Ah, the first week of January. When we look in horror at our
Christmas pictures and realize we are not what we had thought. When we begin to
appreciate how the end of the year can gradually dull our senses to healthy
choices. When we realize we haven’t had time or energy to exercise in weeks. So
out comes the notebook and down go the resolutions that we want with all our
heart to keep.
One of my resolutions is to devote more time to this
website. I’ve begun a new life in the country, and I am eagerly anticipating
discovering the art of creating a more sustainable, more independent, healthier
lifestyle based on simplicity, work ethic and learning to be still and hear God’s
voice more clearly in such a frantic world. I plan to record my journey of this
first year here for anyone who is contemplating similar goals.
I’ve made a few intentional changes I’m going to share with
you in this post. This is a list of easy way you can begin to make different
choices that will seem small, but over the years will cause an impact in our
world – one you can be sure will make life just a little better for your
children and grandchildren. These are goals I have already implemented and have
found to be straightforward and doable. Even if you aren’t in a place to do all
five, you could pick one or two to start. Any move forward is a step in the
right direction.
But why do we want to become better stewards of our bodies
and our world? Does it really matter what we do? Does God care about the way we
take care of our bodies, our homes, our land?
The Bible says in Psalm 24 “The earth is the Lord’s, and
everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (NIV). That means this
world and all that it contains, and our very bodies and minds and souls belong
to the God who created us. So it’s God who gets to say whether it’s okay for us
to fill up a Texas-sized trash heap in the ocean or fill our bodies with all
manner of convenience and junk food and irresponsibly made products.
And do we
really need to debate what God would rather for us? He gave us such a large and
vibrant variety of plants and animals and materials with which to build our
lives. What are we missing in settling for the easy substitutes? Even if it is just one small step at a time, I believe God is honored when we make
progress back to his original design for us.
So here are ten ideas to get you started on your own journey
to a more intentional existence:
1
REDUCE TRASH.
· Recycle your recyclables. Most cities implement
some kind of recycling program now. If you live in the country like I do
and don’t have recycling pick-up, we found a recycling drop off two miles down
the road at the fire station. We keep a big leaf-recycling bag next to the back
door and throw all our recyclable material in it. Once in a while we throw it
all in the back of the van and drive it down to the fire station. It isn’t a
big deal when it becomes habit.
· Try to buy things not contained in plastic. Buy
a few reusable recycled bags at your grocery store and get in the habit of
taking them with you every time. Choose your own fruits and veggies and put them
in THESE REUSABLE NETTED BAGS. Our society uses a ridiculous amount of
packaging for everything and anything, but be mindful of it. Check for
places at Lowes, the library, the fire station or the grocery store that
have drop offs for recycling things like plastic grocery bags or batteries.
Once again, it’s just about making it a habit. If you can’t avoid it, at least
try to reuse it. I reuse Aldi's deli meat tubs for other purposes, as well as
jelly and salsa jars (to make my own.) I ordered a few of THESE REUSABLE ZIPLOC BAGS and I like them a lot. They’re easy to rinse out and hang over the teapot
or the kitchen faucet to dry overnight.
· Start a compost pile. I have THIS LITTLE BUCKET
I keep under the kitchen sink to collect scraps. Things like paper towel and
toilet paper tubes, egg cartons and cardboard boxes can be broken down and
tossed into a compost pile. Egg shells, fruit and veggie waste, banana peels
and coffee grounds are all great additions to make a compost pile of your own
and save money on that compost you have to buy every year when you garden. In
the country, it’s easy to find a corner to start tossing your compost, but you
may have to be a little more creative in the city or a neighborhood.
· Be more mindful of what you buy. Do you really
need it? Will you use it long-term? Is there something you already have that
might work in its place?
2 MINIMALIZE.
· There is something freeing and truly wonderful
in getting rid of the excess. When we moved, I was dismayed by all the junk we’d
collected in twenty years. And when I really asked myself if it was necessary,
I was able to part with quite a bit of stuff. I’m not where I want us to be
yet, but I plan to spend this year carefully combing through every cabinet,
shelf and closet and seeking out the things we don’t need that are cluttering
our existence and keeping us from finding the truly useful possessions we have.
