The Simple Life – Page 3 – Coffee and a Typewriter

Simple Life – Clearing the Cobwebs

Day 4…

You know, when I originally thought up this idea to blog, each day, in my pursuit of the “simple life,” I never really thought I’d be diving into so much internal cleaning. I mean, this all began when I did some real spring cleaning in my home. I can be very detail oriented when it comes to certain things (call it OCDish tendencies), so I thought this would be an awesome journey to take friends on with me. When I get into something, I will research it to death in my effort to become proficient. But like I said, I was thinking completely outward.

It’s interesting to me how writing/blogging causes you to go so much deeper into yourself. I’ve said it before in other notes, how I feel so much more in tune with everything going on around me now. In some ways it irritates me, but in others I find it very cool.

Irritating to me because I’ve always been a deep person anyway and I never thought I could get much deeper than I already am – nor did I really care to. I’m not the kind of person that likes to stick around and dissect every little thing in my life, especially the mishaps. I believe there are just some things we need to move beyond so they don’t take control and hold us down. But cool, because I just continue to learn more and more about myself…and just how deep my heart really goes. It’s helping me to sort out a few issues that maybe I’ve skipped over too quickly. In my writing, I’m finding therapy for my heart which encourages me to keep on keepin’ on.

I woke up feeling really snarky this morning…my head full of cobwebs. I’m not sure if it was from…lack of sleep due to my stiff neck and the swooshing sound of my heartbeat in my left ear (something that happens every now and then)…the need for coffee…or just because of other stuff that I felt annoyed with. Probably all of the above.

And this is, actually, my second attempt at writing today. I made the decision to wad up the first draft and toss it in the waste basket because it was filled [to the rim] with my random rants…the evil side of my random ramblings; just a mess of mental cobwebs, if you will. I justified my first run-through because I know that people want realness in what others write…it’s what draws us into each other’s lives. But it was really snarky; a bunch of venting to everyone out there about everything that discourages and annoys me. Feeling thankful I didn’t publish that.

Okay…it did feel good to get it out of my head and into written form where I could see it and deal with it, but the truth is…it’s just not my style of writing to put my rants out in the open for all eyes to see. Some things I feel the need to keep to myself.

But I’ll share this…just like anyone else, I experience days of chaos, shortcomings, and disappointment in people and things – and this morning was such a day. But I won’t take you down that road with me because my true desire is to encourage others and draw them in with words that lift and sooth the worn and weary heart.

It was my daily crossroad….the decision whether to take the road that was wide and windy or the road that was narrow and straight. I would much rather suck it up and take the road that will get me into a lot less trouble – and, in the long run, it’s definitely the simpler road to take.

My intent today was to tell you about my success with KP Duty…but it seems I had some cobwebs I needed to get out-of-the-way first. Amazing how a good decision can clear them away and bring cleanliness to something more important than my home…that is, my heart.

And by the way…I did complete my inventory last night. I was able to create a great menu with what I already have on hand, with just a small list of things to add to it. I can check that task off the list. Success!

~CindyLu

Simple Life – KP Duty

Day 3…

I haven’t really been back in the kitchen since the weekend. You know, I used to blame the kids for the dirty dishes that stacked up along the counters, but I’m quickly finding that HB and I are perfectly capable of using up every dish, glass and utensil we own before we start the wash cycle all over again.

So, this past weekend, as I started my spring cleaning, I spent a good amount of time on KP duty. We have a small home with a galley kitchen. Space is very limited, so it’s really important that we keep things to a minimum. That said, for years I bought items as if I owned a gourmet chef’s kitchen (I am a total gadget girl) but I just don’t have the space and honestly, don’t use half of the gadgets I own. So I finally took a critical look at it all and decided I’d only keep the things that I love, need and use. Not easy…but I did it.

I also decided that with just the two of us, we didn’t need eight each.. full-sized dishes, salad dishes, bowls, cups and glasses. After a quick chat, we decided that four was a good number to have available and I’d put the rest away where it’s easy to get to if we have company.

Have you ever heard about setting your kitchen up in stations? Okay, this was like a “duh” moment for me, because it just makes total sense. I don’t know why I never thought more about this, but now I have all of my baking supplies in a cabinet beneath the oven, all of my stove items beneath the stove, plates and coffee cups above the coffee maker, and all of my glasses and bowls in the cabinet above the Vitamix.

