It has Simply been a Tough Spring.

It's Been a Tough Spring.

Spring Cleaning hit my household early this year and it has continued with a theme of simplicity. We have lived in our house, which we are really blessed to have and enjoy living in for the most part, for seven years now. What we have come to realize in our household is that this house is just too big for two people and we have way too much stuff. A lot of our stuff is stuff that people have given to us over the years as we helped older relatives downsize their lives. Some of the stuff is stuff we bought that we no longer need, want or use. What I have come to realize is that I was happier when I had less stuff. Stuff has not made me happy. So Spring Cleaning has commenced in more ways than one in my life.

On the career front, I'm looking for my next new thing. The work I do as a pastor has me working with an aging congregation that is working through a process of deciding if they want to close or stay open. It is hard work to work with what many people consider 'dying' congregations. I am not sure if I am developing myself as a specialist in this area or not. I get frustrated with other organizations and entities that like to prey on vulnerable congregations. Lately I see this happening more and more.

I am also dealing with some related internal issue about consistency of my personal values with my exposed values of simplicity and that is difficult work of self reflection.

I did run across this interesting website and I want to link to it. It fits with the Simplicity theme.