...and once I start that, it's really hard to stop. However, because I am such an all or nothing person, I swing easily the other way. Once we decide to do something, I will go to GREAT lengths to maintain whatever it is that we are doing. So, at this point, we are just considering it, but it sounds like a great addition to our debt reduction plan. Anyone care to be my "Compact Buddy"?

Colorful Groceries

2006-09-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

It's so fun to go grocery shopping when you have pretty bags to bring your food home in! My counter was brimming with color today...I just couldn't help but take a photo. If you've never made the switch to cloth grocery bags...you're missing out. But don't stop at groceries! Bring them to every store!

My most recent find was cloth produce bags. Instead of using all of those flimsy plastic bags in the produce aisle, you can use these great organic bags.

My favorite places to get bags:
Reusable Bags
Ecobags

I prefer the bags with long handles. I think they are easier to carry...you can put them over your shoulder, or tie the handles in a knot and carry them like a traditional plastic bag. These bags stretch and can hold an amazing amount of food. They won't break. Of course, you don't have to get fancy string bags. Cloth tote bags from the thrift store work perfectly fine too! There are so many bags with company logos, event logos, etc. on them...you can snatch them up at any Goodwill.

Go cloth!

Drunk on the Spirits of Fear

2006-09-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

A friend posted something that made me think of a great song.

"This World"
by Caedmon's Call

There's tarnish on the golden rule
And I wanna jump from this ship of fools
Show me a place where hope is young
And a people who aren't afraid to love

This world has nothing for me and this world has everything
All that I could want and nothing that I need

This world is making me drunk on the spirits of fear.
So when he says who will go, I am nowhere near.

And the least of these look like criminals to me
So I leave Christ on the street

This world has held my hand and has led me into intolerance
But now I'm waking up, but now I'm breaking up
But now I'm making up for lost time

It says so many important things about the state of our world. With everything that is happening around us, it's so easy to be in constant fear. Fear of war, fear of flying, fear of terrorism....fear of global warming, fear of pesticides...fear of the suburbs? The list could go on and on. One of the reasons I don't watch TV news is because I feel that it creates unnecessary fear. Why do I need Fox News to tell me something 5 times an hour for 24 hours? Their goal is to suck you in, create fear, and get you to keep watching. And watching and watching. Just in case something might happen. TV news makes me feel crazy just watching all the fires, sirens, murders, plagues...and all the flashy colors and reporters with their scary voices. Aaaah! Enough!

I much prefer READING the news on an alternative news source. Of course, it's very difficult to find unbiased reporting...maybe because everything is owned by just a few people. If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself. Here and here. Follow the money. I prefer to read at the BBC News and other international sites. I really like Sojourners, but that has a bent as well. I used to only search out Christian news and Republican sites, but have since realized that Jesus is neither of those things, so I'm not concerned about that. I'm more concerned with getting the truth and loving people.

Even if you don't agree with everything I'm saying here, just be aware that you are being brainwashed if you are listening and reading mainstream media. Try...just for once, to search out your own answers about things you are interested in. You'll be glad you did. But be careful...when you start to question one thing, it will lead to another. And another. Pretty soon, you'll find that there is so much that you "learned" growing up that isn't true.

Let's not be drunk on the "spirits of fear", but instead, use knowledge of our world for good. Make a difference! Talk to someone you wouldn't normally talk to. Make someone's day. Give a compliment. Fear God only and think for yourself.

Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama

2006-09-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

It's official. I am a Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama. I scored a 180 on this survey. I normally think these are silly...because they just are. But I couldn't resist this one.

Obsessive Consumption

2006-09-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I came across this website in 2003 when I was living in Lincoln, NE. Kate, the artist, was a grad student and UNL...and I loved this site so much that I actually went to her office on campus to talk with her, but she wasn't there, so I left a note on her door. (Kristin...did you go with me?). Years later, I had tried to find her site again, but couldn't.

