"You are not under law but under grace." - from Romans 6:5-14
Today Susan Mark Landis expresses my own thoughts:
"I want to work toward a more sustainable lifestyle. It will be painful, and I'll experience some guilt along the way. But if I want to make changes that will last the rest of my life, I need to see hope and possibility, not yet another heavy and unbearable burden."
Susan's words reminded me of the favorite Shaker hymn, "'Tis a Gift to Be Simple." How often I make simplicity a chore to accomplish! I remember visiting the Shaker village which is not so far from the seminary I attended in Kentucky. The clean, simple buildings and furniture felt light and airy. The close ties to the natural world and the avoidance of all pretensions to fashion, wealth and influence … made me want to stay, to live there. And yet, this intentional community died out long ago. (Their gender-divided dorm living and vows of celibacy probably contributed greatly to that outcome.)
How do I bring the spirit of Shaker simplicity into my real life which is complicated by "necessary" technology (good grief, how many more chargers and cables can we shoehorn into this house?), by my obsession with craft supplies, my sentimental attachment to long forgotten toys which belonged to my children … and on and on and on. Even something as simple as our weekly "Covid-run" to the grocery store tempts me to buy things we do not need. There is a tingle of excitement in picking out a "just because" purchase. I want to experience the lightness and freedom of knowing I have what is essential already, and I can enjoy abundant life without stuff.. At the same time, I want to experience the lightness and freedom that comes with not being racked by guilt after every purchase.
David Schrock-Shenk wrote:
We know we can't shame ourselves out of this way of living … we also know too many poorer brothers and sisters around the world to be able to say, "It's too hard. Why bother?"
I believe the Gospel holds the promise of liberation from our wealth. We need to work together to claim that promise. World of Enough is about finding other people who help us shape a model of enough in our own context. Then we live with enough for 30 days. We discover that it is both possible and fun.
One of my personal assignments (assigned by moi) is to create a fun exercise for the thirty days after completing these 28 days of reflection. The exercise will be my vow to God and commitment to myself to bring more joy with less stuff by making specific changes in my behavior for the month of June. June's thirty days will be my living into these reflections. I hope, along the way, to find others who are as eager as I am to live more with less.
Questions for Today
What are five "free" things I truly enjoy doing?
What are five valuable things I own that I don't need anymore and can rehome?
How could I transfer the wealth of those items above to a person living without enough?
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