#1 JUMP (off the merry-go-round)

April holds my birth-date,... and with my birthday (of 24) I will officially be in my "mid twenties".... that's a weird thought.  I'm not uncomfortable about birthdays, or getting older. I think really what is the weirdest to me is that two years ago, April 2008, is when I moved to Nashville. Not only does this month hold my birthday, but the 'anniversary' of being a financially independent, free of school (but paying too much in school loans) adult.

There have been a lot of changes, ups and downs, and a lot of attitude re-adjustments that have gone on in the last two years. The season I'm in right now is not the easiest or hardest I've had, and I'm reluctantly digging up personal junk to trade it in for the freedom in Christ. But where do I start even doing that. Right now where I'm at is trying to remember to pray and ask God to remind me to pray for the desire to be free from myself. And being so grateful for God's grace, in spite of me.

Recently I bought the book 101 ways to simplify your life by candy paull. Not that I'm much for self-help books, and I don't really plan on using it for that as much as just having the simple reminder. A daily challenge. I'm not good at challenges, I usually forget about them. So start simple, right? for the next 101 days (unless I forget a day and have to extend my deadline) I'm going to try and simplify my life, one thing at a time, and blog about it. Not that I think I have any enlightening wisdom to share, but to track the journey, for myself.

So today... is JUMP. Jump off the merry-go-round and start by making one small change towards simplification.

"There are many activities I must cut out simply because I desire to excel in my pursuit after God and holiness." -Wendell W. Price.

A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life. -Proverbs 13:7MSG

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to birds, babes, and sages with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common-this is our symphony." - William Henry Channing

Lord, show me the ways in which i need to simplify my life, change direction, and gain wisdom in how to spend the time that I have.