Yesterday, I happened across a post on Happy Mundane, and there is was! I was happy. Here is a summary of what "Obsessive Consumption" is:

Obsessive Consumption was created by Kate Bingaman to showcase her love/hate relationship with money, shopping, branding, credit cards, celebrity, advertising and marketing. The work is inspired by the ever ubiquitous, generic, delicate, sometimes stomachache inducing credit card statement, craft as activism, and general consumerism. She created Obsessive Consumption in 2002 when she decided that she was going to not only document all of her purchases, but to also create a brand out of the process to package and promote. obsessiveconsumption.com was launched in early 2003 to bring her documentation to a larger audience. She documented all of her purchases for 28 months. The documentation started on January 22nd, 2002 and ended on April 22nd, 2004. She is currently hand drawing all of her credit card statements until they are paid off and also spends her time consuming, documenting and making. Kate is a 28 year old Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Mississippi State University.

I completely relate to her love/hate relationship with consumerism. I hate it, and yet I am strangely drawn to those things I hate. Specifically, The Gap, The Mall, Starbucks, etc. When we are on a cash budget, it's much easier to resist...and tracking every single purchase, no matter how small is a huge eye opener. I have noticed a predictable connection between my TV watching and mindless consumption. Luckily, when we move, the cable goes bye bye. Bittersweet. I love me some HGTV and TLC. Anyway...check out her site, it's slightly addictive. The thrift store photo installation is fun. I just have to love her...she's a graphic design professor and that was my major in college. Her quirky design sense is fabulous.

Color = Happy

2006-09-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

I came across this fabulous apartment...and I just had to share it. It's such a happy place...I could just move right in. I love the style, the colors, the light. Gorgeous.

I found it while I was browsing around Apartment Therapy. This site is a great resource for those who are renting...or those who just want some fun ideas.

Living Smaller

2006-09-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

Many of you know this already, but we are getting ready to move to a smaller apartment (we've sold our house)...so that we can fully focus on paying off student loans and living more simply.

Living more simply...those words mean different things for everyone. It doesn't have to mean giving up all the things you enjoy. Or only eating beans and rice. Or never going on vacation again. Or getting rid of all your possessions. It's just about deciding what is important in your life, and aligning your priorities to match. As you examine your life, you will probably realize that many things you thought you "needed"...you really didn't need.

For us, downsizing our living space allows us to spend more time doing what we love to do. Instead of spending hours cleaning, we can spend hours at the park having a picnic. Instead of spending money on a large mortgage payment, we can live in a smaller space and use the extra money to achieve the financial freedom we desperately long for. Making sacrifices now helps us achieve our dreams for later.

This journey started over a year ago, when we discovered Dave Ramsey. We listened to Dave on the radio, read his books, etc. We were able to pay off all of our credit cards, our car, and other random debts. The only debt we still have is student loans. Some people think that student loans are "supposed" to be around forever, but I totally disagree. There is a tremendous emotional drain that comes with that kind of debt. That's why we are choosing to knock it out over the course of the coming year.

We are getting rid of most of our possessions...and all of our debt. I can feel the lightness already! And now, one last note for those of you who are saying..."I could never do that!". Look at your current living arrangements, your possessions and your spending. Do you ever use your extra bedroom? Do you really need 4 bathrooms in your house? Do you need 6 pairs of jeans? Do you need that latte everyday? Do you really have to work 80 hours a week just so you can have everything your heart desires? It does take some soul searching to make changes, but it's so worth it in the end. Go simple!

Manufactered Want

2006-09-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Even though I desire to lead a simple life with few possessions and tread lightly on the earth...I am still hear a the evil voices whenever I go near a mall (which I like to refer to as the "Giant Shrine of Manufactered Wants). It whispers to me...

"You need me.."
"Your life would be so different if you would just buy me..."
"You would look so cute if you wore me..."

