Choosing to Simplify
What are you willing to give up? In today’s economy, many people are looking for ways to trim the budget. Senior editor Claire talks about different perspectives on cutting back.
Learn to manage your time better with our free online interactive life lesson “Time Management“!
Are you ready to “simplify your life”? If so, what is one thing that you wouldn’t be willing to give up?
Tags: economy, in other words, Money, simplifying, Video
Husband lost job last Dec. Worked constant p/t at 1/2 old pay. I’m disabled. Felt God led to sell our 3 bedroom home, move to a city w/great public transit. Thanking HIM for whispering this in our ear. Took 6 months to accomplish;
Result so far: husband in college to retrain, no mortgage, smaller living space that I can mainly take care of, found hours, peace and lots of time w/daughter, her family & old friends, STRESS gone, gone, gone,no more robbing Peter to pay Paul, JOY has returned as God led us to be pro-active and embrace the simply life fully. Laughter reigns in our lives once more as
I am wanting to downsize since my children are now on their own. Can’t manage repairs on my 3 story (if you count the full basement) to get it ready to sell. Thinking about one of those “we buy houses”…not to make a profit, just to get out from the mortgage…had to refinance when the husband walked out 10 years ago. Need lots of prayer and someone to help through the processes…decisions are hard for me at this stage of life. Giving up the house is like the last mark of maintaining our home for my children…and what about being able to have grandchildren to spend the night in their mother’s or their daddy’s old room…it’s hard.
Your reflection sounds so motivating Andi, to simplify. My husband and I are going through the same thing as you and Cheryl. I have been encouraging my husband to think about selling our four bedroom house now that my two youngest of four children have just gone off to college. My husband and I both work nd make a good income, but all our money goes toward house and debt. Now he has agreed to sell and now I am the one balking. I feel embarrassed that I will be the only one of my friends that might no longer have a home of their own. Our kids will be coming back and forth, home from college, etc. So Cheryl, I hear you, this is a life changing event. It is going to be difficult. Please keep me in your prayers and I will continue to lift you up as we go through this process.
Letting go can be difficult for sure. Our kids could still stay w/us but we usually go to them; they have the ‘guest room!…..works well.
Somethings I took photos of because I realized it is/was not the ‘thing’ itself that I would miss but rather it was the ‘fear of loss of the memories’ attached that would be forgotten. This helped my husband to let go of tons of his ‘stuff’ he’d been holding on to for over 30 years [like college notes for goodness sakes........LOL]
Having let stuff GO is freeing; try it in small quantities to check it out.
And please remember that it was a ‘process’ that took many months from beginning to end. God whispered last Nov to begin to renovate to get ready to sell; We moved into our new smaller digs in Sept.
Like Cathy says, it was indeed a ‘Life Changing Event.’
I pray you both will find the correct path as HE leads and guides. Be blessed
Simplicity of Life.
Its an amiable goal but
not an easy one as the world
is constantly bombarding is
to move towards that which
is complex. I love the verse
where Jesus says..Come unto
me all ya that are weary and
heavy laden and ye shall find
rest unto your souls.
This tells my heart that for one
to find true simplicity, one must
look continually to Jesus who is
the author and finisher of our
faith. His life was one of simplicity
yet He was rich as far as the kingdom
of God. This is also my goal, to keep
Jesus Christ as the center of my life
then all things come into a proper
perspective.This will effect every
area of the life we have here in this
world and we will make it our lifestyle
to not be over consumers and be able to
think of others needs, such as the poor.
God is good..seek Him through Jesus Christ
the Lord and true simplicity is yours…
peazy
Dear Peazy, Thank You so much for your thoughts and how you’ve put them to words. I have reprinted them at :http://www.health-adventure-coach.com/health/spiritualhealth/ under the heading ‘Simplicity’.
I am going to adopt your words as my own as I feel them but you were able to put those heartfelt desires into words.
Blessings
Lori Clinch Adams
nice to here how you are dedicated to help would like to hear more
Im not sure how much more I can downsize. We have no cable or satellite, no home phone, we lost our house and we live in a camper. They say to live on one income but im a secretary and i dont make that much and if we try to live on his income and he gets sick then what? Rent now days is at least 700.00 or more and that would take one of my 2 paychecks. How do people make it these days? I would at least like to have a house so my grandkids can come over and spend the nights.
Oh Cindy, it doesn’t sound as if you can make anymore changes except it seems you could live on one and save the other for your ‘just in case fund?’
That’s what we’ve done ever since we were married; never allowed the small amount I could make to become a part of our ‘standard of living.’
I pray God helps, leads and guides you in HIS infinite wisdom, mercy and grace….much grace. May HE grant you favour in the eyes of others and allow you to have some of your hopes and dreams become reality…. especially for your realtionship w/your grandkids.
God can do amazing things in ways we NEVER expect.
