The beautiful freedom of lack

Personally I have found that the more I simplify life the better life gets. There is something glorious about having nothing of value in the world, but faith and love.

Everybody agrees that these are the rewards of life, but what I am learning [that everyone else may not yet know] is that most everything else is just a distraction. Simplicity brings its blessing by freeing us from the tyranny of stuff. As a young bride supporting her man through school my whole life is colored with beautiful freedom of lack. For instance:

• I’ve been wearing the same second-hand clothes for several years now. Every hand-me down reminds me of the love of the giver and each holds a hundred beautiful memories. Though my jeans are frayed and shirts faded, they look better on me than ever because ,filled with Tim’s love, I smile more than ever. He’s given me the security to finally gain the few extra pounds that I stubbornly fought for years. In my new body I am both prettier and honestly happier to grasp another measure of peace with how I am fashioned. By refusing to attempt to keep up with the latest fashions I find a more authentic me, a beauty that is deeper than status.

• Tim and I have a very modest food budget. We have become incredibly creative with the preparation of rice, beans, and eggs since ten dollars could buy enough for us to survive an entire week with little else. We truly feel that using these staples as primary components of our diet helps to connect our hearts our brothers and sisters around the globe. As we thank God for this food we remember the millions of people who would gratefully receive what the American palet has been trained to scorn as boring. Then there is nothing more glorious than the smell of warm bread. We bake all our own. Tim still laughs every time I encourage the dough ball, “rise, little guy. I know you can” but these last months have taught us that everything tastes better with a heaping portion of love mixed in.

• Without a huge budget for leisure dates often consist of long walks… we laugh, pray, sing, and sometimes just chat…. and sometimes just be. Going to Walmart for groceries is always a fun time together. We always visit our friends-- the greeters and cashiers. Though we mostly eat at home, we occasionally splurge on the dollar menu. Once a week we go to The Well to split a Granita so we’ve tried every different flavor. Granitas there are heavenly—one of my favorite things of all time. All the baristas know our order, “One granita with whipped cream in two cups and a glass of water.” It has become our ritual before enjoying a single sip to pray that God will bless our baristas and all the people who have also gathered at The Well to be refreshed body and soul.

• A small basement apartment means that we spend more time in each other’s space.

• Sharing one beat-up vehicle means we walk, we plan, we pick each other up.

• Without television, texting-plans, or game systems, we spend our time in real world recreation.

… the list really could go on and on if I were patient enough to write it. I am not romanticizing the struggle of marrying before your “financially secure,” just sharing that we have discovered that the blessing outweighs the hardship. Working three jobs… overtime and overnight is draining. Being the bread-winner without being in a position to establish a career is hard. There are days when I envy other girls cars, clothes, and well-maintained thinness; but I realize that I wouldn’t trade what we’ve found for they’ve got. In the things of faith and love, the things that really matter, we are millionaires. I madly in love with my husband… and enjoying every minute of growing up together.

Together we are learning the truths that Jesus taught his disciples,

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Matthew 6:25-33- The Message