Finding the Simple in Simplicity

It's been a little bit since I've found myself here. I guess you could say I've been working on finding my way for a bit. I don't plan to ever be a blog for profit blogger, though I see nothing wrong with that. And I also don't intend to apologize for when more important things take me away from here for extended periods of time. But I do enjoy blogging, when I feel led to, and when I have time for it. 

Over the last several months, I've found a longing desire to truly seek out the simple life. For a little bit I thought that couldn't be had from where I'm sitting. I thought it meant I had to have a home in the country, but it doesn't mean that at all. God has planted my family where we're at for a reason, and if He is calling me to simplify my life, so that I can focus more on Him and His desires for my life, then I can do it from wherever I'm at right now. 

Life has grown too complicated. There's more stuff and less happiness. More screen time, and less face to face real interactions. More doing, and less being. People are so caught up in their busy lives, that they have lost their focus on what God truly wants from them. 

Slowly but surely over the past months, God has been calling our family to deny ourselves and to take up our cross and follow Him. Does that mean that we're going to get rid of all our belongings and live out of backpacks while we reach the lost. Not at all! But for us, for me, it means it's time to let go of these earthly things that hold my family and I back from doing what God truly wants of us. 

It's time for me to step out of my comfort zone and start letting go of not just physical clutter, but mental clutter. My dear friend over at Country Hick Homestead, summarized Five Rules for her family to live by. And I've come up with my own list as well. 

Love Jesus, and share Him freely with all who will listen....

Love others unconditionally......

Serve others in whatever way you can......

Give More, spend less.......

Live, speak, and eat minimally, simply, and wholly

That's where I'm at right now. I'm working at taking some steps in that direction to put these rules in my life into action..... Over the next 21 days, my family and I are hoping to drastically reduce what we have in our home by half or more. We are having a do or die yard sale on June 28, which means, if it doesn't sell, it goes to charity. 

Also through the month of June, our family will be finishing up some prior commitments of "busyness", and in July, we will begin to slow down and find out what it means to savor each moment. July is going to be a month of starting over with a new way of living. A slower, more intentional way of living and doing so with less stuff. I am so anxious and ready to make these changes for our family, so that we can spend our time focused on Jesus, and His will for our lives! 

So, what does that mean for blogging? I don't plan to make any commitments of blogging daily or anything, but I will be hopefully sharing the changes that are going on here as I have time. A time of transformation for our family. For years, I have held the blog name of Blessed Simplicity. I think it's time to seek that lifestyle out, and stop just talking about it!