I feel like my kitchen is more efficient than it’s ever been. The inside of my cabinets are now “uncluttered” and it feels…amazing!!

So now comes the food part. Because my little galley kitchen doesn’t have adequate space for my supplies AND food, I took over one side of a closet near the kitchen/dining area. I actually prefer it because some of my kitchen cabinets are really deep and food just gets lost in there as it gets pushed to the dark hole in the back. The hall closet has shallow shelves and is much brighter, so it’s perfect for me.

So tonight, first thing on my KP duty is to take inventory. Yep…I’m going through my freezer, fridge, and pantry and I’m writing everything down. Sounds tedious, I know, but I think it will be a great step towards decluttering the pantry. I can’t even count how many times I’ve gone grocery shopping, only to end up buying stuff that I already have but forgot about. I’ve wasted a lot of money throwing out items that never got used because it expired.

And once I have that done, I’ll be able to put together a menu, which will most likely narrow down my grocery shopping list. In fact, I’ll probably find that I already have tons of stuff to make a complete menu and may only need a few staple items.

I know…it all sounds so OCDish, and I suppose it is (that does trickle through the family bloodline) but I really have a deep desire to declutter and simplify and this will be one of the biggest steps in getting there. It’s the process of elimination.

So..my goal tonight is to resist the call that I hear from my thoughtful spot (that is, my chair and computer) and complete my KP duty, so I can scratch it off the list.

Simple Life – Matters of the Heart

Day 2…

When I looked out the kitchen window, this morning, I couldn’t help but smile. After the big storm that just passed through, the sun was back…shining bright in a bright blue sky – at least for today. Oh, how I love the sunshine. Thank you, God, for these sunny days that warm my body and heart.

I don’t know what it is about me, but it’s as if my sleepy soul wakes up in the springtime. I’ve often wondered if it’s because I was born in April. I always feel like I have some special connection to April sunshine and the feeling that spring brings with it; freshly scented new life.

This morning, I just wanted to stay home, take it all in, listen to some great tunes and continue on my “simple life” adventure. But duty calls and I have to face the other responsibilities in my life.

And speaking of responsibilities…It’s an area that I’ve been struggling lately. My heart longs to slow down, but there are things lingering over me that feel like I’m carrying a big monkey on my back. I tell myself to “Suck it up!” and “Deal with it!” as I trudge forward. But I can’t stop these feelings inside of me as it bears down like a heavy weight. And hey, I’m “the sunshine girl” after all, so part of the struggle is how I really feel about the whole situation and the need to rise above and simply embrace it. It’s like two sides fighting against each other.

I suppose, the truth of the matter is…I don’t want to embrace this “thing.” I want to rewind the clock and take a different road because it’s not what I thought it would be. I am disengaged and overwhelmed. My heart just isn’t in it. I feel nothing but regret. So, instead of embracing this, I continue to push it away and hide from it…hoping that somehow, it will just go away. Ugh…the struggles that take place in my brain…if they only knew.

…

And In this next moment, I have to laugh, because just as I finally get the truth of these feelings out of me, I pause… and as I look over to the table across the room, I see my little book, “Jesus Calling.”

Oh my goodness…do you see the humor of this? I haven’t picked it up in months. Here I am grumbling and mentally asking, “What do I do with this?! And then, like the bright light of caller I.D. I see, “Jesus Calling!” Okay, maybe it’s just me…but that cracks me up.

So I walk over and read today’s note:

“I have promised to meet all your needs according to My glorious riches. Your deepest, most constant need is for My Peace. I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live; but there are weeds growing there too: pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardener, and I am working to rid your heart of those weeds. I do My work in various ways. When you sit quietly with Me, I shine the Light of My Presence directly into your heart. In this heavenly Light, Peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up. I also send trials into your life. When you trust Me in the midst of trouble, Peace flourishes and weeds die away. Thank Me for troublesome situations; the Peace they can produce far outweighs the trials you endure. “
(from Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 4:17)

I can’t help but giggle. Sometimes I’m like a little girl who stomps my foot and says, “But I don’t wanna do this! I want to do things MY WAY!” Do you think I needed to hear this today? Yeah…I believe so.

So what do I get from this? It seems to me that in order for me to embrace a simple life, I have to take into account the mental and spiritual part of the journey. In all of my grumbling, I am actually holding myself down and causing chaos…clutter, if you will, of the heart.

