Our Year Without Buying: April Update

So far, so good! I’ve never been a big shopper, so I must say that it’s been extremely easy for me to simply not shop. I’ll pass by a store that I like, thinking, “There’s no reason to stop… I have nothing to buy!” Before, I could’ve wasted an hour in Target or lost an entire afternoon browsing any of my favorite thrift stores. Not that I am swimming in extra minutes, but I am definitely enjoying more time.

And I’m really enjoying less stuff! We had a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. In preparation, I spent loads of time pilfering the cabinets and closets for anything we could do without. I was shocked at how much excess we had, stashed away. Useless. At the end of our one-day sale, we loaded what was left and hauled it away to Goodwill.

With the earnings from our sale, we bought supplies for a little garden box in the yard. There are several more things that I want to plant in it, but I haven’t made it back to the nursery. I could take all the time I’m saving by not going to Target and spend every minute (and then some!) walking the aisles of every nursery and garden center in town.



The other day I watched The Story of Stuff, by Annie Leonard, which talks about, well, stuff. Where it comes from, and where it goes. Eye opening. And I say this as a person whose eyes were already open. I cringe when I throw things away, knowing that my stuff is rotting away in a landfill. Bleh. But that’s how it is. Some things just have to be thrown away. Things beyond their usefulness, beyond salvage. Things like this:



These were J's shoes. It wasn’t a shock… I knew that we were going to have a shoe crisis. I just didn’t know it would be so dramatic, and so poorly timed. J wore these shoes, in this condition, to church Easter weekend. How embarrassing! I am SO thankful for the grandparent intervention, providing us with several new pairs. Thanks, Nana! I hope the boys appreciate this blessing as much as I do. (They probably don’t. I know.)

Speaking of Easter...

Last week, P had to take a dozen eggs to school, each stuffed with some sort of non-candy prize. I keep a stash of little junk toys in the pantry. They are all trinkets from school and birthday party goody bags. And the boys never even notice that I’ve swiped their new junk toys and put them in my little bag. So, I stuffed a dozen plastic eggs, which we already had, with little toys, which we already had. Wasteful spending averted. Whew!

The boys’ Easter baskets were a bit ironic. They were filled with candy and hygiene items. How random is that? But since we don’t really “do” the whole Easter Bunny thing, I didn’t see any sense in making purchasing exceptions for their baskets. We’ve said from the start that we would allow the purchase of hygiene items and food… candy is, after all, edible. Besides, my kids love to get new toothbrushes and Star Wars Band-Aids, and it's fun to watch Peeps expand in the microwave.



I’m glad that this holiday was easy to navigate within our chosen limits. But best of all, I’m glad that the boys understand that Easter is not about chicken embryos and sneaky bunnies. They know that Easter is a celebration of Jesus, the sacrifice for our sin. They know that because of His triumph over death, we can someday reach Heaven.

And that is worth everything in this world!

Reading Books

Today, I’m at the library, utilizing their fabulous bank of computers. Our home computer has been down for a while, so I haven’t had much opportunity to blog. Worse, I haven’t had much opportunity to read other people’s blogs.

Since I haven’t been reading a lot of blogs, I’ve had my nose buried in books. If you don’t care what I’ve been reading, I don’t blame you. I promise I’ll write something more interesting or post pictures of my new garden or something even better next time. For now, you get books.

The kids and I just finished A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket, on Friday. We celebrated by watching the movie which only covers the first three books, presented out of sequence for the sake of Hollywood. But whatever. I think the boys liked it. I’m not sure what we’re going to read next… I have a few random novels that I’ve checked out from the library, but I’ve also picked up this:

The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us About Moral Choices, by Edmund M. Kern. I’m not sure about reading Harry Potter to the kids, so I’m reading this book to investigate the possibility. Who doesn’t love a teachable moment?

While we were wrapping up Unfortunate Events as a group, the kids were individually devouring Magic Tree House books, by Mary Pope Osborne. Their obsession continues but, at a rate of about one book per day, I have a feeling that they will be done with that series in a blink!

Speaking of kids, I’m reading Taking Back Childhood: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Media-Saturated, Violence-Filled World, by Nancy Carlsson-Paige. Long title, long book. Reading this, I feel like some of my concerns are being validated. I’m not being overprotective… I’m being a responsible parent.

And while we’re on the topic of responsibility, let’s talk about Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet, by Tracey Bianchi. I’m barely into the first chapter, but I fell in love with her concept in just the introduction! Allow me to quote, “…when it comes to saving the planet, I cannot separate the cause from the Creator of the world.” I love it when authors unashamedly point to God. I can hardly wait to see what the rest of the book has in store!