The first step is realizing that the mall DOES truly try to suck you in like the sirens...the second step is resisting, the third step is going to Starbucks and buying an inanely overpriced cup of muddy water and sugar flavoring to "reward" yourself for not getting sucked into the mall.

Here is the post that got me thinking about this today...Stuff Lust.

Photo by Charlie Brewer/Flickr

Make Your Own

2006-09-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked me for my "recipes" for natural cleaners, etc. Here is a great site that I just came across. Don't let the name fool you, it has much more than just cosmetics!

Make Your Cosmetics

Boulder

2006-09-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

In early August, we flew out to Denver/Boulder. Matt flew onto Boise to pick up our bus, and I stayed in Denver with my brother, and then in Boulder with our friends, the Cheeks. I love Boulder. I love the people. The atmosphere. The food. The coffee. It's just good stuff. Check out the photos here.

We went to the Farmer's Market, the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival, the Emmaus Road Church "dedication", out for Thai food, out for coffee. Fun times.

We love spending time with the Cheeks. Even though we may not see each other for months and months...it's as if no time has passed at all. It's crazy to think that we've been friends for just 8 years. It seems like so much longer! I could sit for hours talking to Natalie, and I know Matt could do the same with Kris. In fact, we used to do that a lot more BEFORE we had kids. Now, freetime is a little harder to come by, but it makes every moment all the more sweet.

It was great to be there and see the great things that are happening with the church plant. I praise God for what He is doing there and also that He has allowed us to see so many friends and family this summer.

Kansas City and Kristin

2006-09-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I went to see my friend, Kristin, in Kansas City. I just now got around to uploading the photos. Here are the photos of our fun.

A few weeks ago, I made another trip down to spend time with her while Matt was in Scottsdale. Photos here.

It's always wonderful being with Kristin...she is a beautiful soul. We also love the exact same things. We are sisters.

We went to Lawrence. We ate Thai food. We drank tea. We went out for coffee. We talked about Jesus. We watched Miami Ink. We played on the Internet. We cooked. We laughed. We hugged. We rode around in the bus. We watched a movie...possibly one of my favorites. Can you guess what it was? Here is a hint:

"I like to look for things no one else catches. I hate the way drivers never look at the road in old movies."

We have the best time whenever we are together. This last time, I was there for 5 days. That's a long time to spend with anyone you aren't related to. I loved it though...because once you get past the first couple of days, you just get to live life together. Meals, emotions, bedtime, etc...the "daily-ness" of our lives. When you can be together in the mundane daily routine, and you still love each other, that is true friendship. One that will last a lifetime.

Dreads

2006-08-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I love dreadlocks. Most of my closest friends know that I would like to have some of my very own. Ideally, I will look like the cute girl in the above photo. I think dreads are:

*gorgeous
*unique
*inspiring
*patience-building
*funky
*maintainence free (after the first year or so)
*a spiritual journey

You can see more cool dread photos on my Flickr Favorites.

So for those of you who didn't know that I would ever consider such a "crazy" choice of hair style...you can pick your jaw up off the floor now and go buy me a pretty hairwrap. Thanks!

Our Bathroom Goes Public

2006-08-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

Bella and I made news today.

Passionate People

2006-08-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to have a car with lots of bumper stickers. I don't know why..I just really like pretty and colorful things. Especially stickers. I love stickers. Now that we have the VW bus, it would be the perfect vehicle to plaster up...but alas, Matt says we have to "keep her clean". So, I just get to admire other people's cars (like this one I found at the Boulder, CO farmers market).

