To be honest, I’m not sure there is going to be a part 2 to this. I’d like to think I’m an interesting enough person to warrant a part 2, so to be on the safe side, I’m going to allow for that possibility at some point.
I have a love/hate relationship with the concept of New Year’s resolutions. On the one hand, I love the freshness of a new year and the neatness of a fresh start at the beginning of a new year. I like things to have a rhythm to them that makes sense, and well, a resolution in the middle of the year doesn’t have the same momentum and make as much sense as a resolution at the beginning of the year. But the actual resolution making itself, I actually don’t really care for. Each year, I’d like to think that I’m building on the last, constantly seeing my life, and my priorities for my life in a fresh light, as the wisdom--a hefty term to throw around at 27 years--of another year lived guides the beginning of the next year. In Romans 12:2, Paul urges us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. You know, as opposed to my not always good, sometimes exasperating, and very imperfect will. When I read verses like that, I feel like the act of making a random promise at the beginning of the year is somewhat counter to the spirit of what Paul was saying in this verse.
And so, with that, I am starting a new year by renewing my mind, continuing the ongoing work God is doing in my life. A theme that has captivated my attention over the past few years is the theme of living a life of simplicity, in a world that is becoming increasingly more complex. To write this blog post, for example, I could have the choice of writing it on a computer, a smart phone, an iPod, an iPad....you see where I’m going with this? Technology is a great thing, but so. many. choices just brings us closer and closer to letting our stuff control us, and being held in captivity by all. our. stuff. I’m interested in seeing what the fruits can be of stripping away what is just not necessary in my life, to reveal a life that can be richer than just the stuff that accents my life. This is an ongoing process, and seeking God’s will in the midst of this process is something that excites me. After all, it’s a pointless practice if, by freeing myself from the stuff of this world, I’m not able to enjoy greater freedom in Christ as a result, and share that freedom with others in the process.
Living a life of simplicity encompasses a lot of areas in life. What really opened up the conversation about living with less was the initial conversation about getting rid of our cable a couple years ago, and then actually following through with it a year or so ago. When we got rid of cable, the impact of that decision affected various places where our desire for simplicity reached: less tv show watching in general--our options are limited a little by what is only available online, though the choices still vast, it is much less instant gratification, less ads selling us more stuff, less tv exposure for Anika at such a young age (we’re choosing to follow as closely as we can the AAP’s recommendation of no tv/screen time for children under the age of 2), more time to do other worthwhile activities, more savings in our budget, more relaxed atmosphere in our home in general. It called into question about what decisions in our life should be intentional, or rather, more intentional than other decisions.
And so a lot of other decisions about what how we live our lives follows a similar pattern: less waste, more quality.
Well, looks like there will be a part 2 after all. Stay tuned for more when I get more time (a precious commodity to be sure, for the mother of a 6 moth old!)
I have already dropped the tray.
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