Simplicity Revolution

Tumbleweed tiny houses ......the very name invokes images of tiny elves tucked in tiny beds with sweet dreams floating through their tiny brains, but it is actually a company started by Jay Shafer.The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company to be exact and it is just what the name suggests...tiny houses.  Compact houses that store only the necessities...everything that you need and nothing extra. (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/) I am fascinated with  all things tiny... I once saw a tiny skillet which sent me reeling with laughter and I couldn't get the thought of making little sunny side up eggs out of my head all day.  So you can imagine my excitement over Tumbleweed Tiny Houses!!!  Everything you need... simple, compact and purposeful.

Jay Shafer founder of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

I was thinking about that philosophy and how I could apply it to my own life. With all the junk that can take my focus and distract me from what is truly important, how can I get rid of the things that do not truly matter to make room for what is needed?  I  am not simply talking about material things ( like an episode of the popular T.V show "Hoarders") but ideas, and thoughts, and worries that don't really matter in the whole scheme of things...it's kind of my unofficial goal for this year. I recently did a journal entry that helped me figure out both things that have been cluttering my life and what is really important.   I drew a big square with a little square in the center. The big square held all the ideas, mindsets, frustrations, worries and philosophies that I feel have been cluttering up my life. I focused on different aspects of life from my career to my marriage, and everything in between and just wrote down what I felt was keeping me from moving forward.  I had things like "fearing being taken advantage of", " using perfect words", " sticking with what is comfortable", " trying to figure out life all at once" and " appearing strong" all in that big box.  There were more than forty items in that box, and in the center was a tiny box which I used to focus on what I felt was really important... five items " Compassion", "Helping when I see a need", " Growing in the fruit of the Spirit (attitude), " Knowing and believing God" and "Maturing in how I love people".

The outside square are the things that have cluttered things up

In the middle are the things worth my focus

 These things are what I am passionate about and the forty plus items only serve to take my focus off of what matters, loving God and loving people.  This year I want to keep it simple.. Let the war on clutter begin!