I generally believe that everyone should be able to express themselves however they want. Whether that be with their hairstyle, tattoos, clothing, piercings, or stickers. But I also think that when you do express yourself like that, you should be ready for people to ask questions, to stare, be curious, etc. Stickers on your car don't really allow for that kind of interaction. So, instead of putting them on my car, I put stickers on my water bottle and my wallet. It makes for good conversation starters! Currently I have:

*Plant Seeds, Sing Songs
*Mass Media Breeds Ignorance
*Grow Slow
*Eat Organic
*Mars Cafe (coffeehouse)
*Simple Living Saves Lives

It's really easy to generalize and judge people for what kind of stickers they have on their car. I do get pretty annoyed with the endless political stickers. More than once, I have thought..."good grief...that is dumb". Ugh. I'm trying really hard to stop doing that and not judge them when I don't know them. Because I think that I would really like the person who drives the poop brown station wagon. She seems to have really strong opinions and I like people like that...even if we don't agree on everything. I would much rather converse and get to know someone who knows what they believe and is passionate about it...than someone who believes everything that the TV tells them.

Daily Life is Beautiful

2006-07-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when the busyness of the world crowds in on me, I like to take a step back and look around at the little details in life. I took a walk outside my house, and captured a few things that I wouldn't normally notice. Everyday things. Daily life is beautiful if you keep your eyes open! More images here.

Flickr

2006-07-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

I could sit in one place all day long and browse Flickr. Being a photgrapher, this site is infinitely entertaining and interesting for me. You can find photos of anything your heart desires. Click on Explore and check out some of the most popular searches. Comment on other's photos. Add some of your own! You can add "tags" to your photos that will enable you to search your own photos easily, and find other's photos too.

When you have a Flickr account, it acts as kind of a "photo blog". You life, captured in photos. You can join groups and have others comment on your photos and find people who love the same stuff as you do. For example, I like to take photos of my food. And of my tea. And of my coffee. And of weird things. I found out that lots of other people do too!

There is just something mesmerizing about photos. Capturing the exact moment of an emotion...pure bliss.

And yes, I do have real friends and a life outside my computer.

Blog Crazy

2006-07-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

Reading other people's blogs is kind of like sneaking into their room and reading their personal journal. Everyone is curious about other people's lives...hence the popularity of "the blog". I get such enjoyment from all the blogs I read. They offer wisdom, encouragement, camaraderie, laughter. I love to comment on blogs and receive comments too (hint, hint!).

If you like reading blogs too, you MUST run to Bloglines and set up an account (thanks Heather!). This saves so much time and is a wonderful service. Basically, you set up one account to "track" all of the blogs you want to read. It will notify you whenever a new blog has been posted by that person. You can even put a little button on your browser that says "Sub to Bloglines" that will let you subscribe quickly to that blog when you are at that page. The blog must have an RSS feed to be included.

I currently subscribe to about 50 blogs...and read about 10 a day as they are updated. Here are some of my favorites:

A Joy-Full Life
Two Songbirds on a Wire
Dinner at my house...tonight
From Under the Laundry Pile
Laura's MySpace blog
The Shape of a Mother
The View from Here
Natural Living Des Moines
Babycatcher

For the Love of Mail

2006-07-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

I love mail. Real paper mail. Cards. Postcards. Packages and such. The problem is...we have lost the fine art of correspondence. Letters used to be the only way to "get word" to someone. Then came the telephone. Then came email. Oh the email. Don't get me wrong...I love email too, but there is just something cold, electronic, and impersonal about it. When I go to my mailbox and see a handwritten note, I am GIDDY with excitement. If that letter is 3 pages long with doodles, quotes, verses, a teabag, and such, I am ECSTATIC. You would think I won the lottery. I I know exactly when my mailman arrives everyday. I loooove having my mailbox right on my house so I can grab it quickly! Ninety percent of the time, I recieve junk mail or business mail, but I am blessed to have a few select friends in my life who appreciate the value of a handmade/handwritten note. I love them for that. Their letters need not contain deep thoughts...I just love to hear about the happenings in their daily lives.

When you send real meal, you are basically saying that the person on the other end is worthy of your time. You are putting your feelings onto paper...a permanent expression of your love for them. I have saved many letters over the years...from my dad, my grandma, my sister, my brother, my husband...and everytime I open that letter again, I am transported back to the first time I read those words.

