Walking Away From the Stuff Jungle

Hello to all!

     I am excited about todays post. This has been a wonderful week of revelation and revolution. You may ask, is it because you get to leave the desert and move where it rains and is perpetually green? Sadly no. I must remain in this abyss of a brown and waterless existence. But that's ok because there is much work needed right here in my own heart and home. I have been surprised by the more stuff I take out of my apartment the more I have. How is that possible? The truths of life can be found in paradoxes. Nobody says it better than Jesus. Those who mourn will be comforted, the humble will inherit the earth, the first will be last and the last will be first. As I have taken action in my life to walk away from the jungle of stuff I have found a freedom in my soul and mind. What if you could have that meaningful life where meaning came from relationships and experiences instead of stuff?

     My journey began about a year and a half ago when I looked around my apartment of 11 years and realized I had accumulated so much stuff I was drowning in it. I decided at that moment to start selling stuff off. I looked at many pinterest boards to help with ideas of the right furniture that could serve two purposes. Thus began the great unloading. I still can't believe I was able to sell as much as I did. In one week I sold over 70 items. Wallets, vases, dishes and many other things that I can't actually remember. Clearly non of these things were adding value to my life. I was able to take the money and get the right furniture that allowed us more room. The most astounding feeling was the mental uplift of not having all that stuff. After the overhaul last summer I looked around and thought much better I'm done. Little did I know this was only the beginning.

     When people hear minimalism they think an apartment with a chair and a vase and that's it. I think it's important to define something before you jump on in. Minimalism is NOT deprivation. It is NOT picking some random number of items and making your entire life about staying within that number of items. Minimalism itself isn't even the endgame. It's a mindset that can help bring freedom. 

         "Living an abundant life derives from traveling a journey of intentional self growth. It's functioning through your true self to live a simple life. It's getting good at being simple. Self simplicity becomes the clarity in which you find meaning. It's the removal of the unnecessary. It's the discovery of what you value most."  Joshua Becker

  

     These photos are my most prized possessions. My husband and I were only married a couple months when he walked in the door with the Ireland picture. I have never forgotten that moment and I have treasured this picture for 18 years. The Jamie Oliver book was another gift from my husband that took me completely by surprise. I love Jamie Oliver and used to watch him cook back in the very early days of his career. The reason this book is so special is because I had had no idea that it existed so I didn't even have it as a thought. This book has always been one of my favorites because the experience of receiving it was so wonderful. The other two pictures are collages I made of my life as a young child with my mother. They capture the essence of my life. I am really proud of how they turned out. The goat figurine was another gift from a dear friend. I grew up with goats and when she gave this to me I was so touched. I have treasured it for 13 years. The mug is a gift from another friend. She painted the Genesis 1:1 verse on it because she knew that it was one of my favorite verses. The black and white photo of my mom is priceless to me. She was a beautiful person inside and out. The Farm Fresh sign was given to me by the same friend who gave me the mug. I love this sign. I had mentioned that I was looking for something like this and on my birthday she surprised me with it. The board and paint aren't where the value is. The woman who made this with her artistic hands is what makes the board and paint have value and keep it from being just another thing.  Every time I look at it I think of my friend who is one of the most valuable people in my life. 

     "True life is found in the invisible things of life: love, hope, and faith. Again, we all know there are things in this world that are far more important than what we own. But if one were to research our actions, intentions, and receipts, would they reach the same conclusion? Or have we been too busy seeking happiness in all the wrong places?" Joshua Becker

     This resonates deeply with me. We are programmed from a young age to buy more, have more, get more, want more. Having a coffee table isn't bad, but do you ever stop and ask yourself, do I need one? Why not unsubscribe to all those e-mails that flood your life every morning? Maybe turn off the social media notifications so that you are able to live in the now with those around you, uninterrupted. For me minimalism means freeing my mind and checkbook so that I can sincerely open those before God and ask what He wants us to do with our money and time. The Bible talks about how it was for freedom that Christ set us free. Yet do we actually live like that or are we creating homes filled with stuff as if this was our permanent home? Living with less is going to look differently for everyone. I have gone from four bookshelves to two. I'm selling off a cabinet that housed a bunch of dishes I didn't really use. I feel lighter and freer. 

