Dandelions and Daydreams

In the last year, Brenton and I have moved twice.  We were in a 2 bedroom apartment (with a garaged), and we decided to downsize to a 1 bedroom, 300 sq ft. hobbit hole.  The decision came after realizing that we were spending about $300 for the luxury of having a bedroom and a garage used for junk storage.

During the move, we donated about a third of the stuff we owned.  From what was left, about 1/3 went into storage because it was loved, but not stuff we needed daily.  Of the stuff that we moved into our new little home, amazingly, we continued to declutter.  We had a box to donate about once a month.

That living situation lasted 8 months, and we found out that we are expecting our first baby.  The time had come for us to move back up to that 2 bedroom apartment.  After we emptied the small apartment, the house was full.  We had tripled our space, and the house was full before we even emptied the storage unit!

We settled in to the house by unpacking the necessities:  Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom.  Everything else stayed in boxes and got put into the spare bedroom.  I closed the door behind me and didn’t look back in for a month.  With just the necessities unpacked, my house has never stayed clean so…effortlessly!  I found myself dreading unpacking the spare room for fear of creating an explosion of chaos once again.

During that month, I slowly came to an incredible realization.  I feel just so unAmerican saying it.  I am so much more satisfied with my life–content–when I have less stuff to maintain and care for.  Could the advertisers be wrong?  Have I been sold a lie all of my life?

In my minimalist house, I found that:

• The house stayed clean with little effort
• I felt relaxed and at home
• Home wasn’t a place to avoid, rather it embraced me and inspired me to create
• Peace ruled this place
• There was “no place like home.”

Less stuff equals more satisfaction.  I don’t think it’s just about less maintenance though.  I think that ultimately, stuff can never make us happy.  More stuff leads to craving even more stuff still, and those cravings push out space for the things that are really important in life.

I took that time to plant a vegetable garden and go to the farmers market on the weekends, and slowly begin to redefine my life.  I’ve opened the door on the spare bedroom because I have a self-imposed deadline of August 27 (3 months before baby is due).  As I unpack, nothing comes out of there unless I can find a home for it.  We have dropped another box off for donations and posted a few things on freecycle.  We took two big boxes of books to the library as donations and even threw away some college textbooks.  I’ve started releasing projects that I don’t think I will ever really finish, and started thinking about which hobbies I really want to keep in this new life.

I feel like a tree going through pruning, so that my life can be more fruitful in this next season.  I feel like I am breathign fresh air again.

Today I stumbled across Laylitas recipe for Rhubarb and strawberry empanadas.  I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up with the delights of rhubarb pie or rhubarb cobbler (too hot to grow rhubarb in Georgia), but I am definitely liking the looks of this recipe.  I wonder if it is too late to get rhubarb from the farmer’s market.

Photo credit goes to Laylita from Laylita’s recipes.  Go check out this blog.

Image via Wikipedia

I keep having all these crazy cravings for food that I thought I hated.  Most notably, Avocados and Tomatoes.

I thought I hated avocados, but I think my love affair started at a Cinco De Mayo party this year.  It was the bean dip, the only thing I could eat at the party without feeling sick.  I haven’t been able to get enough avocado since then.  I buy them every time I go shopping.  I have avocado chunks in every salad I make.  Avocado on a turkey(real turkey meat, not deli meat) and tomato sandwich is heavenly.

Which brings me to my next point.  Why did I start craving tomatoes after (and only after) the salmonella scare?  I was holding off until I was certain the store tomatoes are save (mostly shipped from California).  Now that California tomatoes are cleared as safe, I may have to give in to my cherry tomato craving.  I don’t like tomatoes.  I have never liked tomatoes.  The things I am doing for this baby.

For the June 16 Carnival of Christian Women, God seemed to have brought a focus on busyness, anxiety, and making the best use of time. The first four articles offer some great thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy all the article in this edition of the Carnival of Christian Women.

Featured Posts

Forthekids presents When the Lord Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window posted at Reasonable Kansans. One woman’s testimony to letting go of anxiety and learning to trust God.

GP presents Focused or Frazzled posted at Innside Montana-Your Home at the Range, saying, “Rather than feeling like you actually participate in and enjoy your days, you’re being driven through life by all the things you must do?
Look to the L-rd”

Jess presents The Best Use of the Time posted at Making Home.

Crystal Nichols presents Go! The Lord has gone ahead of you! posted at Christian in the Corporate World, saying, “In Judges 4, Deborah was having a busy day. As the judge-prophetess for Isreal, she was busy solvings disputes for the people when God spoke to her.”

Devotions

Theresa L. Twogood presents Turn Back Because posted at OLIN e-Book e-Publishing. An encouragement to seek first the kingdom of God

Home

Joy presents Guest Post: Raising Missions-Minded Children posted at Biblical Womanhood, saying, “Teaching by example to encourage your children to fulfill the great commission.”

Overcoming hardship

K-Wiz presents For Seasons Such As This posted at WOMEN WALKING IN WISDOM’S FOOTSTEPS™, saying, “This article is about overcoming adversity during seasons such as this. It is a reflection of a book my husband wrote.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Christian Women using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Next edition will be published July 1, 2008

There is nothing quite so sweet to steal as flowers…unless it is a kiss.

After yesterday’s rant, I felt the need to lighten up a bit with today’s post. The past two weeks have been rainy. I actually went to the store last week with the sole intention of getting a raincoat and an umbrella. Even with two weeks of rain, I still need to find my way into the great outdoors. Yesterday I decided to make my way down the road, in a light sprinkling rain, to a empty lot about 1/4 mile away. There is still a house foundation on this lot, and there are still lilac bushes that somebody planted some time. Since the person who planted those lilacs is no longer around to enjoy the blooms, I stole a few branches for a bouquet. June is a purple season.