So my challenge for everyone reading this...is to write ONE letter this week. Brighten someone's day, send photos, send goodies, send your love.

More thoughts on letter writing.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user "Living in Monrovia".

Our Groovy New Westy

2006-07-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to our family...a sweet 1977 Volkswagen Westfalia Deluxe Camper Bus. Oh yes. We are so excited! Ready to camp, camp, camp! Matt flies to Boise, ID to pick it up next Friday. More pics here.

A Fun Day

2006-07-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Today, my friend Rebecca and her daughter Bianca came over and we had a garage sale. It wasn't wildly successful monetarily, but we did get rid of a lot of stuff and now the rest will be packed up and donated. So nice to purge. Bella and Bianca are about 6 months apart in age, and love to play together. Bella is learning how to share things...a hard lesson when you are two! We had a great time talking...I got to hear more about how she met her husband, Mauro, and their time in Brazil.

Rebecca wanted to go to Outlaw Ink and get her nose pierced today...so we met up there and watched her get stabbed with a needle. It was quite lovely. I think she looks adorable with it! Her friend Megan was in town...so she hung out with us for the rest of evening as well.

After that, we went for supper at Planet Sub (try their Pesto Bello!). While there I mentioned an independent video store that a friend had recommended and Rebecca said it was just down the street, so we went to check it out. It's called "Best Place Ever" and it's all independent films, hard to find films, and documentaries. I was in heaven! It's only $2.65 to rent there...I picked up City of God on Rebecca's recommendation (it's set in Brazil).

Then we headed to Valley Junction for Jazz in July and listened to some music for a bit. The girls were entertaining for all those around us...they each had a stroller (that I got on Freecycle) to walk their babies in. They loved dancing to the music.

It was a great day...so beautiful and sunny. Full of the warmth of new friendships and children's laughter. God is good.

| Click here to see the entire photo set |

Sweet Friendship

2006-07-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

Just looking through these photos (click here for entire set) makes me happy again. Happy like I was when Kristin came to see me...we have such wonderful times. We pretty much always do the same thing...but we like it that way. This time it went like this:

Farmer's Market: This was Kristin's first time to our farmer's market...which I think is the best thing around. We had lattes and caramel pecan rolls. We bought flowers and talked to interesting people and saw neat stuff. We bought metal stars and rusty roosters.
Lunch at home: I made some coconut curried veggies with tofu. Yum.
Movie: We went to see The Devil Wears Prada. Cute little flick.
Gong Fu Tea: It just wouldn't be the same without our tea fix. We had a great time chatting it up.
Thai Flavors: Shared some red curry with tofu...along with some delicious spring rolls and crab rangoon. Oh so heavenly.
Ritual Cafe: Latte and a Mocha. Waited for the music to start, but didn't start until later. Left for JJ's.
Java Joes: Before this, we walked across the river to the East Village for fun. It was a beautiful night. Got some iced tea and a toffee cookie and listened to the Gwen Mitchell Experiment. It was GREAT fun.
Mars Cafe: Went here to show Kristin this new coffee shop. We read each other questions from the "90's" edition of Trival Pursuit. Turns out we don't know as much as we thought we did.
Tea and a Walk: On Sunday, we got up and had a leisurely morning reading and having tea. We went for a walk around the neighborhood before Kristin had to say goodbye.

It was a fabulous weekend with my best friend. I'm looking forward to spending some time in Kansas City in about a month. Yay!

Choose Cloth

2006-07-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand...a "re-print" of "Choose Cloth" (newly updated):

Over the last couple of years, we have slowly been getting rid of everything that is disposable in our house. In a society that is obsessed with disposable everything...sometimes I feel like an odd ball. But hey, what's new? The progression has been as follows:

PAPER TOWELS: These were the first thing to go. They were expensive and I was addicted to them. I just bought a few more cloth towels and I grab them for everything. We have darker towels for staining spills.

