Advent word - simplify

We over complicate Christmas; rush, make, buy, clean, give, consume. How much of it is to do with expectations and what actually makes us happy? Sometimes it's the most simple of things that brings us and those we love the most joy.

A simpler lifestyle can be a way to share with those who have less and a way of returning to them what is usurped by unjust social and economic structures. Assuming a stance of under-consumption can be a provocative invitation to others into a conversation about affluence, poverty and social justice.

-Br. Robert L'Esperance

Live More Simply

I have a house full of stuff I don't use. Clothes I don't wear, books I won't read again, DVDs I don't watch. We still have boxes in the loft which remained unpacked from moving house nearly 8 years ago. Why?
At the moment, with little to no time for housework, it just feels like "stuff". I often wish I had time to remove everything from my house and only put back the things we really need, but when I do attempt to throw things away a "just in case" mentality creeps in and I worry that as soon as I throw something away I'll need it.
There are probably very few things we're hanging on to that we need and my main goal when my training ends is to declutter the house from top to bottom, inside and out.

Be more encouraging/Live more simply

Two in one blog as I forgot on Saturday! It is really hard work to write the blog when I've worked a 14 hour day, and not achieved the task! I do have a box of stuff to take to the charity shop, so hopefully I can get it there this week. I'm always trying and failing to declutter, but I suspect most of our clutter would be of little use to anyone else.
Today's task was to be more encouraging. It's the first day of the Easter hols for us and I let the kids have a onesie day whilst I tidied up, so not much opportunity for encouragement. It's also the first day of Holy Week and to mark this at St Michael's we had a Tenebrae service.
At this service candles are slowly extinguished so the service ends in near darkness apart from the paschal candle. I was reading at the service (& extinguishing candles!) and Faith decided she wanted to come- I try to encourage her with services that are different to what she's used to. She did a fab job of welcoming- for which Vicki and I gave her praise and encouragement. It was an incredibly moving service.
As far as Jacob was concerned today I tried to encourage him to eat his evening meal. I was not successful!