Thanksgiving and Basketball

I'm not feeling very creative, introspective, or witty lately, so here are some pictures of my beautiful family sans commentary.

Slacking...

Quick mash up of the past few weeks (in no particular order):

The Wolves football season came to an end in Lubbock (1st round of playoffs), Koby started coaching girl's basketball, I had the curious feeling of being both grateful for and incredibly annoyed with my job simultaneously, I visited Grandmother in Lubbock, I discovered and cooked an excellent mac and cheese recipe that I have since lost, Landry came to visit, Elizabeth came to visit, PawPaw and Lovie came to visit, Knox helped me make some Thanksgiving cards, I began to decorate for Xmas (Koby isn't thrilled), Koby got a buck, YouTube taught me how to knit and I made a very terrible first scarf, Knox celebrated four months of life and decided he likes to reach for things and immediately put them into his mouth, I finally saw the last Harry Potter movie, and now Koby, Knox and I are visiting Lovie, PawPaw and Aunt Liz for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving pictures from Gram and Pop's to come, also, we go to Abilene to see Poppa and watch Auntie M play some basketball. Then to Fort Worth for a wedding. THEN back to school. Whew!

Simplicity

Um, first let me say that the books I'm reading on simplicity are excellent: I highly recommend them.

Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony in a Complex World by Richard J Foster
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J Foster

Like, they're the kind of books in which highlighting and underlining is useless - you start,and then a few pages later you realized you've 'emphasized' every sentence but one in each paragraph. 

I'll try and simplify (heh) the many thoughts I've gathered from the first few chapters and share them with you.  Please don't read my thoughts as didactic - I'm not trying to preach, but this simplicity thing is complex and a lot of Foster's ideas struck me.  Simplicity as a discipline deals with much more than material objects, but in our society, objects easily become idols and so the author discusses materialism more than once.  (This is good for the girl who has been repeatedly roped into spending more money online to achieve the tantalizing offers of 'free shipping'... it really does seem like a better deal...)

So, here's what I jotted down (by jotted I mean typed into my iPhone's notes) after reading the chapter on simplicity in Celebration and Chapter 1 in Freedom:

1.  Keep first things first -or- Don't put the cart before the horse.  Seeking God has to be the primary endeavor, or else simplicity ceases to be a gift/discipline of the spirit and instead becomes a means to an end, whatever end that might be.  Simplicity isn't a substitute; you can live simply without being godly, but you can't be godly without living simply (not to be confused with asceticism).  The first thing that came to my mind as Foster was drilling this point was that an end result of 'saving money' might drive one to live simply, but then money-fixation is a prison, and true, spiritual simplicity is freeoom.  Of course, if one does live simply one will save money, but saving money can't be the ultimate goal if you're trying to practice simplicity as a discipline.  (Saving money isn't bad, we're even called to be good stewards of all we've been given, but after reading a few chapters I'm already redefining my ideas about stewardship.  Somehow I think I've neglected to consider giving and sharing as an integral part of stewardship.)  Even important, good things like witnessing and yeah, simplicity, can't take the front seat.  To sum up, Foster simply quotes the passage that reads 'Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these other things will be added unto you as well".  Basically, as long as you're putting that first, anything and everything else will be in its proper place.

2.  Acknowledge the disconnect.  While we're on the subject of things being in their proper place, things need  to be in their proper place.  Here's where we get in to the material stuff.  Foster says early in his simplicity chaper in Celebration that 'we really must understand that the lust for affluence in contemporary society is psychotic'.  Woah.  He even uses that word again (in literature we'd deduce that his reiteration of the word was purposeful, like a finger jabbing you repeatedly in the chest) and says, 'It is psychotic because it has completely lost touch with reality'.  Having things isn't wrong, buying things isn't wrong.  Seeking God first will lead you to a place where you can practice simplicity and receive it as a gift from God - you'll begin to buy things on a 'need' basis, with pure motives, considering others.  You'll be 'reorient[ed] ... so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying [you]... receiv[ing] the provision of God as a gift that is not [yours] to keep and can be freely shared with others.' 

