I want to declutter...to simplify my life. I've read many books on the subject. I don't need to become more spiritual as some of these books assert (especially when the spirituality being offered is a Godless spirituality).
I do have too much stuff. I have purged my kitchen, bathroom, linen closet... I have done fairly well with the stuff. I still feel like I have stuff in my house that I don't need. But what really bothers me is the papers! Paper comes into my house everyday: from the kids' school, from the workplace, in the mailbox. It piles up. I try to process it immediately, but there are still pending papers. Processing, piling pending papers.
I just want a clean, clear space to live. But apparently, I love my stuff more. I don't feel like I love my stuff. I think I hate the paperwork. But... why can't I release it? What is up with the piles of papers?
I am positively pissed about the piles of paper. Sorting, stacking, shifting, and stressing sucks.
PepperLove
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Silver Bullet
I am always looking for “the silver Bullet” for my life. And I am not referring to the calling card of the Lone Ranger or the weapon of choice for eradicating oneself of any werewolves, or witches. By “silver bullet” I mean a simple guaranteed solution for a difficult problem. In my quest to “simplify my life” I often find myself urgently seeking the one foolproof method…what is the secret? What can I do that would automatically solve this problem for me?
When I was a new “housewife”…newly married, with a few babies, I kept asking all my friends with clean, uncluttered houses what was “the trick” to keeping house? How did they do it? They would give me a few tips, but not the Big Solution I was looking for. How did they keep their house clean with little kids and all the other jobs we moms do? I asked “seasoned” housewives with grown kids how they did it when their kids were little. Again, many tips, no One Solution. Well, I finally found the “trick” or so-called “silver bullet”. No one told me this. I figured it out on my own. It’s…(take a deep breath)….hard-work. Yep that’s it. My friends with cleaner houses—well, they cleaned their homes more than me. It was a “duh” moment for me.
So …they worked hard…harder than I was working. Apparently, when dinner was over (yes, after they had shopped, prepared and cooked, served, and eaten dinner) they got up and kept working until their kitchen was clean. Duh, that’s why they don’t have dinner dishes in the sink in the morning. And after the kids had spent the afternoon playing and thoroughly trashed the playroom, they went in and sorted and cleaned the whole room. (Some of them also incorporated the preschool kids in the task, which was genius, training them to clean their rooms…but also was way more work than just doing it.)
I also at times find myself looking for that “silver bullet” for living the Christian life. How do I serve Christ? What should I do to be more like Christ? I asked all my friends, “How do you live life as a Christian?” As before, they would give me a few tips, but not the Big Solution I was looking for. I asked older and wiser Christians, “How do I live the Christian life?” They answered my questions. I can’t now recall their answers. I know they encouraged me to pray. (I wanted a prayer schedule. Do you keep a list of requests? How much time should I pray? Oh, should I incorporate “fasting”? When? For how long? What is the prayer program for fasting?) They also encouraged me to read the Bible. (How many chapters a day? Should I read it cover to cover? Once through each year?)
I read the gospels, I wanted to take notes and make a list of all the commands of Christ (they’re in red, you know). Oh yeah, and I read the epistles: lots of good notes of what to do, or what not to do, how to treat others (your neighbors, your enemies). But is living the Christian life consist of being able to keep all the rules? Or, is it more than that? What is the “Silver Bullet” here?
Well, I think I’ve found the answer. My quest has changed from “What would a Real Christian do?” It’s not even “What Would Jesus Do?” It’s WAY more personal. It’s “What would Jesus want ME to do here, now?” And there is not just one answer for that. I think the Christian life is like Nike’s slogan “Just do it”. Don’t stress or obsess. Just do it. Just read the Bible. Just pray. Just be encouraged at church by a message…and follow Jesus. Like when Jesus said to his disciples, “Follow Me.” That’s all He wants from me: for me to follow Him. As I live my life Jesus speaks to me (in His quiet way inside me) and He directs my decisions and actions.
So, I guess, there is no silver bullet to life’s challenges. Nevertheless I still like to find the best way to do things. And you can tell me is “finding a better (easier) way” laziness? Or ingenuity!!?
