Dreaming of a Simple Life

Lately I find myself thinking about living a more simple life. Just this week I have realized that "stuff" stresses me out. It seems as though I am always picking up, putting away and organizing or trying to organize our "stuff." This in itself is a full time job. And frankly, I have better things to be doing with my time. By living my life so focused on my stuff, I am missing opportunities to be with my kids. I also feel that my stuff has come in the way of my relationship with God. I can be so focused on the messes around me that I can't enter into communion with God. My stuff distracts me from the things that really matter.

I have always detested clutter. I am also not a very sentimental person so I don't tend to keep things for that reason. About four times a year I take bags of stuff to centre at church that gives it to people that need it. This week I decided I want to get a little more serious about going through our house and looking at things with a different set of eyes. I want to get rid of the extra, the unnecessary, and the items that I have just kept because we have always had them. I have already cleaned out three bags of clothes this week. Saturday is claimed declutter/clean out day in our household. I am quite looking forward to it.

My hope is that by clearing out the unnecessary I would be less distracted and become more focused on growing in my relationship with Jesus, my husband and my children.