     There is so much information out there on how to live with less. The two sites that I have found most helpful are becomingminimalist.com and theminimalists.com. These gentlemen are inspiring and balanced. Nobody is in a robe, smoking a pipe on some mountain telling people to move up there with them. They are challenging the way we think. They are asking us to reconsider and learn to find value not more stuff. My personal challenge to you all is to read through the above links first. Go with an open mind. Maybe there is a bookshelf that at one time was helpful but now it just takes up space. Maybe that drawer that you keep stuffing things into needs to be eradicated. Take time through this journey. It's not about getting rid of all your stuff and sitting in an empty home, sulking. This is your life. Start living with purpose and intention. Consider gratitude a discipline of the heart. Change your thoughts from "I can't wait to have that" to "I have enough and what can I give away." I leave you with this.

     "While rearranging our stuff may cause us to look at each of our possessions, it does not force us to evaluate them-especially if we are just putting them in boxes and closing the lids. On the other hand, removing possessions from our home forces questions of passion, values, and what's truly most important to us. Organizing may provide a temporary lift to our attitude. It clears a room and subsequently clears our mind, but rarely paves the way for healthy, major lifestyle changes. Our house is too small, our income is too little, and we still can't find enough time in the day. We may have rearranged our stuff...but not our lives.

Blessings

Gadiela 

      

     

                                                  Sangria and Friends
Hello all!
     It's a Sunday afternoon and my son is swimming in the pool. Living in an apartment has its ups and downs. I have great neighbors but sometimes I want space. Everyday I long for trees and green. I live in Southern California so it's drought, desert and lot's of brown. I feel like I'm withering away. Anytime there are clouds or rain my spirits lift and I am ready to take on the day. The sun just makes me hot and grumpy. My husband's job is really centered here. He is a fireman with the speciality skill of being a Dozer operator.  I cannot think of a more suitable job for him. I am so proud of all the things he does at work. He stepped into a position in 2008 that had been vacant for quite sometime. The dust had collected and no one really knew what was going on with the dozer. He has put it together from the ground up with barely any training. Seven years later he has created a module at work where the guys enjoy working with him and don't really want to leave when fire season is over. My husband is a deeply compassionate no nonsense type of guy. He looks at work as something to take pride in, not to just show up and collect a paycheck. The kids and I just swell with pride when we see him. He is our protector, provider and he deeply loves his family. He's one of the good one's and I'm so grateful that God brought us together and that he is the father of our kids.

     
     Wow, I hadn't planned to talk about that yet but that's apparently where I needed to go. So back to Sangria and friends. In my first blog I talked about how life can be very lonely. Not only do I live in a desert but my life has felt like a desert. Sometimes it feels like it will never end. My husband has applied for jobs elsewhere in his field of work but God keeps closing the doors. It's hard not to feel like God doesn't play favorites when you see others getting out of here or moving on with life. The last no that my husband received about a job possibility just made me a little angry. I want something and God is saying no. So He and I have had a heart battle over the last week. I can say now that the anger is gone and I am going to trust that He knows what He's doing. God brought me to this place after two evenings spent in the company of some wonderful friends.
     I had texted my girlfriend to see what she and her husband were up to last Friday night. She said they were going to their home group and we were welcome to come. A couple years ago we went through some painful church stuff and the wounds went deep. In life sometimes you just need rest on the couch. Then the day comes to get off the couch and engage with people and try again. The older we get there is a tendency to think how it is, is how it will always be. You stop trying and miss out on life. I want to be bold and walk towards God with all things. Even when He says no to me I want to trust His love and know that I can rest and talk with Him under the shadow of His wings. 
     So I leaped into trying this home group. I had no idea who was there or what it would be like. I have to say that walking into a room of people I don't know is petrifying to me. Usually I want to find the nearest corner and be invisible. Well that's not going to happen when your out with my friends Walt and Trina. They are these loving outgoing people with hearts of pure love. They drew my husband and I in and introduced us all around the group. What a delightful group of eclectic people. The group is for 20 to 35 year olds but they also want people who are older to bring encouragement as well. The older reaching to the younger. I really was touched by this group of people. I have never encountered a home group like this. Full of love and prayer. This isn't a group of perfect people with perfect lives and plastic smiles. Everyone has stuff and we are all just trying to move closer to God and know who we are in Christ. My soul was refilled and I can't stop thinking about them. 
     I also went to a new church because it has a Saturday evening service. My husband works Sundays and has been unable to go to church for far too long. Family life is about adjusting and finding what works for the whole good of the unit. I was once again filled up by the wonderful music and the company of Walt and Trina. Our husbands have never had the same days off so this is a special treat to be in church together and possibly a home group. Folks, life is full of valleys with some peaks thrown in there. Has my life completely changed and everything perfect? By no means. I'm still in the desert. Arrrg. I am relearning how to rest in the person of who Jesus is. I'm learning about God's love for me and how to trust that again. How to come off the couch and out of the desert into life even when I'm still living in the desert. Our first instinct isn't to run to God when He tells us no or doesn't do what we think we want. But that is exactly where we need to run to and just talk to Him. Lay it all out and don't quit. You never know what's around the corner.
     I leave you with walk in boldness and walk towards God.
Blessings
Gadiela     

