Simple Size Me

As Josh and I prepare to transition home from Cambodia to America in 23 (but who’s counting..) days, we often find ourselves processing, dreaming, and planning toward what our life back at home might look like. We’ve been subscribing to Relevant Magazine while we’ve been over here and it’s been a great reading option for long bus rides and short attention spans :)

The July/August issue of Relevant has an article entitled “Voluntary Simplicity” which immediately intrigued both Josh and I as one of our most frequent topics of conversation has been our mutual desire to live “simply” at home, and creatively seeking ways to go about it.

We don’t want to leave Cambodia unchanged. We want the Lord to grow and work in us exactly what He wants to in our time here. And one of the most common themes that we have seen (and one that teams comment on frequently) is the profound contentment present here within the most simplistic of living conditions.

I like to think this doesn't mean simply moving home and depriving ourselves at every turn of every possible thing (because sometimes you just need a 6 piece nugget..), but I do think that America (and other such affluent places) have a knack for creating within us a "need" weren't aware existed. It has a way of opening our eyes to just one more thing, one more purchase, one more opportunity to fill (though never quite fulfill) that seemingly un-fillable space that exists within all of us.

The spiritual answer would be to say that God longs to fill that space. And I do believe that. We cannot be content apart from Him because we were created for relationship.

But apart from the spiritual aspects, I also desire to break the ties formed with consumerism over my many years in America. The Relevant article suggested things like making a list of priorities (e.g. Family, Volunteering, the Environment) and brainstorming ways to align your life better with those. It suggested making a budget (practical), taking an inventory of how you spend your time, and forcing yourself to take a day to evaluate a new purchase in order to avoid those always enjoyable "impulse buys."

While I don't feel like I have "done without" much here in Cambodia (aside from string cheese and McDonalds..) I do see how life without TV, without an overabundance of "entertainment" and distractions and excess....is actually quite manageable, and can even result in a "full" existence. Who knew? :)

Though, yes, I do still look forward to being able to spend a few hours browsing at Target.....

And maybe some new episodes of 30 Rock.

I have my weaknesses.

But I also am prayerfully considering my priorities, especially in those first few months at home.

These include:

-Time with the Lord. Journaling. Allowing the Lord to pour into me so that I can invest in the lives around me.

-Being married at home!! This is beyond exciting to my husband and I :) We finally get to date in America! And we are excited to find all the cheap ways to do just that. Cambodia has a way of making the previously mundane at home become the novel and exciting. And that works for us! Bring on the date nights to Taco Bell and Value Village! Ahh, yes.

-Time with friends and family. You know who you are. And you know how I love you. And you know I will let you buy me coffee at Starbucks. And I will order the "tall" size of course. Simple living my friends, simple living.

-Exercise. Healthy Eating. I am excited for the hikes, walks, and whatever is left of summer in Seattle when we return home :) I am also excited to become a proficient smoothie maker and find a healthy banana bread recipe (can those words exist in the same sentence?).

-Community. Serving. James 1:27. Praying for the grace to be intentional in my every day surroundings, boldness, and the ability to serve practical needs. I think clarity for this aspect will come as we move into our time at home.

Some general sites that Relevant mentioned in regards to simple living include:
SimpleSizeMe
SimpleLivingAmerica
GlobalRichList

Comments

Unknown said…
you know, it's funny because grant and i were just talking about that same article last night, and how much we justify non-simplicity. it's hard holding on to those ideas when you live in a culture of materialism and consumerism (and sometimes i even feel that HK is worse than the US!). good luck with it :-) i'll be watching for a post to hear how it goes as you transition back to the US!

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