Cares of the World

Matthew 13: 22 "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing."

Lately, the cares of the world have demanded a great deal of attention making life very complicated. Not only that, they literally are thorns in my side that cause pain and distract me from my prayer life of peace and assurance. Without a doubt, the world is a demanding, self important place. As a matter of fact, it is like a disobedient two-year old having a temper tantrum screaming, "Mine. Mine. No. No. Now. Now."

Shush little world. It's time to go for a walk and talk with God for a bit. Now that will be fruitful! The bills will wait. This beautiful day that the Lord has made will not wait.

Helping Hurting People

Simple Presence: With so much pain in the world one might feel helpless in trying to relieve the suffering. It's true that there is only so much one person can do, but I am one person and my simple presence does make a difference.

Last week, while walking to a Fargo Starbucks, I prayed that God use me for whatever came up there. Since I was serious in this request and God was serious in hearing me, I was prepared for a worst case scenario such as a robbery or a lunatic gunman. But, all was quiet at the coffee shop while I prayed and read the Bible.

After getting my second cup of coffee, a gentleman made eye contact and said, "Hello." That was all it took to begin a serious discussion about faith. This isn't the first time something like this has happened.

In summary, we are able to help others by simply talking with God, saying that we are ready for direction and know that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. After that, it becomes God's doing.

Company's Coming

Being a summer that kept us running from work to home, from home to Fargo, and home to WI, MN and MT there just wasn't much time left over for summer projects or entertaining. But, don't let me fool you. The main reason we didn't have time for company is because we didn't have sufficient time to plan and prepare an excellent dinner or a shiny clean home.

Today we had 2 good friends over, Stacy and her daughter, Darian. The house was not shiny clean, so what, Alan prepared excellent foil dinners. It was good enough for us to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather and walk to the lake. I hope that they come more often.

Buy One, Toss One

Tip #27: Before Bringing One New Thing into the House, Toss Out at Least One Thing You Already Have.

Take books for an example. Can a person really have too many books? Perhaps not, but I am running out of storage room for them. The solution is to make room on the shelf before buying a new book. Better yet, don't buy books, borrow them.

Clothes are another example. How many old shirts does a person really need? Will I ever truthfully fit into a size 3 again? Turn the old shirts into rags and give the nice, but, too small clothes away.

It may be hard to part with an old cherished tee shirt, but, it is just stuff that is cluttering your life.

Do It in Threes

Tip #26: Three at a Time

As I lamented the accumulation of many detailed tasks, my sister, Sandy, gave me a tip that she uses, do it in threes. So, if there is a pile of mail to go through, pick up three letters and deal with those. If there is clutter to deal with, pick up three items and put them away.

Why three? Do it in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, Amen. In a prayer-filled life, even the most mundane tasks can take on an aspect of prayer. The best part is that it works.

Things are Not Memories

Tip #25: Memories are Memories, Not Things.

As the process of decluttering continues, I find myself saying such things as, "We got this on our trip to Hawaii." Or, "We've had this since we were married." The implication is that the object produces a memory of the event or time of life that it represents. Actually, that is not the case, or the object is a poor representation of the memory. Sometimes, I cannot even remember where something came from, such as, the candle holder on my dresser.

Recently I parted with a poster from my first year in college. I liked the poster very much, but it was faded, bent and lost most of its original beauty. What I discovered though was that it was the memory I wanted, not the poster. Actually, the poster in my memory was better than the original thing. Memories are memories, not the things connected to them.

Thrive on Neglect Flowering Plants

Tip 24: Plant a "Thrive on Neglect Flower Garden"

Do you love flowers but dislike fussing over them? These are my recommendations.

Sedum: Sedum are succulent type plants that come in all types of interesting shapes, sizes, colors and flower varieties. They thrive on little to no care, spread without becoming invasive and can be propagated easily. Some are great for ground covers while others make beautiful specimen plants. Share them with friends to expand your collection. I like to get a couple of new varieties every year. I live in North Dakota and they even survive our winters.

