On my Facebook page I say something like, "Tryin' to live decidedly simple in a complex world." Isn't that concept getting harder and harder? I just watched an episode of 60 Minutes that featured the Dallas Cowboys' owner/manager, Jimmy Jones. I learned that his dad was an Arkansas small-town grocery store owner. Jimmy, as a young boy, used to stand outside the tiny store wearing a little bow tie and welcome the store guests. Those memories drove him to climb up the ladder of success and never turn back.
It's not that he didn't look back. In fact, he rode on his 50 million dollar jet back to that grocery store to show the film crew and get good footage. The new big screen tv in his new stadium is the biggest in WORLD. It is 45 million dollars in cost and weighs something like 600 tons. It stetches from one 20 yard line to the other 20 yard line. And sadly, at the end of the show, Jimmy was quoted as saying that although he is worth 2 BILLION dollars, he is terrified that he doesn't have a specified degree to fall back on, should things go wrong with the Cowboys. He is scared to death of failure and of having nothing.
Now, let's bring this all the way down to little ol' me. My family has decided to down-size, cut back, and live so that we can give more away, have more wiggle room, and be less tied to our "stuff." So recently we have taken advantage of Craigs List. We have sold several pieces of furniture like our tread mill, two office chairs, a set of bunk beds and a bookcase. We hope to sell more items in the near future. Am I sad to see these things go? No, not all. I don't need them, and I haven't missed them at all. In fact, it is liberating to see the total amount of "stuff" diminish.
I guess since I've returned from Africa my mindset has altered. I look at things with a different perspective. I know there are some things that fall into the "must have" catagory. These would be things like shoes, clothes, bed, table, etc. Even then, I know I can pair that list down more. However, it is not my intent to purge my house of all things that I know and love. Rather, it is to pair down the list of the things that I love. Do we love our stuff? I suppose if we don't use that word we would replace it with "like" or "cherish." Which, brings me to my next thought.
Why do I cherish or really like the things that I do? Do they have sentimental value? Have I had them forever? Do they represent a mile stone in my life? Do they hold monetary value? Am I afraid of what I will look like or become without it?
Have I noticed any difference since shutting off cable tv? Yes! My family spends more time together and my children don't watch kids on tv smart off to their parents and then turn and try it on me. And, I saved money! Do my kids have ways to watch movies and tv shows? Yes! We frequent the library and watch streaming tv on the computer upon occasion.
Are there benefits to having children sharing rooms? Yes! They realize that the majority of the world functions on the concept of togetherness. There is a time and a place for aloneness, but most of the time, we have to learn to get along and get along well with others. College will not be single room suites decked out with the latest gadgets. Why not get an early start on that? Besides, I don't want my teens locking themselves in their rooms and secluding themselves from the family. I want us to experience life together, both the highs and the lows.
So as I continue to let go my of stuff and loosen my hold on my what I think is necessary, I want to gradually live more simply. Less stuff, more love. Less to clean, more time to share. Fewer things to pay for, more money to give to those who can't eat or have no heat in the winter. Smaller home, more savings for the future of our family. After all, everything I really need I already have. Jesus came to earth as a baby in the manger and is coming back again for me some day. I'm ready, and that is all I really need.
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