I was motivated to write this post after looking at your blogs and thinking, "I wish they would update their blogs more often!" . . . .
Well, I'm home now. I haven't had any trouble adjusting really. In a sense, it's like I just woke up from a nine-month-long dream. I can still drive American-style. I wasn't swamped by the overwhelming swell of people at Southern's graduation (although there were a few moments of terror right at the beginning of the weekend!) And I've figured out what to do on the internet other than just checking my email (read people's blogs on the no-longer-blocked blogspot!)
Here at home I've been busy catching up on books I haven't seen in a while, chatting with my friends, and working around the house. I've definitely enjoyed using reliable internet, being able to pick up the phone and call most anybody, and eating a huge variety of delicious food. But something inside me has changed.
One of the things I've learned from my time in Gimbie is that more isn't always more. I actually kind of miss the slow, spotty internet (more time with real people) and the simplicity and joy of having plain food most of the time (it really made the weekends, when we cooked for ourselves, more enjoyable.) Sometimes excessive variety can get monotonous.
I want my life to be simple, because I think that's when it's truly abundant.
Excelsior
P.S. Have suggestions about how to live life simply? Let me know!
Thanks for this post. I've been thinking about living simply too. Here are some ideas
ReplyDelete--Tithe more than 10% (less cash to spend on extra clutter)
--Schedule simple activities (less time left for frivolous time wasters)
--Sell a toy to buy a tool
That's a pretty profound closing statement, Joel! But you know, I believe it's true. A life of abundance seems to come when you realize that you have to rely on God for everything, and that generally happens when you don't have much to begin with.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother called to comment on this blog (technical difficulties prevented her from posting one), and she had such an interesting comment that I wanted to share it with you. Her suggestion can basically be boiled down to specialization. If you specialize in something, (her example was learning how to make a few kinds of soup really well) then you'll be able to pare down the things you have to have around. You won't have to figure out what to make, get recipe books out, find unfamiliar ingredients, etc. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Barry :)
ReplyDelete