Lamium: This is a ground cover that spreads easily, comes in a variety of interesting leaf varieties and flower colors. Some varieties may become invasive to take care with the type you grow. Tolerates shade.

Rudbeckia: This sun-loving plant can really take the heat, but tolerates frigid winters. Most are yellow and orange in color although new colors are coming out every year. They reseed on their own but do not become invasive.

Heliopsis: This tall plant puts out yellow flowers all summer and into the fall. It reseeds on its own. Other than occasional dead heading, it needs nothing.

Reblooming Day Lilies: This is another hardy, plant and forget flower. Plant a few bulbs in the spring or fall and just watch them grow, never needing another thing.

Song of Songs 2.12:

The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtle-dove
is heard in our land

Simple, Meaningful Easter Tree

Tip #23 Easy Easter Tree

Easter is a major Christian holiday when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb of death. For many years I've had an Easter tree that I begin at this time of the year by snipping branches from my lilac bushes and putting them in water. Over the weeks of Lent, prior to Easter, the buds gradually begin to open into beautiful green leaves. This works well with other dormant shrubs as well.

If you want to get fancy you could put ribbons on the tree or other little ornaments. I prefer to appreciate the beauty of the new leaves and their symbol of new life.

The Functional Home

Tip #22 Blending Function and Form

One of the problems of the way my home is organized is that sometimes I sacrificed function for form. The goal is to blend the two together for an uncluttered, attractive, practical home. Here are a few adjustments that I made to this end.

Paper work is my biggest struggle. For example, filling out Flex Forms for reimbursement used to mean hunting in the office filing cabinet for invoices, forms and insurance statements. Now, I keep all incomplete paperwork in a folder next to my cookbooks. Once the reimbursement comes through, the invoices and insurance statements are dated and filed. This has saved a lot of time and hassle.

My husband brings work home from the office frequently. Since we both enjoy working in the living room where are a large window looks over the lake, paperwork tends to collect and clutter. Since we do not have room for a desk in the living room I started to put various projects into folders and using the entertainment center as a sort of file cabinet. Only current projects are kept there. Everything else goes into the office filing cabinet.

It is a challenge to keep a small home organized and uncluttered. Being innovative and practical with one's space helps solve some of these problems.

A Simple Quiet Life

Tip #21: Diminish Auditory Overload

Noise is distracting. There are many ways to control the environment to reduce the amount of noise entering into the brain. We decided to disconnect our TV service. We no longer listen to the din of endless, often nonsensical chatter on the TV. When we speak, we can hear each other. When we pray, we hear God in our hearts and souls. We are much more tuned into nature, the call of birds, the hoot of owls in our yard, the wind of a new weather front coming through.

This may take some getting used to, and occasionally, I miss the inane chatter of human voices. Usually, the simple quiet of the earth and its creatures produces a calming affect compatible with living a Godly life.

Feeling Weak Sometimes?

Tip#20 - You are Strong When You are Weak

One of the paradoxes of living a holy life is that even when feeling weak, one can be strong through grace. 2Corinthians 12:9-10 addresses this paradox. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong."

The weaker I am, the more I depend upon Christ for strength. Here is an example. My body has a chronic illness or two. Some might say that I am weaker because of this; but that is not the case at all. It is during those times of weakness that I rely most upon Jesus for my strength. Those are my times of greatest strength. I give up busyness and take on the simple life of prayer and meditation resulting in a strength that previously seemed unattainable.

Consider the Lilies of the Field

Tip #19 All things come in due season.

As another cold snap settles in around the lake I have been considering the lilies of the field. Were they fooled by the few days of above freezing temperatures we experienced a couple of weeks ago? Are the stirrings of spring becoming restless deep within their bulbs of life, or, are they biding their time in faith that it will again be warm? Perhaps they are doing a bit of both.

Matthew 6:28...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.

