U turn from more....

I have been thinking about "MORE".

Our internal drive or propensity to always want more..

We have a tendency, or at least I see it in myself, my kids and friends, to always reach out and go for more of something.

We like a Wii game, we always go for

more Wii games. Like movies, more movies is better. More scrapbook supplies, more collections of vintage this or that, more fabric, more books, more clothes, more dishes, more shoes, more activities, more music, more gadgets,

...more more more...

Our kids likes soccer, let's get him in soccer camp and soccer teams, and then let's get the other two(three) kids in more activities, and then put more into our schedule and be rushing around more .....

Let's have a birthday party with more and more presents and more guests and more activities...and more...

and let's travel more..... see more, do more....

NONE of these things alone (in moderation) are wrong or bad....

it is the "moreness" of it all that puts our lives and time and finances and minds out of whack.

If one is good, more must be better, right?

Why do we naturally gravitate toward more?

I think it is the craving to fill our souls. God made man with less...

With needs....

with a need that is never completely filled without God, and even with God never completely satisfied, this side of eternity. In Mark Buchanan's book, Things Unseen (or is it Unseen Things, one of THE best books I have EVER read by the way)....he talks about God setting eternity in the hearts of men, and not being surprised when nothing on this earth seems to truly, fully last as quenching our thirst.

So, in our needful state, with our gaping hole, we try to stuff it with (in the words of Stephen King) "needful things". And one thing doesn't work, thus our quest for more.

I am doing a study book called Becoming a Woman of Simplicity, and it is challenging me to question the moreness in me. I have a been attracted to the task of unloading my "mores"

...my mores that are cluttered all over my house and garage and life and heart.

And even cognizant of my need to unload my mores, I still find myself driving straight to more!

Today, , for example: After a very very long and busy week, today is a day of rich goodness....

Mary, after a week of practice, did a superb job in a skit this morning at chapel. I got to stay and watch. And then Nick, after a weeks and weeks of preparing, researching, crafting, momma helping, cooking..... did a presentation on Italy this morning at school, with PowerPoint, food, display board, props....and all the six grade families got to watch each of their students present on a country and then we all feasted on an international smorgasbord with food of Italy, Japan, Australia, Congo, France, Ukraine and New Zealand. ...

After enjoying the fruits of my children's labor, knowing we have an open house and concert to go to tonight.....they all got out of school early.

We had about 3 to 4 hours before we will have to start getting ready for tonight.......an open hole in our schedule......

I started to drive toward the movie theaters....(thinking it would be nice to surprise them, this little treat)....but as I was driving, (they did not notice the change of direction)....I started thinking about more.... and how I, enjoying one thing, try to cram something else into the day, to extend the more....something they did not need, or even know about..... and how the example and pace and quest to never be bored, it teaching a lifestyle of busyness to them!

So I did a U-turn from more! Turned the car around, and drove home.

We are relaxing....doing much of nothing, savoring the enjoyment of this morning, looking forward to tonight....

Just yesterday, when Mary was asking if she could join gymnastics, and I was explaining why not...... I said, we have to build pauses into our day and schedule. Down time, unscheduled, unplanned, unstuffed time...time just to be and do nothing or do spontaneous simplistic things..... play...

Nick, coming off a week of an intense schedule, agreed....

We need to turn from more to give us time for each other. And time for God. How will I ever hear his quiet whisper if my mind and day is overstuffed? If I am so busy cleaning up and caring for the "more" dripping all over my house and life? The pace of our lives and culture is so fast....and some things, like work, we often have to step up to the pace of more. But I do NOT have to build it into my own home and life, and children's lives, outside of work.

Less does not come naturally. It is a conscious effort.

A continual choice....

and an unloading of our more collections.

If often takes a U-turn.....

I am looking forward to trying to do less.....and open up our lives to each other and God...