Simplicity.

I fight the battle of the world daily. Months ago God burdened my heart with a call to simplicity. A call to clean out the excess to make room for what really mattered. I didn't need 200 books from college I didn't read. I kept them because I loved the sight of so many bindings on the shelves. I also had great goals of reading them. ha. I didn't even read them in college....why did I believe I would read them now? I needed to clean out and make room for books that mattered...those including Mother Goose, and Mr. Brown Can Moo. Can You? of course. I didn't need to hang on to the excess of stuff...I needed room to breathe.

Simplicity has been my heart's desire. It has pushed me to clean off shelves, empty drawers, and truly question how many bags do I really need? How much makeup do I actually need to keep on hand? I love my wedding dress, but do I really need to keep it stored in a closet...taking up space I don't have? How many coffee cups do we actually need? Even if it's free, do I really need it in my house? Why do we still have 100 cds when everything is downloaded on the computer? 

LESS is more. 

Our garage is brimming with things we have taken from our house and are planning to sell or donate. But we aren't done. I still have more than I need.

Somewhere in my fight for simplicity the sinful, greedy desires of my flesh still war. You need more clothing. You have nothing to wear. No one will feel comfortable in your home if it doesn't have *insert random thing here.* All you really need is one more pair of shoes. Your face would look so much better if you tried this new product. 

Somehow my sinful flesh tries to keep me from simplicity.

I have nothing to wear, yet never have I left the house without something on my back. I worry my son's pants don't fit anymore....but never once has he awakened without something covering his body.

Simplicity. It sounds so wonderful, and has become to many a "fad."  But what a sad thing it really is when simplicity is desired because excess has become the norm.

I have oft wondered why the Lord has etched into my heart a need for less. Will we soon be in a much smaller space with little room? Is He about to take much from us? I dare not assume my sovereign God's plans, but I trust that as He leads me on this journey my heart will be changed.

Let me not remain the way I am, God. 

I am seeking to make my days about less "stuff" and about more moments in the yard playing with balls. Less about managing the excess and more about snuggles while we watch Baby Einstein together. Less stuff. More of what matters.

More of these guys

More walking down the driveway in cute sweaters. 

More standing and playing. more books together in the rocking chair

And if I thought I had done enough cleaning out.....God reminded me I had not. My laptop crashed this past week. Apparently He thinks I need to be grateful and contented with one computer.

Learning simplicity is even more humbling when I remember we have more than enough food in the freezer for dinner, more than enough clothing to cover our backs, more than cars parked in the driveway, and some children go to bed with growling tummies and bugs in their beds.

Our sweet Jesus didn't even have a place to lay His head. Yet what He brought was more than enough. Time for changes of perspective.