Making the Best of Disappointment

Tip 18: Accept the Circumstances

Preparations for the trip began months ago with prayers, letters, maps, reading, study, rearranging schedules and great anticipation. Then, the monkey wrenches started to be tossed into the plans. We can overcome that barrier, we can jump this hurdle, or so we thought. At some point came the realization that it just wasn't going to work out and the trip was cancelled, for now.

We all know what disappointment feels like when something we looked forward to just doesn't work out. So what is one to do about it? Accept and make the best of it. One thing I have learned in life is that God has a plan for us and all things work for God's purpose. Say, "Yes" to God and "No" to the temptation of having it my may, or thinking that we ultimately are in control.

If One Must Wait, Wait Patiently

Tip#17 If One Must Wait, Wait Patiently

We are halfway through a rather challenging winter. It seems like spring will never come and the snow will never melt; but, it does. There is nothing we can do to hurry the process, so, simply wait patiently. All things come in their own time as the Lord determines in heaven.

But I shall always wait in patience, *
and shall praise you more and more (Psalm 71:14)

P.S. I am not as patient as the psalmist, but I am working on it.

Soul Priority

Tip#16 Nothing is a Greater Priority than Your Soul

It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of worldly ventures, indeed, it is often expected that we do. We get so busy with life's trivia that we neglect the most important part of us, the soul.

Nothing we do during the day is as important as having a relationship with God. As a matter of fact, I dedicate my whole life as a prayer to God. When done in faith the trivial slips away to reveal the one path that follows Jesus. My soul lives in the Kingdom of God today, tomorrow and always.

Every Yes is a No

Tip#15: Yes, Yes, or No, No

When I say, "Yes," to one thing, I am saying, "No," to something else. It would be nice if we could actually do everything we want to do; but, a reality of this life is that there are 24 hours in a day and we need to spend a good portion of those hours sleeping.

Last year a friend and I decided to learn how to play bagpipes. We were assured that if we practiced an hour/day we could learn to play bagpipes in one year. That is most likely true. We haven't found out because we haven't said, "No," to something else that takes an hour/day.

That is part of the beauty of simplicity. By living simply, we can say, "Yes," more often, be more available. Before taking on something new, it is important to decide what will be dropped to make room for the new activity, then, decide which is most important.

Matthew 5.37:

Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Simplicity Yields Great Returns

Tip #14 Simple is More

One of the vows that Anglican Dominicans take is a life vow of simplicity. As a novice in the Order of Preachers and learning to live with simplicity, I have learned that simplicity is more, more time, more resources, more peace of mind. All of this is dedicated to God.

Unfortunately, simplicity is a gift that many reject. What is complicating your life right now? Life is difficult and we often must face serious problems. There is no reason to carry that burden alone. Turn it over to God, lay it at His feet.

Rev. Mark Brown has additional words regarding this topic.

http://journeyintotheword.com/2011/01/seeking-the-simple-life/

One Thing

Tip#13 Do Just One Thing

Living with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue taught me one lesson extremely well, strive to do the one thing. In the past I created complicated lists of things 'to do' and get done in a given portion of time. Always, without exception, I failed to do it all. When I became ill I was forced to live with the reality that I'd be fortunate to accomplish even one thing on my list. That meant setting priorities and focusing in a new way. This resulted in a simpler life with a greater sense of satisfaction.

This article, How to Accomplish More with Only One Thing, by Rebecca Barlow Jordan, contains good ideas regarding the application of this principle.

Simplify Your Wardrobe

Tip#12 Black pants and skirts match everything.

Even before I became a Dominican Sister I learned that wearing black pants or skirts warded off the problem of "what to wear" when getting ready for work. Black matches everything. At that time I had a number of beautiful bright jackets and shirts that always looked good with black. Over time my wardrobe became more and more black just because it was so easy. As a Dominican I now wear black and white as my simple informal habit.

