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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Simple is Not a Bad Word

Sometimes I feel like Solomon (no, I am not talking about all the riches)! I love reading all the writing of Solomon and his infinite wisdom when it comes to life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Here is what I mean:


I spent the majority of my childhood searching for love from someone or somebody. At that time, I did not know Jesus, so I did much searching only to realize that what I was getting was not love at all. Young ladies--don't be like me and search for love in all the wrong places. The one place to get true love is from the Father--nowhere else! Take my advice because it will save you much heartache in the long run.


My teenage years were spent showing my parents that I could be my own person at the cost of losing their friendship. I was not one to be pushed around and told what to do. I was going to do what I wanted when I wanted and that was the end of that.


I spent my early twenties trying to make a name for myself in a career that was thrown in my lap. I made a six figure income and almost threw my family away for that career and all the toys that came along with it. New clothes, traveling all over the country, fine dining, more booze than you could shake a stick at, money at my disposal all the time, and young men throwing themselves at me--I thought at this point in my life I had arrived.


BUT--


Around the age of 25, I began to see things in a different light. I began to see my family as something special and not a nuisance. They became my heartbeat instead of all the "things" that I thought were the important things.


I share all of that to share this with you; Like Solomon, I have had it all. As he stated in Ecclesiastes 2, I have let my eyes and my mind have everything that it desired, but in the end, I realized exactly how futile all of that was. From that point on, when I realized the damage all of that was causing me and my family, I knew it was time to make a change--for the better.


So I gave up all that I had--the money, the possessions, the job--everything. God gave me a new mission in life and that mission was to care for my family. Now I am doing something that I am passionate about and that I know is my life long ministry. Yes I live it simple, but I have less stress in my life living it simple than trying to keep up with the latest and greatest.

Some people believe that living a simple life is just stupid. Why? I don't truly think they think it is stupid. I think when people look at families that choose to live this way, they are jealous because they see something that they themselves wish they could obtain, but they are not willing to let go of all that entangles and snares them. They want to live life more slowly, but yet want to continue to hold on to those things that are killing their spirit.

Living simple does not mean that you have to give up everything. It means looking at your life and saying--"What in my life is stressing me out? What can I alleviate to make room for my family?" Ask yourself and then listen to your heart. It will tell you what needs to be removed so that you can see through the Lord's eyes on how to live a more simple, yet more fulfilling life.

What about you? Are you allowing life's finer things to choke out the love for your family? Are you allowing "things" to take priority over your God given ministry? YOU CAN CHANGE THAT TODAY!

2 comments:

Farmgirl Cyn said...

We have a 17 yo daughter who has left home because she also does not like to be told what she can and cannot do. For instance....we say she cannot sneak out of the house at midnight and come back at 6am...she thinks she should be able to. She left 3 months ago and from all intents and purposes, she is not coming back. She also claims to be a believer, tho we have seen NO fruit in her life. (except for bad fruit...and the Word is very clear on this...a bad tree cannot bare good fruit)

Your story is inspiring.Thank you for sharing.

We continue to pray that the Holy Spirit bring our daughter to her knees and that she comes to repentance.

Malissa P. said...

I use to as well...but as an older wife and mother. When I was able to quit my full time job, I ignored the prompting of the Holy Spirit about ministry. I enjoyed my life of leasure...but God wouldn't let me go. I knew walking the talk would take energy and time and that it did. So i am tired but I am blessed!!!