3.  Simplicity is two-fold.  In Freedom, Foster gets crazy-deep on the reader.  To the point where I was having to re-read sentences.  This is where he began calling simplicity both a gift and a discipline.  Simplicity as a discipline puts you in a place where God can bless you with the gift of simplicity.  (Cue - nod and say 'ahhhhh' with me.)  Simplicity is a freedom - that's the gift.  It's freedom from anxiety and fear when we acknowledge 'what we have we receive as a gift, and what we have is to be cared for by God, and what we have is available to others'.  That's what Foster says, anyway.  In my mind, to be simple (the gift) is to take Paul seriously in Phillipians when he says 'Rejoice in the LORD always, again I say, Rejoice!'  If I'm rejoicing, they're isn't room for legalism, asceticism, or materialism.  To be simple is to understand and daily remember God's truth.  It's not losing sight of our reality in Christ.  When I remember that, I can enjoy what I have and won't be scared to share what I have with others.

So, simplicity has to be an outward practice as well, just as faith (inward) without deeds (outward) is dead.  Of course, we already talked about how the true spiritual discipline of simplicity has to have the seed of inner God-willing.  I realized this as a college student when I was practicing this - in my blog in 2006 (no, you cannot read it, I was a very silly girl at the time) I wrote

In my flawed study of simplicity over the past few weeks, I have learned for myself that true simplicity comes from inner transformation.  I am a competitor at heart, and I think this is why I fail so many times when trying to change myself.  When in the habit of breaking habits, it is impossible to 'win' by merely trying to beat down your desire.  It's less about self-control in an outward manner.  Instead, you must learn to change your desire.

Seeking God will prompt you to ask yourself 'why am I buying this?' before you buy something.  It will prompt you to throw off anything to which you might be a slave.  It will free you from the worried thoughts of, "Do I have enough?  Do I have too much?"  And thus, you are receiving the gift of His peaceful simplicity.

Foster talks a great deal about legalism, and hesitates to offer examples of how one might begin to practice it.  I'm glad he does though, because they're eye-opening and helpful.  (Though I totally get his hesitation - as a CoC girl, where it's my opinion that we struggle with legalism, I jump at the idea of 'instructions'.  Yes, I love rules.  We die by the letter, we live by grace!  I have to keep repeating that to myself.)  Foster gives some challenges (ten) for the simplicity practicer... he hits pretty hard on materialism and addictions.  Alright, I'll stop talking about them and share them with you.

• Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
• Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
• Develop a habit of giving things away.
• Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
• Learn to enjoy things without owning them
• Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.
• Look with a healthy skepticism at all 'buy now, pay later' schemes.
• Obey Jesus' instruction about plain, honest speech.
• Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
• Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.

I'd love it if anyone would like to share their thoughts and experiences with this subject. It's something I struggle with - let me just say that a few of those 'suggestions' Foster offered hit some sore spots.  I'll continue to share my thoughts as I keep reading and studying, if I can get through Freedom.  He keeps using big words.

And if you're missing my generally more light-hearted posts... don't worry, my next entry might be about poop.

Health Hubris

So, I used to be a little cocky about my super-stellar immune system. Which is a weird and annoying thing to boast about - I'm aware of it. Please just choose to find it endearing.

Anyway, I used to think I was essentially invincible to superfluous illnesses such as the common cold. I actually used to tease my husband when he would get panicky, after missing a few nights' sleep, feeling like he would "get sick". Ha! Getting sick was for mere mortals. (Are you wondering how someone can be married to me? Me too.)

Nope. I was just dumb. He was right. This fall (for lack of a better word to describe the beginning of the school year that has mostly seen weather in the 90s) I have chugged Emergen-C and TherFlu, Lysoled and hand-sanitized every surface within eyesight, and I have still managed to get sick three times. That is more than I normally get sick in a 1-2 year span.

