I'm tired of a cluttered life. A cluttered house. A cluttered schedule. I want more time, more space, more calm. My house is full of stuff I don't use and much of my time is taken by things that don't matter. I'm over it. It's time to change.
I recently read Jen Hatmaker's 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess and was pretty much blown away. I crave a simpler life; she has demonstrated that it CAN be done - even in our over-the-top, "you deserve it all" culture. I'm ready.
Thankfully, my husband is ready, too. In fact, he's been ready for a while now. Regrettably, I'm the one who has dragged her feet until the last couple of months. I like comfort - but I hate the trappings of excess. For too long, I've settled with the trappings so I could enjoy the comfort. Only I don't. Not really. My mind, house, and time are all jam-packed with too much that doesn't really matter and too little that does. My breaking point came as I was cleaning out my 6 year old daughter's wardrobe. After I cleared out all the shoes that no longer fit, she still had 17 pairs that did. SEVENTEEN. She's 6. My stomach churned as I realized not only was I trapped in excess, but I was trapping her, too. No more.
In 2013, the Hostetler family is deliberately walking away from the excess and clutter to embrace a simpler, fuller life. It will be difficult, but well worth it. Our plan is based on Jen's 7 and our schedule is as follows:
January - possessions
February - food
March - spending
April - clothing
May - media
June - stress
July - waste
Each month will be a sort of "fast" from its theme. Most months will be for the whole family, while others are mainly for Andy and me. I started this blog as a way to journal through this experience and be able to look back on it later to see how God has moved in my heart and in our family. I anticipate it being a wonderfully hard year. I'm sure we will stumble along the way, but I'm eager to get started. I'll explain how each month will work as it begins. It will look a lot like Jen's 7, but be tailored for our family. Andy and I want to operate in the spirit of a fast, not necessarily by the letter of the law.
Here's to a new beginning!
(And go read 7!)