Clothes you don’t wear, books you already read, kitchen appliances you never
used, extra sheets, blankets, pillows, toys or décor you thought might come in
useful at some point but it just never became necessary – these are the things
you should part with. Take them to Good Will, have kidney services pick them
up, sell them in a garage sale or ask around and find someone who can use them.
You won’t miss them.
3
STAY HOME.
· One of the things that makes our society so
stressful and crazy is the fact that most of us don’t spend much time in our
home. Between job and school and extracurriculars, church activities, doctor
and dentist appointments, play dates, field trips, vacations, family visits,
clubs, sports, entertainment and shopping, we can find excuses to be gone all
day every day.
Are these bad things? Not necessarily, depending on our reasons for pursuing
them. But can they take over our lives? For sure. You don’t necessarily need to
follow a doctor’s or dentist’s schedule for visiting them. Remember, they are
interested in the money they can make to sustain their business, so your health
is not their only concern. You can find a more reasonable schedule that you are
comfortable with, even if it means making routine visits less often and
pursuing lifestyle and diet changes first when you notice a non-emergency problem
creeping up in your body. Take responsibility for your health instead of being
dependent on the system to stay healthy. Make conscious choices like exercise,
moderation and balance in your diet and plenty of sleep and stress-relieving
activities. You’ll find you need to go to the doctor less, and that time you
save will be yours to spend in another way, maybe doing something at home to
build a better environment for your family.
Consider only allowing your family to have one extracurricular activity
going on at once. It won’t always work out, but kids don’t need to have
constant activity to have a full childhood. They need to time to play, to be
still, to be bored. Restricting their organized activities will be good for
them, even as good as restricting their electronics time. Teach your kids how
to be busy at home instead of constantly on the move.
Don’t be afraid to say no, even if an activity you’re being pulled into
is a good one. Be choosy with the things you allow to steal the precious moments
of your life. If something isn’t going to matter much in a few days or weeks or
especially at the end of your life – don’t let it take too much time. If it
must be done, learn to do it efficiently and as fast as you can, and try to
multitask these activities together as much as possible. Delegate jobs to kids
as well, even if they won’t do something as well as you would. They’ll get
better with practice.
If you don’t have time every day to be still, to study God’s Word, to read,
to be quiet and contemplate the world God has made for us, you’re too busy.
These are the things God wants to be priorities in your life. Protect your
time.
4 MEET NEEDS.
· It’s easy to get stuck in our own world, do our
own routine. We get so focused on our agenda we don’t see the people just
outside our zone. Make a few intentional decisions to give your time, money, energy
and compassion to those in need. Find a shelter in your area and sign up to
help serve a meal. Volunteer at places like the Ronald McDonald House to do
laundry or clean rooms. Make blessing bags to hand out to people with signs you
may pass at stoplights. Join a mentoring program or volunteer to teach English
to people who have moved to your area from other countries. Look around at your
neighbors and see who might need a helping hand. Be others-minded, and willing
to drop what you are doing to help someone else. The reward you receive for
such acts of sacrifice is undeniable. You won’t be sorry.
5 PLANT A GARDEN OR AN ORCHARD.
· There’s nothing like growing your own food. I’ve
had a garden for years, but this year I’m excited to begin a bigger, more
intentional garden to grow most of our vegetables and herbs for the year. Even
so, a small garden still pays off. Not only do you have food you didn’t have to
buy, you learn lessons by interacting closely with God’s creation, and you can teach kids how the elemental processes of creation actually work. This year I plan to
have a lot of info about what it takes to get a garden going, so stay tuned.
Beyond that, though, there are so many you tube and other resources out there. You probably won't have a question or roadblock you could come across
that wouldn’t have an answer online or in a book (check your online library search system.)
Want to start from seed? Check out Baker seeds or Ohio Heirloom Seeds. For planting trees, I've had great experiences with Stark Brothers.
So there are my five top ways to make some changes in your
life for 2020. If you have other ideas, leave a comment to share them. If you
have tried any of these and have tips to share, please do so!
I pray we will have a quieter, more intentional, more
meaningful year and decade to come.
“That we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and
holiness.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior.”
– 1 Timothy 2:2-3
*contains affiliate links
No comments:
Post a Comment