keep it simple, stupid

over the past two years pam and i have been struggling with what it means for us to live simply. we don’t have our answers at this point and we definitely aren’t living simply yet but we are being challenged by what we are learning. we’ve been inspired by some amazing people and thoughts, such as:

• richard foster’s – freedom of simplicity
• the simple way community in philadelphia
• lonni collins pratt’s – radical hospitality
• edith schaffer’s – l’abri

there are many other people, books, and thoughts that have been challenging how we have thought life should be lived.

right now, pam and i are trying to figure out what all this means within our lives. we see living simply as vital for our spiritual development but we’re not completely sure what a simple life looks like. we’re not planning on turning amish (though i have huge respect for them) and i don’t believe that we will be joining a commune anytime soon (though the thought of an intentional community is pretty appealing sometimes). we are just trying to sort out what we have been experiencing for the past couple of years.

what has been changing for us has been:

• a growing desire to practice hospitality within our lives.
• trying to buy less things that are new and not buy anything if it’s not necessary – just because we can buy something doesn’t mean we should.
• trying to make allot more of the things within our lives – our latest desire has been to develop the world’s most perfect salsa recipe.
• make the times we eat out or buy resturant food special occassions – i.e. eat out allot less (has anyone nocticed how often people in baton rouge eat out?)
• live on less so that our income doesn’t determine our lifestyle.

these are just a few of the things we are working on bringing into our lifes. we don’t always accomplish them but we do try. they won’t make us simple but it is at least a start.