I hope everyone here has their needs met. (I know this isn’t the case for many.) Assuming you’re at least there, I’d like to address wants. It’s my belief that God doesn’t promise to meet all of our wants. I do believe that God does graciously offer some of our wants. I know people, however, [...]
Our business is getting a new heat press with accessories in a couple of weeks. We had to make room. To make way, my lovely wife executed a pretty major cleaning spree last weekend. All told, she rid us of eight trash bags and a box of stuff. We’re trading space taken by items for [...]
I’ve been stuck in life more times that I’d like to admit; however, there’s a way to get going, and after that to keep going. It’s living with an outward focus. Mere continuous meaningless activity can’t satisfy our deepest desires, though it temporarily satisfies some. I know it really helps me when I’m helping others. [...]
“You are either going for your dreams or giving up your dreams.” –Jeff Olson and John David Mann, The Slight Edge Why face fear? It’s all too easy to do nothing in the face of fear. Obstacles hold us back from achieving our dreams. Which is worse? Inaction? –or facing fear and acting in spite [...]
When I first heard the Prosperity Gospel in the 1980s, I rejected it. The version I heard, I’ll call it Prosperity 1.0, was the “name it and claim it” gospel. If you believed you could have something, God would provide it. Many who followed it pursued lavish lifestyles. It emphasized giving to get. After twenty [...]
Earning income is noble. Why? A minimalist lifestyle requires it, unless you already have everything you need. I’ve focused for the past few months on reducing expenses. I, like many others who’d been striving for the “American Dream”, am deep in debt. I now live a sort-of-Mustachian minimalist lifestyle. However, I must get out of [...]
“The fruit of the Spirit is…self-control.” –Galatians The Problem Change is hard. It often goes against the grain; however, change is essential. Whether a making a minor course correction or breaking a stubborn habit, life necessitates change. Facing it can be overwhelming. Changing by making small steps can make big change possible (and easier). Why? [...]
I’m focusing on doing fewer things. Cutting Back on Facebook I’d been in the habit of using Facebook four or more times a day, mostly while multitasking. Now I limit it to twice a day with little or no multitasking. Limiting TV I’ve cut back to 12 hours or less per week — only watching [...]
I’m committed to downsizing in my life. I’ve had two purging sessions over the last two weeks. Wednesday’s already my trash day, so I’ve added purging to it. Two weeks ago I donated seven pairs of footwear and dumped one, keeping seven pairs. Of two pairs of flip-flops I owned, I donated the nicer leather [...]
Wisdom considers the flip side. “The flip side of deficient saving…is overconsumption.” —R.S. Gay The American two-party system tends to evaluate issues in competing camps. One camp may say, “minimum wage laws benefit the poor by raising their living standards; we support them.” While the opposing camp may contend, “minimum wage laws keep more low-skilled [...]