Finally, at the bottom of the pile, I have Spring Cleaning: The Spirit of Keeping Home, by Monica Nassif. I’ve thumbed through it. It looks informative. And useful. And it means that I have a lot of work to do! Now that the garage sale is done (Praise the Lord!), I can get to it. Oh. Happy. Day.

So that’s it! I have others around the house that I think I’ll read. Soonish. And I have a growing list of books I want to read after these. Imagine if I had started liking to read when I was younger!

I’m so thankful that my children love to read. There are so many things to be read… things to learn and imaginative places to be unlocked. The possibilities are endless!

So… Do you have any recommendations to share?

No Impact? Man!

Around the beginning of our year without buying, I learned of No Impact Man. His name is Colin Beavan, and he lived a year in New York City with no net impact on the environment. No net impact. Since we all have an environmental impact, simply by existing, Mr. Beavan set out to do good for the environment to balance it out.

The No Impact Project offers us all the opportunity to form groups and try this experiment for just one week. While I don’t plan to sign-up for my own No Impact Week, I am inspired by the daily concepts. Last week, The Green Paige participated in a group in New York City and chronicled her adventure en vlog.

Her posts are thought provoking, at least for me – a garbage nerd. Even without participating in a No Impact Week myself, Paige’s posts have heightened my awareness of my own wastefulness. But even better than that, I feel capable of change, of breaking out of the cycle.

As Colin Beavan says, it’s about doing more good… Not just less bad.

I’m not saying that everyone should follow the No Impact Blog, or become a fan of The Green Paige on facebook, although it’s what all the cool kids are doing. I’m just saying that, if you are even the least bit interested in the environment, you might want to.

Praying for Faith

There have been lots of things swirling around my brain since my last post. Yesterday I was trying to decide what I wanted to talk about, finally sitting down to read up on what other bloggers have been talking about, when I read about Faith. And all the swirling came to a halt.

There is urgency here, friends.

Please stop and pray for Faith and her family. You can pray without information, right? If you don’t have a full box of tissues nearby and twenty spare minutes to have an emotional breakdown, I suggest that you stop reading here, shoot up a prayer, and come back later. If you have the time and the tissues, or you think you can handle it (I couldn’t), then continue.

Or should I say, “Welcome back, now that you’re ready to do some heavy sobbing.”

I first read about Faith yesterday on Marla Taviano’s blog. She is an author in Ohio. This is today’s post:

If you missed yesterday’s post, Faith, a little 6-year-old girl at Ava’s school, has just been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. It’s extremely aggressive, and while doctors originally (a couple days ago) gave her six months to live, now they’re saying she could stop breathing in as little as 6 weeks. And I heard from a teacher today that they’re thinking even sooner.

Basically, she needs a complete and total miraculous act of God to live. And that’s what I’m praying for. And will keep praying for until He heals her or takes her home.

Her mom’s faith in God is incredible. She said today that “I do not understand God’s purposes or plans, but nothing that could ever come about in this life will make me love him any less.” You can keep up with how Faith is doing on her Caring Bridge site. And if you didn’t get a chance to leave a comment yesterday, please sign her guestbook. I know she and her family will be so encouraged.

During radiation today, they asked Faith if she could meet anyone in the world, who would it be? Faith’s answer? “Jesus and God.”

Please pray especially for Faith’s sister, Trinity (9) and Faith’s first-grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor. They’re both having a really rough time.

This family’s situation is unfathomable. I struggle to wrap my head (and especially my heart) around coping with such devastating news. Read the Caring Bridge updates. Faith’s mother’s words are awe-inspiring. Her faith in the Lord is extraordinary.

Please join me in prayer for this family.

February 9, 2004

I had been working my new job in the Spiritual Development department at Fellowship Church for exactly one week. During that week, I was alone in my office, awaiting the girl who would fill the empty desk in the room with me. I was pretty nervous about spending so much time in a confined space together. I’ve never been very good at making girlfriends, and there are few women that I trust, or even like, instantly. Very few.

I had no idea what God had in store. I had no idea what type of relationship would be formed within those four walls. How could I have known that this sassy little thing would become one of my very best friends?

Over these six years, we have been through many things. Buying houses, having babies, changing jobs. We’ve endured deep sadness and enjoyed loads of laughter. But through all the changes, the fundamentals of our individual lives - God, our Church, and our priorities - remain constant. This common ground is what keeps our relationship centered and strong.

