Simplicity

(Spiritual content alert!)

Written previously:

Lately I have been thinking about simplicity. I am going to a women's retreat with our church and the title is Abundant Simplicity. We are reading (at least) the first chapter of the book by the same name written by Jan Johnson.

So, in the beginning of the first chapter Jan states that simplicity is "not a discipline itself but a way of being." She talks about experiments with simplicity of speech, frugality, spaciousness of time, holy leisure, and simplicity of appearance and technology.

Before I get any more in to the awesome things of note I found in reading this chapter, a little background.

The History: Several years ago, DH and I basically sold our stuff, home, business and all. We traveled and lived in our RV with our one special needs baby at the time (now almost 10). We SIMPLIFIED. We eliminated television in our home years before that. 

Now, we have moved to a home in the country and still live fairly low-budget. Grown ups watch carefully chosen movies in the evenings occasionally (or it used to be only occasionally). Kids infrequently watch movies when it is a family activity. Music is on at specific times and we are watchful for over-stimulation. We have pretty much eliminated all outside busyness activities such as sports teams, clubs, etc. Home school is it, so we don't transport a ton.

The Reality: That said, we have four children with a variety of special needs growing up here. Living, changing, working, playing, and learning or not to love and trust.

So! not so peaceful after all! Way less hectic than it could be, but... simplicity?

Planning to go to this retreat got me contemplating simplifying. For some reason I was thinking in terms of eliminating technology.

The Epiphany: Then I realized that if I simply stopped multitasking it would be huge! Why do I feel the need to get 3-5 things done at any given moment? Am I really being more productive, or just making myself feel indispensable? Could it be that I might actually be more efficient if I did just ONE thing at a time?

• Why am I having a text conversation woven in and around saying goodnight to my son? Or while I'm rocking the baby to sleep and doing laundry?
• Why am I blogging while I'm helping with schoolwork? Or while supervising breakfast and cleaning the kitchen?
• Why am I reading a Nook Book while making dinner? Or while hanging out with my husband for a few precious minutes and texting?
• Etc, etc, etc... (Please don't judge, I'm judging enough for both of us!)

So, for now my experiment with simplicity is Tasking (one thing at a time), not Multitasking (get it?), as much as is actually possible while raising several kids.

And, of course, the bottom line with that seems to be... technology (for me). 

Oops, I didn't get to the stuff I really liked in the book chapter. Hmm, oh well, there will be more on this... It's good stuff. Challenging.

Ok, So Here's What's Happening

I'm having this pretty intense dialog. Some of it is actually with my man. Most of it is with myself. This whole blogging thing is so interesting.

The Question
I think I am more of a conversational person than a dissertational (probably not a word) person. The only successful journal I've ever had was a prayer journal. Which is actually a conversation, if you think about it. In trying to get used to writing my thoughts and opinions, I find mysef asking, "Who am I?". "What is my platform?"

I'm betting it's pretty typical, but I have realized I have quite a lot to say. (I might be the only one surprised by that.) I just haven't figured out why anyone would want to read what I write!
Not that they do yet. I'm being optimistic.

Research
I've been doing my homework. Reading other blogs like crazy, which I've never really done before. I probably shouldn't admit that. I am not really hip. I am too old to come by the whole Twitter, Pinterest thing naturally, so I'd have to be hip. Which you can tell that I'm not because I am using the word 'hip' instead of, I don't know, 'roxy' or something more, um... hip (sorry).

So the big dialog is actually kind a philosophical one. If any of the bloggers I refer to happen read this, they might take offense, and that is definitely not intended. Oh well, I'm sure I'm pretty safe!

In reading so many blogs, I see a lot of who other people are. And sometimes I think, "I wish I was more like her!" The weird thing is that I've thought this about very different styles! I totally wish I was a gifted spiritual writer like Beth Moore, or even LisaMarie. Someone who could lead other believers into a deeper, more authentic experience of Christ. Someone encouraging.

I'm not.

Then I read Welcome to My Brain, and I wish I was more edgy (yeah, and I'm so not committing to something like that!), up to date, and just downright green! But that doesn't fit either. Can you tell I like this one, though?!

WWJD- really?
The bottom line is a not so original question...What would (blogging) Jesus do? Not when He was alone with his guys, but when he was in the world. At parties. With the average people. He pointed toward God but didn't (at all) align with the 'religious' establishment. He was someone who invited conversation, and not just with people who agreed with Him. That's the line I am trying to find.
Not there yet.

The Point
So last night I said to my other half,

 "You know its often long years between a woman asking, "'Who am I?' What with wife, mother....."

And then I wondered, how is it I have the time to be pondering it at this point in my life... And I realized it's because I gave up certain things (FB, Nook...) for Lent.

A self-imposed clear-space-and-simplify-to-reflect-on-the-sacrifice kind of Lent.

And now all I think about is my new blogging addiction hobby. So you know what? I am going to commit blog suicide (although it's not really risky when you only have 5 readers. I'm lucky that way.)

Even though I have approximately one million things I want to write about, some of them already started....

I'm off. (and don't think I didn't consider typing up a bunch of stuff and then scheduling it to appear while I was gone!)

Even writing this might be cheating. Looking back.

So, aaaaaaaahhhhhh.
I'll see you after Easter (unless I'm a pillar of salt).
..............................................................................

I love this!