PAPER NAPKINS: We didn't use these a lot to begin with, but I switched to all cloth napkins after I found the cutest little red ones with stars. Adorable. Now I have several sets and I *love* using them at every meal.

DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: We cloth diapered Bella from day one. It's one of the most enjoyable things about being a mama so far. They are so adorable, healthy, and easy to use. Love them.

FEMININE PRODUCTS: After I had Bella, I started to use what many affectionately call "mama cloth". Basically, reusable feminine hygeine products. I have a GREAT set of reusable hemp pads. After I get my period back I will switch to using The Keeper or The Diva Cup. And for those of you that are saying "ooooh gross!". Get over it...have you ever researched what is in a tampon? Sick.

TOILET PAPER: Our latest switch has been from paper to cloth toilet paper. This was definitely not a hard thing because we are already using cloth wipes on Bella (the cloth wipes we have are so soft and wonderful...most are made of flannel and velour or sherpa...2-ply). Before I decided to do this, I was intimidated because I didn't quite understand the logistics of it all. So, in order to help some of you "get it"...I will explain further and offer a pictoral description of the setup.

Basically, we have dry and wet wipes. Dry for pee, wet for poop. The wet wipes are in a wipes warmer on the back of the toilet. I put them in there every day with a solution of water, apricot oil, Dr. Bronner's soap, tea tree oil, and lavender oil. It's a lovely smell...much more fun than plain 'ol scratchy toilet paper! The dry wipes are just next to that on the toilet. I will eventually get a cute wire basket for the dry wipes. After you are done using the wipe, you just throw it in the wet bag hanging next to the toilet. Update since this photo was taken: The wipes are now in a basket in a drawer next to the toilet. Easy as pie. Here it is:

I know some of you have just vowed never to use the bathroom at my house ever again. But never fear, I will keep ONE roll of regular TP for my less "natural" guests. We do have one last box of tissues right now, but will just use the cloth wipes for that as well. And please don't worry about the sanitary issues...everything is washed in super hot water with soap, baking soda, and the occasional vinegar rinse.

GROCERY BAGS: I bring my own bags to the grocery store. I LOVE my string bags from Reusable Bags. Ecobags is good too. Many grocery stores will give you a small credit for bringing your own.

All in all, switching our house to completely cloth has been a GREAT experience...one that is environmentally sound, and also financially sound. We save SO much money by not buying disposable stuff.

I still have a few more changes to make. I would like to get sets of cutlery and plates to take to events where I know there will be disposable dinnerware. I don't do take out a lot, but if my restaurants were more eco-friendly, I would also get the stainless stell food carrier so they could just put it in there instead of the disposable boxes. The first time I heard about this, I was so excited. It was when I was visiting the Ecopolitan in Minneapolis. They asked me if I had brought in my own take out containers or did I need to purchase one from them. I did have to purchase one, but it was a recycled, compostable container. I love that place!

I also need to better at bringing my own travel mug to coffee shops. I have probably filled a landfill with all of the to-go cups I've drank from and tossed in the garbage 5 minutes later...so wasteful!

Re-evaulate your choices today...and choose cloth/re-usable!

If you would like to read another blog about this topic, check out my friend Sarah. She is a swell gal. She has her own business, Wallypop, and makes great stuff. Here it is.

So many joys...

2006-07-20T00:59:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm back. I haven't been blogging for quite awhile, but I really missed being able to spit all my thoughts out and having people sass me. So, here we go again.

I have been obsessed with simplicity, downsizing, and such for about a year now. We have made great strides in getting rid of our "extra" possessions. It's so freeing and wonderful to get rid of the STUFF.

I have a few books that are a constant reminder to pursue the simple life. First, my Bible. John the Baptist had this to say in Luke 3:11:

"John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

This verse has helped me when I thought I needed to have more of this or more of that, and has also reminded me that others have nothing when I have 2, 3, 4 of something. We really need so little to be content. Get rid of your duplicates!

Also, the books Material World and Women of the Material World have inspired me beyond measure. They are on my coffee table so I can reference them often.