Okay…so maybe this “thing” isn’t something that I feel really passionate about doing. While the physical responsibilities feel like a burden, I have to choose to turn my focus inward, to my very own heart and step out of my own way, so that He can bring the peace that I anxiously wait for. I just have to know that my personal journey is going to require me to step outside of my comfort zone sometimes. I have to know that I’ll be grateful for the lessons I’m going to learn through this. Okay…I feel a bit of peace as I embrace that thought.

In all honesty, left to my own vices, I could become very reclusive. So it’s possible this “trial” will actually turn out to be something very good for me…as I’m nudged mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you for that insight, God.

It appears that part of my “simple life” spring cleaning needs to include decluttering of the heart. Don’t you think?

Simple Life – The Bullet Points

Day 1…

Life can just be so crazy-busy all the time and honestly, it just exhausts me anymore. Our schedules have calmed down a bit since becoming empty nesters, but even so, people and things still demand our time.

In fact, I sometimes feel that others have expectations of how I should be using it. I’m not quite sure if I’m the one making me feel that way, or if they really do feel that I should be doing more. Peer pressure at its finest. It causes a lot of guilt and makes it difficult to just say no.

So, I have moments (okay, weekends) where I just have to put up the mental “do not disturb” sign and tuck myself away for a while to recharge again. That’s what I did this past weekend. I took an extra day off for a nice and relaxed three-dayer and just stayed indoors…reading, writing, watching movies with HB (my endearing name for my hubby), and striving towards the simple life by doing some much-needed spring cleaning.

“Simple Life”…I’ve decided it’s my phrase of the month. Doesn’t it just sound like a breath of fresh air?

As I went through closets and cabinets, clearing away the “stuff,” I realized the freeing feeling with each item deposited into the box. Oh, some things were tough to get rid of…and some almost made it into the box, but were put back into the cabinet for another decision day. Baby steps, ya’ know?

But being the list maker that I am, I’ve started with these “Simple Life” bullet points to get me focused:

Declutter our home: It’s time to get really brutal and get rid of the “stuff” that just bogs me down. This includes clothes. YIKES! Yes, the time has come to free myself from all the stuff that clutters my brain…and my closet.

Declutter our kitchen: HB and I went wheat-free back in September and both lost about 25 pounds each. However, we’ve had a dabble here or there and have put a little bit back on, so it’s time to clean out the pantry and get rid of all that drags us down physically.

Declutter our schedule: This is where chopping is most difficult because it can be seen as a selfish thing to do…but it’s honestly necessary for our mental, physical and spiritual well-being. We both work full-time jobs, and often feel pulled in various directions during the week and weekend. We don’t want to be stingy with our time but we do feel the time has come for “us.” So…we’re looking at planning some vacations, date nights, day trips, etc.

I don’t know…maybe that sounds like a lot to take on, but I feel ready for the task at hand. I suppose it will mean pulling myself away from my computer every now and then (gasp!) to get all of this other stuff done.

Maybe you’ve got some tips and tricks of what has worked for you in creating a simple life. If so, DO SHARE!

Something Old and Something New…

April 1^st…

I’ve decided to try something new for the month of April. For the past three months, since starting my blog, I’ve been reading TONS of blogs from others and I find that the ones I like best are those that take me through their daily life. I just like getting to know people.

I’ve been putting some of my random ramblings out here, and have already met some new friends (and thank you for taking the time to read my stories) but other than regular Facebook feeds, I’ve never tried anything quite like this, so…that’s the direction I’m headed.

It’s been an interesting year for me and I’ve kept many notes along the way. My birthday falls in April and last year I celebrated my 50^th. Yikes! Gotta admit…turning 50 was very interesting. Being the oldest member of my high school clan that I keep in contact with on beloved Facebook, (gotta love FB for connecting with old friends, right?), I did my best to blaze the trail into this decade so they’d see that it’s not so bad – and honestly, it isn’t. But…it has definitely been interesting.

Coming into my 50’s opened my eyes in a brand new way; I’ve tossed off a lot of old baggage and I see things a bit clearer than I did before. I’m not sure what it is really…but it’s as if I’ve embraced who I am without caring, so much, about what everyone else thinks. I mean, let’s face it…most of us carry around a whole lot of baggage about image.

I could actually have blog pages for the following: work life (I actually have a full-time job), home life (my favorite place in the whole wide world), family life (just read my “about me” and you’ll see what I mean), my new eating lifestyle (wheat/grain-free since September), church life (my husband and I are pretty involved in ministries), and empty-nesters life (w00t!w00t!). My personal ramblings can go from one extreme to another.