Stitch a Prayer

Tip #11 Pray While Knitting or Crocheting

This is a simple prayer reminder technique. While knitting or crocheting I pray through my prayer list with each stitch that I make. This is also a good memorization technique. While learning a new prayer I recite parts of it with each stitch. Repetition reinforces my memory.

Prayer Corner

Tip #10 Have a Place for Prayer

Being an Anglican Dominican, each day I pray the Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer using the Book of Common Prayer. Sometimes, my mind wanders because of fatigue, distractions or just familiarity with the words. Therefore, I have two areas in my house designated for prayer that contain two objects that help me concentrate on prayer. These objects are simply a cross and a candle. When I find that my mind is wandering, I focus on these external reminders and follow the path into my heart. Of course, I do pray in other places and other times throughout the day. My prayer corners remind me that I am entering a special time and place purposefully for prayer.

Small Kitchen Appliances

Tip #9 Most small kitchen appliances are unnecessary and create clutter.

There are a few small appliances that are worth the space that they take up, which isn't much. One is a small KitchenAide hand mixer. There is no need for that great big expensive mixer unless you make bread with it or make large quantities of dough. My little mixer works for almost everything. I do have a bread maker which also works for almost any kind of dough or batter, even jelly. The third appliance that I just got a few years ago is a small Cuisanart food processor. It does everything a blender does but in small volumes. It has simplified my life by eliminating all of the chopping of food preparation. All are easy to clean, an important feature.

Swift Clean with Swiffer Sweeper

Tip #8 Wood Laminate Floors Clean Swiftly with a Swiffer

Over the past year we put wood laminate floors in three of our bedrooms to replace old stinky carpeting and to control allergies. With 2 dogs and 2 cats we have our share of dust and hair. I keep a Swiffer Sweeper in each bedroom closet along with a dust pan and little brush to do a daily sweep. It takes less than 5 minutes all together and keeps the floors looking good. Since we live in the country next to a lake and burn wood, we get a fair number of spiders. The Swiffer is great for getting spiders out of the ceiling corners.

Bag the Books

Tip#7 Keep current reading materials in a tote bag. I usually read from about 6-7 books each day and several journals. Since I read in different places I tend to leave books here and there and everywhere. Now I keep them in one tote bag. It is neater, easier and I do not lose books. It also forces me to be more disciplined about the number of books I am reading at one time.

Recycling Made Easy

Tip #6 Sort it at the Recycling Center. For years all of the boxes, crates and bags that resulted from recycling caused frustration and disorganization. It seemed more complicated that it needed to be. Now, I toss most of it in a big plastic tub and sort it at the recycling center. It is much faster and neater. I still separate the aluminum into another tub, but wouldn't really need to do that. A once a week trip to the center keeps the mess under control.

Online Banking

Tip #5 Do your banking online. Auto pay, bill pay, electronic transfers and daily statements take the headache out of handling financial tasks and save huge amounts of time.

Forgive and Promote Love

Tip #4 Forgive and Love Enemies and Friends Alike

Hate, violence and gossip complicate lives and even destroy lives. Have no part in it other than to promote love and forgiveness.

Filing

Tip #3 Filing made easy. Use an accordion style file case that looks similar to a briefcase with a handle. There are about10 places for different files arranged alphabetically, auto, electric, water, credit card, bank statements, receipts, taxes. When I open the mail each day the paper goes right into the appropriate file. More on managing paperwork coming tomorrow.

Bed Sheets

Tip #2 Don't waste time folding sheets. Use a pillow case to stuff the sheets into. Everything remains together and it saves time. I store the sheets in a large plastic tub in my closet where they are easy to get when it is time to use them.

A Vow of Simplicity

As a Sister in the Anglican Order of Preachers, AKA, Anglican Dominicans, I vow to live a simple life. My goal is to help others live simply. There will be no fancy anything on this site, just practical tips that have helped simplify my life, thereby, allowing the time and environment for those things that are a priority.

Tip #1 Shed the stuff. Do you still cling to stuff and does it own you? Choose to shed one thing at a time, recycle, reuse or toss.