Still Living The Simple Life Dream

This may go against every grain in my Dutch culture, but I actually enjoy change.

I often wondered how having a child would change our life. The change has been absolutely beautiful, even though the change hasn’t always been easy. But one thing that I have realized that has not changed, is how we LIVE our life.

One thing that I didn’t to change was the simplicity of our life. That can easily change when faced with so many decisions already having to be made with regards to having a child. For example, how much furniture to have, toys, clothes, things to do, etc. Decisions that required a lot of thinking because they would set the precedence for later on in life. Decisions that would reflect a simple or not so simple life.

Thanks to my parents, who taught me what simple living looks like. Thanks to the way we were raised, that taught us that joy can’t be found in “things” but in who we live for (Christ) and what we live for.

So let me ask, who are YOU living for and for what are you living for?

I have had to ask myself those questions numerous times since having Mazy. For each person, the answers depend on what you value and what you hold as priorities in your life. As for me, I first and foremost, live for my Savior. Without Him, I am nothing and what I have, He has given to me to be a steward over. Because He has blessed me more than I could imagine, I feel it is only right to hold onto the things that I know I can be a good steward over. If I have too much, I am only becoming ungrateful for the things I do have and can’t keep up on caring for all I have. That is why for me, a simple life dream means realizing who created me and that simplicity with fewer things, an organized life with less, is the best way I can be a good steward over what He has given me.

For each person the “amount” of what they own looks different. I do not like owning things that I never use. I find it to be pointless, a waste of space, and typically someone else can find a better use for it than I can. That is why I wanted to do the 100 Things Challenge. I find that it is way too easy to let stuff overtake our homes. I can see that happening now, after having Mazy. Kids require a lot it seems, but they do not have to require too much. It’s what we allow through the doors of our homes, that either says we value what we own, or we are willing to accumulate whatever we can, without putting much thought into what it is doing to our lives and our home.

How about you? Are you overwhelmed by the clutter in your home? Do you desire to live the simple life dream? Dan and I enjoy spending our money on making memories, not necessarily on possessions. Memories are something we can always take with us. That is just one way we try and practice living a simple life.

What are you doing to live the life you want to live? What do you find satisfying?