No, this is not a urine sample.  It is TheraFlu in a Mason Jar.  Turns out, Sleep > TheraFlu. 

SLEEP. IS. IMPORTANT. Get enough of it. That's really all I can say about that. If you're young and married, like me, the best thing you can do to ensure that you're getting enough sleep is to take your birth control pill.

That's essentially been our week.  Mmm, and this baby in his winter hat.  (And so he's still a Halloween monster, so what?  Soon he'll be too big to ever wear this ensemble again...  sniff.)

I'm still ruminating over the chapters I've read about simplicity- hopefully I'll have something to share tomorrow.

As you head into the weekend, please keep the ACU community in your prayers, after the tragic bus accident that happened this afternoon. One student was killed and the other passengers are being treated for injuries. It is a terrifying thing to read about and imagine for the families and friends involved. It is especially on my heart tonight.

 

This picture was taken at the Prayer Vigil tonight on ACU's campus, by the Tower of Light.  Just when life becomes terrifying... it's so important to remember that

 

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous will enter, and they are

 

SAFE.

This November

Hello, November, we meet again.  Remember last year when I tried to write a novel during your short thirty days?  I got a few thousand words in when I found out about this guy:

... and thus devoted the rest of the month to morning sickness and its woes.

This year, I attempted to participate in NaNoWriMo again ... but gave up after 1 1/2 days.  (Yes, clever reader, this means I threw in the towel at about noon today.  The second day of November.  I'd even made concessions to myself and decided to write a graphic novel after reading Scott McCloud's Making Comics.  I know, I'm an incredible nerd but he writes FASCINATING books and I bet you'd want to be a comic artist, too, after reading one.)

I'm sick.  I have an infant.  I have no business trying to write a novel right now.  And don't bring up the fact that J.K. Rowling began writing the Harry Potter series in a cafe while she was a poor AND single mother.  (Oh, you weren't going to try and inspire me with that bit of Potter trivia?  Hmm.)

It seems like every time I feel like I'm on solid ground with this whole 'motherhood' thing (and by that I mean I have clean sheets on the bed again, I've got Knox adhering to a quasi-schedule, or I've successfully fixed my hair for school for two days in a row), then I'm suddenly covered in spit up, trying to close a thousand tiny snaps on infant's sleeper suit while said infant is wriggling and flailing his legs like he's trying to win the Tour de France. Bearings = lost. 

Still, I wouldn't trade this new, spit-up saturated world for any other.  Even if it meant lots more time for NaNoWriMo and fixing my hair in the mornings.  In all honesty, I'd probably just use that extra time for sleeping in, or this game I like to call Pinterest Pretend.  It's when I pin things and then pretend like I'm actually going to put those ideas into action.  Come to think of it, I think I saw a pin about that once...

One thing I WILL accomplish this November, though, is to explore the spiritual discipline of simplicity.  No, you didn't accidentally click on a link and land on someone else's blog.  While I was cleaning this past weekend (or whenever it was that I found all those recipes, remember?) I also found some papers that I'd written in college.  In one of them, I had been 'assigned' a spiritual discipline to research and practice, and I ended up with simplicity.  It really impacted me, but I could definitely use a refresher course.  (An item for your consideration: I bought eight pairs of eyeglasses last year from Zennioptical.com because I got a "good deal."  Eight.  Pairs.  It's like the Gaucho Pants Situation of 2006.  You'll understand later.) 

And I feel like November is a wonderful month to do this, because I think simplicity has a good deal to do with being thankful, joyful and content in the Lord.  In our society, I think we feel pressure to 'never be content'.  No, I don't think it - I know it and I see it every day.  I do understand the benefits of this mentality in that we might push ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves, but in the same way I think it can be a dangerous mindset: one that breeds materialism and a life defined by comparison.  If you're interested, I'd love to share how this experiment goes.  Be prepared, you may be challenged as well.  Or at least disgusted as I reveal how much time and money I've spent at Forever21.com.