PepperLove
When I was a new “housewife”…newly married, with a few babies, I kept asking all my friends with clean, uncluttered houses what was “the trick” to keeping house? How did they do it? They would give me a few tips, but not the Big Solution I was looking for. How did they keep their house clean with little kids and all the other jobs we moms do? I asked “seasoned” housewives with grown kids how they did it when their kids were little. Again, many tips, no One Solution. Well, I finally found the “trick” or so-called “silver bullet”. No one told me this. I figured it out on my own. It’s…(take a deep breath)….hard-work. Yep that’s it. My friends with cleaner houses—well, they cleaned their homes more than me. It was a “duh” moment for me.
So …they worked hard…harder than I was working. Apparently, when dinner was over (yes, after they had shopped, prepared and cooked, served, and eaten dinner) they got up and kept working until their kitchen was clean. Duh, that’s why they don’t have dinner dishes in the sink in the morning. And after the kids had spent the afternoon playing and thoroughly trashed the playroom, they went in and sorted and cleaned the whole room. (Some of them also incorporated the preschool kids in the task, which was genius, training them to clean their rooms…but also was way more work than just doing it.)
I also at times find myself looking for that “silver bullet” for living the Christian life. How do I serve Christ? What should I do to be more like Christ? I asked all my friends, “How do you live life as a Christian?” As before, they would give me a few tips, but not the Big Solution I was looking for. I asked older and wiser Christians, “How do I live the Christian life?” They answered my questions. I can’t now recall their answers. I know they encouraged me to pray. (I wanted a prayer schedule. Do you keep a list of requests? How much time should I pray? Oh, should I incorporate “fasting”? When? For how long? What is the prayer program for fasting?) They also encouraged me to read the Bible. (How many chapters a day? Should I read it cover to cover? Once through each year?)
I read the gospels, I wanted to take notes and make a list of all the commands of Christ (they’re in red, you know). Oh yeah, and I read the epistles: lots of good notes of what to do, or what not to do, how to treat others (your neighbors, your enemies). But is living the Christian life consist of being able to keep all the rules? Or, is it more than that? What is the “Silver Bullet” here?
Well, I think I’ve found the answer. My quest has changed from “What would a Real Christian do?” It’s not even “What Would Jesus Do?” It’s WAY more personal. It’s “What would Jesus want ME to do here, now?” And there is not just one answer for that. I think the Christian life is like Nike’s slogan “Just do it”. Don’t stress or obsess. Just do it. Just read the Bible. Just pray. Just be encouraged at church by a message…and follow Jesus. Like when Jesus said to his disciples, “Follow Me.” That’s all He wants from me: for me to follow Him. As I live my life Jesus speaks to me (in His quiet way inside me) and He directs my decisions and actions.
So, I guess, there is no silver bullet to life’s challenges. Nevertheless I still like to find the best way to do things. And you can tell me is “finding a better (easier) way” laziness? Or ingenuity!!?
PepperLove
Friday, February 19, 2010
This is my blog...
It was tough to choose my blog name because all my names are taken.
Interestingly there is another "Pepper Love" blog. That is not me. This one is me. There is even a "random girl" blog. That is not me. This is me.
I am "Red Pepper Love". I have a blog!! So now here I am, like Harriet the Spy, furtively scribbling in my notebooks where ever I am...watching TV, making dinner, sleeping, when at a red light, while brushing my teeth.
I have a lot to say, but I don't know if it's worth listening. Wondering, can I express myself through these random entries? Not sure if anyone will get the full picture.
Just wondering. Wondering and writing.
Interestingly there is another "Pepper Love" blog. That is not me. This one is me. There is even a "random girl" blog. That is not me. This is me.
I am "Red Pepper Love". I have a blog!! So now here I am, like Harriet the Spy, furtively scribbling in my notebooks where ever I am...watching TV, making dinner, sleeping, when at a red light, while brushing my teeth.
I have a lot to say, but I don't know if it's worth listening. Wondering, can I express myself through these random entries? Not sure if anyone will get the full picture.
Just wondering. Wondering and writing.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
About Those New Year's Resolutions...
Well, it's mid-February, 2010, so how are you doing on your New Year's resolutions? WHAT? You did not make any New Year's resolutions? I love New Year's resolutions but I hear all the time of people not liking them and "I'm not going to make any this year." (My sister even said, "New Year's resolutions...YUK".)
To those people I ask, "Do you like how your life is going right now? Are you content to have it stay the way it is? Is everything just the way you want it to be?" OR...IS IT TIME TO EVALUATE? Maybe it's the "counselor" in me, but I love to evaluate--and reevaluate--my life. I love to take a look at how things are going and make some plans and goals to strive for.