Why I'm Throwing My Hat In The Ring

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     I have been asking myself for awhile if I should write a blog. Blogging is such a large community and I'm jumping in late in the game. As I peruse Instagram and different blogs I have found myself encouraged by people's lives and thoughts. There is only one me and my story and experiences might encourage another. I don't have all the answers. I actually feel like I have less answers the older I get. Every soul has value, so if only one person's heart is lifted and encouraged then it's all worth it.
      My mind was fluttering with what to call this blog. With so many names and clever titles I wanted something authentic and reflective of my life. I reached into my silverware drawer and saw my different forks and spoons and I was struck with a couple thoughts. I don't have matching silverware and my life has never matched up perfectly to anything. Quite the opposite. If it can go wrong it will. I'm pretty organized but I seem to always be missing some vital peace information. I hang my pictures at different heights with one always being slightly off. I'm a relationship girl not a social butterfly. Give me a good cup of coffee and a good friend and I feel like life is fulfilled. I have lived near Hollywood and its influences for most of my life. The older I get the less enchanted I am with celebrities and the more I find myself wanting to leave it all behind and live near nature, peace and quiet. I had a history teacher in high school say that we have a tendency to want to return to our roots. I always remember his words because I have felt myself drawn back to a time of simplicity in an overcomplicated and self-imploding world.
     I have two teenagers, thirteen and sixteen. I have been married for over eighteen years. I'm sure there is wisdom in there somewhere but it is mostly covered in exhaustion. As if being a parent isn't enough, my husband and I decided to homeschool our children four years ago. I say that with zero arrogance. It was a decision that we were called to do for our children. Not everyone gets that call. I have never been more scared of anything but I'm very glad that we did. More on that in another blog.
Our marriage has survived against some incredible odds. I really attribute it to Jesus. Somehow He has brought us through.
     My desire for this blog is for people to just feel encouraged and not alone. I am in one of the loneliest times of my life. I have a wonderful husband and children but we are not surrounded by wonderful friends. The town we live in is full of people and stuff but exceptionally empty. Parenting in general can be very lonely. You're just trying to get your kids through different milestones and challenges. I am trying to see God's purpose in us living here but nothing has been enlightened to me at this point. I do not feel that I have the corner market on hardships. Everyone comes with their own set. I am only offering my life as a testament of God's grace and love despite it being riddled with some real whoppers. God is a loving God and there is extreme human suffering. Theologians, attempting to answer this problem have caused egregious errors in trying to explain who God is. Somethings can't be explained or answered. That's just how it is.
     I look forward to this new journey and invite you to come along for the ride. We aren't always glamorous but we are legit.
Blessings