a simplified life.

I forgot to publish this post a few weeks ago! Whoops:::

We are almost entering our third month of "7"!

Let me just tell you how we're doing: If I were a teacher, I'd give us an "F". If we were getting paid for this, we MIGHT have a couple dollars. If we were already living and adapted to a third world country, we'd be knocking this thing out of the park.

But we're Americans. Living in America, drinking American water, coping with this 21st century American society. So Jason basically hasn't even participated in the 2nd month (which is clothing, btw).   My first month with food basically went:

Eat the 7 foods for about 2 days, by the 3rd day, I've cheated, and by the 4th day, I've switched one of the foods out with something else. Ha.. so I'm a failure.

HOWEVER.... Our effort doesn't reflect our gain. Our spiritual, emotional, and mental gain from TRYING. It is now a constant thought in my head every day: to live more simply. So far, I've actually loved only wearing 7 items of clothing. It takes up so much less time in my day deciding on what to wear, I haven't ONCE thought "I have nothing to wear" because I have my 7 clothes. I know what I have and every morning, I just chose an outfit.

I mean, I wear the same outfit to bed and then again the next day all the time (it's a mom thing;)), so clothes really wasn't too hard. I did realize how much I could get rid of!

A significant question Jen Hatmaker asks in her book is about identifying yourself with these THINGS.

"What in my life, if taken away, would alter my value or identity?"

I try and think about this whenever I'm questioning keeping something, buying something, or giving (something I've been doing more of) something. Even things I get for Andie! It breaks my heart sometimes going into her closet knowing all her clothing needs are met and so much more, when a lot of children don't have any clothes at all!

So I'm off to go sleep in my Nike shorts and gray gap tee. Again. for the 4th day in a row.