A couple of friends who are in dire straights had a daughter approach them to see if grandma would be the regular baby-sitter for their children. When they said yes, the daughter said; we’re going to purchase a home w/a granny suite in it [it's 1200 sq ft]. Our friends are over-joyed even as they are delightfully shocked.
I share their story as another example of how FAther God can surprise us and take care of us.
Again I pray that HE will supply all that you need and give you HIS comfort and peace as you seek HIM in your life.
thank you andy, I need a little encouragement once in a while.
oops sorry, Andi
Cindy….lol….would you believe my husband is Andy w/the ‘Y’ on the end?
Glad it encouraged you. Keep in touch perhaps to let us know how and when God will take care of your needs and perhaps even begin to satisfy the desires of your heart?
HE is such a creative Father; I encourage you to keep your spiritual eyes and ears open to any possibility He may cause to cross your path. Be blessed dear sister
Cheryl, I’m wondering how things are going for you now. Have you made a decision?
guess nid a stronger prayer
Hi All,
Listening to you all has given me encouragement. I have been unemployed for 20 months. My husband and I wre blessed by help of our sons and daughter-in-laws to help us get into senior housing. Its a one bed room on the thrid flour that has an elevator. We are in an end unit so we have lots of windows and a lot of light! The lord blessed us and continues as I look for a job. We are on one income ( unemployment that ends July 31). I have kept asking the Lord why? and all I get is why not?. I have been learning to slow down I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and it goes in cycles that can be horrific. So I guess that is one reason why the Lord has seen fit for me not finding a job right now. We have learned to leave within our means which has been hard. Our joy is our first granddaughter to which we baby sit. 3 days at our place and 2 days at their place. My husband has no job and his disability ran out in Dec of ’09, he has been trying to get Disability Social Security but, has been denied twice so he is trying for a thrid time. He has degenertive disc diease of his back and is in content pain, the DSSI folks say it is not severe enough-go figure. I try not to worry about income, but it is difficult-the Lord always has come through dispite my concerns so, I continue to increase and extend my faith.
thank you all for your comments I have surely been bless by them.
Constance
Hi Constance, [Andi here]
I’ve got Sjogren’s Syndrome which also includes Fibro [years ago I was told it is the most painful condition there is]. You sound like us; small seniors buidling, one BR; the whole bit. Yeah, I think God moved us here because it’s all I can look after now. Which is a good and wonderful and freeing thing!
I do some work in the flower gardens [about an hour or two a week] as the illness allows.
[I've learned to work w/it rather than to force past a certain point and then pay big time; this is the best w/Fibro too by the way; work and rest then work and rest again]
I pray that your husband will find a solution to the disability and I know that God is faithful to His kids…just keep praying and humbly asking as you stand upon all the promises in His word.
I try to watch our grand daughter but can only do about 1/2 day;including her sleeping time…. so not much energy left but she is a joy.
I hope to visit our son and his family in Norway next week if the back log is not too long; saved and sacrificed for the trip [I've been wondering how many more times this old body will let me visit]
My husband will finish his college in a couple of weeks and will enter one year of Internship. We will have to live on even less…gulp….wow…even less….. during this next year. God has provided for all of our needs so we can contninue to wait and allow Him to supply them …. and pray that Andy will have a good job next year and we’ll be able to give more back to the Kingdom!
Be blessed and encouraged that He is faithful and will help … it’s just hard living on the edge at times eh? [we’ve been doing this the past 20 years… and actually w/out a mortgage we have been able to heave a huge sigh of relief and enjoy our ‘small world’ that has freed us up to enjoy people and life rather then spending all our time trying to hold things together. Know what I mean???
Be blessed
Andi
please i need some to assist me i,m an orphan from liberia , i need some books cd dvd to encourage me in my spiritual life and journey
Father God, You have heard rev Moses cry for help as he has thrown it out to be lifted up before you. Father Your word says YOU are Father and Mother to the orphans and widows and so today I stand w/Moses and ask You Lord God to open the windows of heaven and help Moses w/these very practical needs that he has use of for Your honour and glory alone Lord God! Father supply Moses needs and his heart desires also as they are purified by your refiner’s fire. Lord Moses is asking all of us on this discussion of living simply to STAND w/him today and so Lord I pray that we will surround him in prayer; that Moses will be encouraged in his daily walk w/You as His Lord and Saviour. I Jesus name I ask these things….
amen and amen…..
I hope that God will supply your needs Moses and I hope that God has supplied the needs of the gals who have shared in this discussion; an update would be most welcome and appreciated ladies!
We are now living on $15.00 an hour, which is a large cut from what my husband was getting while in college; the gov’t does not pay for his Internship Year. My meds are expensive and he still has to pay almost 1.000.00 for school fees [even though he is technicaly not in school; figure that one out??? We can't ... lol and grrrrr].
But God will supply ALL our needs and on this we stand.
Sure hope to have an update on your circumstances ladies :-D Be blessed
Andi