It has been quite some time since we shared an office. We’ve been in different life stages and had long stretches of time without seeing each other, but our friendship doesn’t miss a beat.

I pray that everyone can have a friendship like this. I love you, Andrea!

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

I kind of wish I had some rain boots but, sadly, those are not on the list.

We are one week into our Year Without Buying! This first week has been easy, although there is a beautiful wool hat, left unpurchased, that I lamented for the first couple of days. But I'm over it... I'm getting over it. The boys have, for the most part, stopped their chatter about the toys they plan to buy when the ban has been lifted. I’m thankful for the support and encouragement we have received. Some of you have asked us for details of our plan, which I promised to share, so here you go:

We aren’t living in squalor. We’ll purchase what is necessary to keep up our selves and our house, but nothing superfluous.

We will, of course, cover the basic needs of the family. The kids will not be going to school in rags. They have an insane amount of clothing as it is. On Friday, I pulled forty tee shirts from their closets. Forty. Tee shirts. And they still have plenty left to wear. This is a perfect example of the excess that I want to get out from under. Who needs that many shirts?!

No one.

When their shoes fall apart, which they inevitably will, we’ll figure something out. We’ll barter, hit garage sales or resale shops, or maybe hint around for grandparent intervention. I don’t know.

What I do know is that we serve a God who provides, and that whatever it is that we need, trusting Him, we shall have it.

So, without further adieu, here is a brief list of planned exceptions to our non-buying year.

Food. Of course.

Hygiene items. Because we’re on a mission to cut back on spending, not friends.

Cleaning products. See above. I'd like to add that I am looking into making some of our household cleaners instead of buying them. I already make our laundry detergent, so I’m sure that I could do more. Do you have a home-made cleaner that you use? Post your recipe in the comments!

Landscaping materials. Like plants and mulch and two-by-fours for garden boxes. No birdbaths, wind chimes, or garden gnomes.

Raw materials for homespun projects, as needed. Now, I know that this is a big loop-hole, but I’m determined not to get out of hand. Here’s the deal: We’ll be making gifts for Christmas and other occasions. While we have a LOT of various craftish supplies on hand, I’m sure that there will be little things that we run out of over the course of the year. And I am not about to deny my kids (or myself!) the joy of making a gift for someone because we ran out of paste.

I think that should do it! And, even thought I won’t be going out to buy any, if someone were to anonymously drop off a pair of size nine ladies rain boots, I would very humbly accept them. Just kidding.

Sort of.

Chopping the Lawn

I was outside with the dogs when it started to rain, and I thought of my husband. He and I both love this kind of weather: cool temperatures, overcast skies, and falling rain. The perfect compliment to this weather?

A fire in the fireplace.

Which brings up a bit of a need. It’s only kind of a need, since the fire is just for enjoyment and not for survival. But if we’re going to have a fire, someone is going to have to chop the wood. Preferably before the wood gets soaked by the rain. Andy always chops the wood. It’s just one of those “man things” that he does, and I believe enjoys doing. But I don’t want him to have come home, after working all day, just to go out and chop firewood in the rain. So that leaves it to me.

Let me just say that I’m a bit leery of dangerous-ish physical activities. I have a life… I can’t afford to hurt myself doing something stupid.

But if we’re going to have a fire…

At first I swung tentatively, striking with my eyes closed, lodging the axe somewhere along the middle. Not really splitting the logs, but just nagging them into pieces. Then I got a little more comfortable and swung harder, burying the blade of the axe in my lawn more than a couple of times. Chopping the lawn isn’t as much due to brute strength as it is timidly swinging with my eyes closed. Make note of that. It’s profound.

At some point, I became brave enough to keep my eyes open without imagining a massive shank of wood rendering me blind. And that is when it all came together and I really found joy in the work.

I love the crisp sound of a log splitting with just one swing, the satisfying ease of movement. What a sensation! Every muscle working in tandem to swing hard and hit my target, hearing, feeling, and seeing the wood split.

I’m sure this all seems girly and dumb to you if you’re outdoorsy. Or even if you’re not. Sorry. I’ll make my point now.

As I was working, I realized that this is a great picture of our approach to life. When we are fully engaged in what is going on, the experience is so much better. Timidly chopping wood is lame. With my eyes closed, I often missed the mark. It took longer, it wasn't very satisfying, and it was actually much more difficult. I think the same is true with nearly everything. Think about your work. Even just your drive to work, or anywhere else you may go. Think about parenting your children. Loving your spouse. How much collateral damage is caused by holding something back?

My life is better when I put my whole self in it; when I open my eyes and stop haphazardly chopping the lawn.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7