On day 14, I wrote about the things we put inside our margins.
And
I've been thinking, since then, about how to downsize the number of
things inside our margins. You know, the things that make up our
day-to-day life and responsibilities and jobs and roles as parent and
wife and friend. But if there's nothing that can legitimately be CUT
OUT, because we dont have money for child-care and I have to do both
photography and keep my job because we need to make ends meet and we
need health insurance (because of Caden especially and his "preexisting condition"). And I obviously have to take care of my children and the house (I mean, at least to the point that we dont end up on some episode of hoarders or something).
We will never stop doing ministry to our neighbors or fighting for the
kiddos. And we value small group and church and time with family and
friends. Oh and this blog? I could probably cut it out, but I love
having space to write and think things through and I'm not positive I
could do all of the other stuff I do without an outlet.
So then what's the solution? Because that's what this is all about, really. This lack of space and inability to cull activities/responsibility, leads to a lack of SPACE (aka margins) in our lives. I also feel a little helpless that I apparently cant even explain what margins are properly.
Anyways,
I think it means somehow we need to simplify. To downsize and
streamline and simplify the things we DO have in our lives, the things
that are staying no matter what. So simplify our parenting practices,
our home, our finances. Less clothing and stuff means less clutter and
less cleaning, right?
I really love the idea of simplifying, I'm just not very good at the practice of simplifying. And I think it comes down to simplicity of heart. A singleness of purpose rooted in the understanding that a heart centered on Christ will have an ability to root through the clutter in order to find and fight for what's important.
So what suggestions do y'all have regarding simplifying? Simplicity? Monk-dom perhaps?
This is post 25 in a series of 31 posts (one for every day this month) on margin. Read all the posts here. And visit The Nester to see all the 31 Day link-ups (but be warned, you could literally read for days and never read all the good stuff linked up there!)
So then what's the solution? Because that's what this is all about, really. This lack of space and inability to cull activities/responsibility, leads to a lack of SPACE (aka margins) in our lives. I also feel a little helpless that I apparently cant even explain what margins are properly.
I really love the idea of simplifying, I'm just not very good at the practice of simplifying. And I think it comes down to simplicity of heart. A singleness of purpose rooted in the understanding that a heart centered on Christ will have an ability to root through the clutter in order to find and fight for what's important.
So what suggestions do y'all have regarding simplifying? Simplicity? Monk-dom perhaps?