So…for my birthday month, I’m going to blog each day (give you a glimpse of what my personal journaling looks like) with whatever tidbits of wisdom come to mind. They might be something I took from that day or something that came back to mind from the past. Through my stories, I’ve given everyone a lot of background information on me, so now…feel free to join me for my day-to-day living.

To those younger than me…I hope to give you some knowledge with the hope that you’ll let some “stuff” go and embrace you and the life you’ve been given now. Got questions? Well, just ask. I’m a great encourager with good listening skills and will do my best to give you some good “moving forward” advice.

To those my age…I hope you’ll share your own tidbits of wisdom for this watching world or feel free to commiserate with me as we continue to blaze this trail. I look forward to much “I know exactly what you’re talking about…” humor – and the encouragement we’ll share.

To those that are a little further ahead…Oh, what a wealth of information you have for all of us. I hope to hear from you as well so I can glean anything you have for me to take as I move forward.

To all…I hope you’ll find lots of life, love and laughter through “my way” of writing.

So grab a cup of coffee friends, and let’s chat.

Weekends: Fun or Frenzy

How do you spend your weekend?

A decade or so ago, my busy weekend calendar represented a life full of popularity, purpose and fun. My weekends would be filled with places to go, people to see and a list of things to get done. I would be excited with the anticipation of all that I would do and accomplish. It was the sign of a successful weekend!

Here’s an example of what it typically looked like:

Friday – Straight to restaurant from work, leave by 6:30 to head for theater.

Saturday – Dust and vacuum house. Do dishes, wipe down all counters. Clean out the fridge and make a grocery list. Clean and scour bathrooms. Mop all floors. Laundry. Master bedroom – put all the clothes away and go through the stacks on the chair to go to thrift store. Go through stack of papers on dining room table, pay bills, go through magazine subscriptions and get rid of old copies (be brutal!), categorize and put in cute little boxes I bought at IKEA (oh…and put those boxes together…).

Errands – Grocery shopping, thrift store to drop off clothes, post office for stamps, hardware store (light bulbs and cleaning supplies).

Saturday night – friends coming over for dinner (make sure front of house is clean!).

Sunday – get to church early for meeting, church, lunch with family afterwards, finish up on anything I didn’t get done on Saturday.

~~~

Can you say, “UGH!!” I’m not even including the period of time that I was raising teenagers and had their schedules to fit into my own…and this is just a glimpse of a weekend.

But a day finally came where I realized that it was just too much. This was NOT making me feel happy and popular anymore. I was going out of my mind wearing my imaginary Wonder Woman cape. Coming back to work on Monday was more exciting than my weekends, because I knew I had less to do.

So I began the task of making cuts – BIG cuts. I won’t kid you, a lot of guilt comes along when you decide to cut the cords on things to do. I had set my accomplishment bars so high for myself, that cutting back left me feeling like I had failed somehow. But as my weekends….or rather, my life…began to open up, it felt oh so good.

My weekend list still has places to go, people to see and a list of things to get done, but since cutting it all back and learning to embrace my life, it’s taken on a much different look.

Here’s an example for this weekend:

Friday – dinner at home, dessert out with friends, movie when we get back home.

Saturday – coffee & breakfast with HB, two hours of cleaning, take pictures to create slides with my favorite quotes; journal with writing prompts, read a little, watch a movie, buy seeds (online) for my Spring garden, watch another movie.

Sunday – church, Farmer’s Market, lunch out with HB, grocery store for a few things, back home – do two loads of laundry for work, read, watch TV…and whatever else I feel like doing.

Monday – YES! It’s a three-day weekend – and I have nothing on my list for today!! 🙂

~~~

Can you say, “Ahhhh.” Doesn’t that just feel different even in written form?

I actually feel like I’m accomplishing so much more than I did with my crazy woman’s schedule. Probably because I could never get everything done that I had on my list.

I’m learning to live a more casual and simple way of life. When the schedule begins to feel crazy again, because it does creep up sometimes, I begin the process where needed – and without the guilt! Talk about a life with purpose and fun.

What’s on your calendar this weekend? Is there “stuff” that needs to be cut out? Anything you’ve dreamed of doing, but haven’t, because you had too much to do?

That might be a really good beginning place for you…

Put the guilt aside and do something truly purposeful and fun.

Embrace your weekend – embrace your life.

Make it fabulous!

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