"The Irresistable Revolution" by Shane Claiborne is a must read. Go get it today.

I am a constant work in progress, but I believe God has called me to lead a quiet, simple life. I just keep working at it little by little...with so many joys along the way.

Buy Local

2006-03-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

Where do you buy your stuff? What kind of companies do you support? Do you even care?

These are questions I've been asking myself lately. It's brought to mind a blog I used to read. You can check it out here. Be warned...there is an expletive in the title of the website. I wish they didn't do that, but they did. So if that offends you...just pretend it's not there. Anyway...this person decided that they were going to stop supporting large chain grocery stores, instead only shopping at the local markets. It's an interesting read. The experiment is over now...but you can still read about it there.

So, I've been wondering if I could do that. I always make a conscious effort to support my local organic grocer, New City Market, who is just a mile away from us. Even when the price is a little higher, I will still buy it at New City because I know them, I trust them, and I would much rather give them my money. If there are things I can't get there, I go to the larger, but still locally owned Dahl's, or Hy-Vee. I try to avoid SuperTarget...and I most certainly do not go to WalMart....blech. (I'm not judging anyone else for shopping there...I just want everyone to be AWARE of what they are all about. Be an informed shopper!).

However, up until now, I've been very loose on this. And lazy. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it. But, I would like to do better. I would like to ONLY shop at locally owned stores. But not just for food...for everything. I've been giving this a lot of thought. For example...WHY do I NEED to go to SuperTarget for anything? What is there that I just couldn't possibly purchase somewhere else? That place sucks the life out of me. I walk in there and want want want. And it’s always stuff I don’t need at all. But they make me think I NEED it. Everything is so pretty and bright and it all calls my name. I hate slick marketing, and yet I fall prey to it. So, I want to stop going.

In order to do this, I may have to change my menu and my habits just a bit...but not much. I will have to buy food that is in season, because, for the most part, New City carries what is either in season, or something that they can get pretty easily. Most of my groceries consist of bulk products (dry beans, rice, dried fruits, etc). And it’s all organic so it tends to be produced on a smaller farm (this is not always the case, however, so please know your organic farms). I just want to be aware of WHERE my food is coming from and also how many miles on the road it took some gas guzzling truck to get it there.

I would much rather eat an apple that came from Washington, instead of New Zealand. Or better yet, an apple orchard in Pella, IA. It's a great day when I find those! Summer and farmer's markets make this part easier. This can be tough if you love avocados and mangos, like I do. They usually come from Chili, Mexico, or another tropical location. However, I feel that when you buy those products organic, you ARE supporting the small local farmers in that country. If you read the tags, you can sometimes go to the website of the farm and see the cute farmer guys who make your mango.

For other goods such as clothing, housewares, jewelry, etc…I am still able to shop locally. We have several great shops close to us that have everything I need. It’s just a matter of making the decision. When I need a can of paint, do I want to support giant big boxmart…WalMart, Home Depot, Sam’s…or can I go to Ace Hardware or another local store? When I need new socks or a t-shirt, should I go to Target or instead go to Back Country Outfitters, where I can get organic and non-sweatshop clothing.

So…I CHALLENGE you to think about buying locally…and buying with a conscious. Know what the companies are all about…what do they support? Your money is POWER. Don’t give it to companies who don’t deserve your business! The main objection to this is usually cost (i.e. "my local grocer is too expensive...etc.). I know that if you plan better and budget better, it's very easy to practice this. Also, don't forget that when you shop at big box stores, you are not actually seeing the TRUE price of a product.

As we approach the Christmas season, think about giving locally made gifts...soaps, jewelry, candles, and other goods made by local artists. If you are in a place where there aren't any options like that for you, check out Etsy (link below)...it's like eBay for handmade stuff. It's awesome.

Some great links:
Top 10 reasons to buy local
Local Harvest
An interesting blog on this topic
Etsy...handmade stuff