Some people may say: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life..." And I think what they mean is: you can start fresh every day--and I agree. Sure we know that as we make a new habit we're going to have times of failure (gasp) and success--it is just important to keep getting back on track. Which brings me to New Year's Eve, December 31st, a time to "get back on track".
I love the excitement of a new year full of possibilities. It's like a new journal with no entries yet, just blank pages waiting to be filled, no messy handwriting scribbled upon the pages. Clean, clear and beautiful. It inspires me to pick up my pen and scribble my thoughts until the book is full. So it is with a brand new year. A years worth of days to fill with whatever we wish. (So what do you wish?)
We should make New Year's resolutions because: TIME IS PASSING, LIFE IS HAPPENING.
And, if we don't open our eyes and look around we miss so much and we will live our life doing the convenient, easy, "what comes naturally", what we have always done, what others are doing, what our habits lead us to do...and this just may not be the way we would consciously choose to act and live.
In our jobs there is usually an evaluation period...quarterly. So, Maybe we should make "New Quarter Resolutions". I believe in making quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily... OH, even hourly, or minute-by-minute resolutions! These are decisions we make to live life in a certain way.
Especially to be a Christ-follower takes this kind of attention because our human will draws us away from Christ-like living into selfish desires. So to be minute-by-minute yielded to God is an adventure that takes a decision and then attention.
So, New Year's Eve is not the only time we should make resolutions. Every day as we arise we should consider our day: How am I going to live today: selfishly or selflessly? healthy or gluttonously? Who am I going to serve: myself or God? What are my priorities: exercise? housework? time with husband and kids?
And, if we meet with success we can celebrate (HOORAY!!). And, if we face failure, we can start again... And I do believe we can get past "Today is the first day..." and onto the "Second day of the rest of our lives". We can make changes that will change who we are and how we choose to live our lives.
So you don't have to call them "New Year's resolutions"...how about just decisions made to live life in a certain way (O.K. not very catchy). But, there is no "dress rehearsal" for life--this is IT! We are living it...how are we doing?
Pepper Love
To those people I ask, "Do you like how your life is going right now? Are you content to have it stay the way it is? Is everything just the way you want it to be?" OR...IS IT TIME TO EVALUATE? Maybe it's the "counselor" in me, but I love to evaluate--and reevaluate--my life. I love to take a look at how things are going and make some plans and goals to strive for.
Some people may say: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life..." And I think what they mean is: you can start fresh every day--and I agree. Sure we know that as we make a new habit we're going to have times of failure (gasp) and success--it is just important to keep getting back on track. Which brings me to New Year's Eve, December 31st, a time to "get back on track".
I love the excitement of a new year full of possibilities. It's like a new journal with no entries yet, just blank pages waiting to be filled, no messy handwriting scribbled upon the pages. Clean, clear and beautiful. It inspires me to pick up my pen and scribble my thoughts until the book is full. So it is with a brand new year. A years worth of days to fill with whatever we wish. (So what do you wish?)
We should make New Year's resolutions because: TIME IS PASSING, LIFE IS HAPPENING.
And, if we don't open our eyes and look around we miss so much and we will live our life doing the convenient, easy, "what comes naturally", what we have always done, what others are doing, what our habits lead us to do...and this just may not be the way we would consciously choose to act and live.
In our jobs there is usually an evaluation period...quarterly. So, Maybe we should make "New Quarter Resolutions". I believe in making quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily... OH, even hourly, or minute-by-minute resolutions! These are decisions we make to live life in a certain way.
Especially to be a Christ-follower takes this kind of attention because our human will draws us away from Christ-like living into selfish desires. So to be minute-by-minute yielded to God is an adventure that takes a decision and then attention.
So, New Year's Eve is not the only time we should make resolutions. Every day as we arise we should consider our day: How am I going to live today: selfishly or selflessly? healthy or gluttonously? Who am I going to serve: myself or God? What are my priorities: exercise? housework? time with husband and kids?
And, if we meet with success we can celebrate (HOORAY!!). And, if we face failure, we can start again... And I do believe we can get past "Today is the first day..." and onto the "Second day of the rest of our lives". We can make changes that will change who we are and how we choose to live our lives.
So you don't have to call them "New Year's resolutions"...how about just decisions made to live life in a certain way (O.K. not very catchy). But, there is no "dress rehearsal" for life--this is IT! We are living it...how are we doing?
Pepper Love
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