The Purpose Of "A Life Lived Simply"

As a follower of Christ, I try my best to live by the truths, principles, and wisdom found in the word of God. So when God laid it upon my heart to start blogging again, a few verses of scripture came to mind ~ Titus 2: 3-5. It is a scripture very near to my heart and one I have tried to live. I have tried to share what little knowledge I have learned over the years as a wife and a housekeeper with my daughter, girls in a Keepers Of The Home group we were involved in, and young women in our former small group. Yet, the desire to share with more women was there and God gave me a clear vision of how to do that by blogging. So, I am stepping out in faith with this blog and letting God take care about reaching those who may benefit from it.

I felt that part of the purpose of this blog was to show younger women just how fulfilling a simple life could be. With all the shows and voices out there giving so many mixed messages about what it means to be a woman, a wife, or a mother; I wanted them to know there was nothing wrong with being a submissive wife. There is nothing wrong with wanting to care for your home and stay at home with your children. I wanted them to know joy can come from doing simple things like working a garden or spending time enjoying a meal outside with your family. I wanted them to know it is okay not to be on the go all of the time or busy with some sort of activity. I wanted them to know that some of the best pleasures in life are often the simplest ones; like going for a walk, taking a ride in the mountains, or snuggling in the bed with your spouse and a fur baby to watch a movie.

So it is here through this little blog where I will write down and share all the things I have learned about being a wife, mother, and home keeper over the years. I will share cleaning tips, organizational ideas, and recipes. I will give the readers little glimpses into our simple life through pictures and stories. It is here I will share a little bit of my heart and my faith. So join me as I continue my blogging journey! 

If you know someone that may benefit from this simple blog, please let them know. Let me know to, if you have found this blog helpful. I would love to hear suggestions for posts you would like to see and what types of posts are your favorite.

Simply Me

A little over a year and a half ago, I started this little blog. I did so out of a calling I felt from God to pass on what I have learned over the years about being a wife and a mother. I also felt an urging to show that a life lived simply can be a life lived well. I have followed the calling and continue to feel that calling. So, I thought today I would start a relaunch of sorts and introduce myself again. 

I am a 40 year old (getting closer to 50) living in the South, which is more than a region it is a way of life centered around God, family, and food. I am a child of God and  have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I am trying to live my life in such a way that the love and glory of my heavenly Father will shine through. 

I have been happily married to my high school sweetheart for almost 30 years now. He is my rock and the other half of my heart. I believe he was appointed as the head of our household by God. I believe it is my duty as a follower of Christ to submit to his authority, an authority that he doesn't abuse in anyway. I couldn't ask for a more patient, giving, understanding, and loving man.  

We have 2 daughters; one an angel in heaven and a blessing here on earth. She has an hearing impairment that requires the use of hearing aides. She also has Asperger's Syndrome, which is a high-functioning form of Autism. Needless to say, life can be very interesting around our house. We have fur babies; 2 dogs (Oakley & Snowflake), 2 cats (Copper and Bashful), and 8 egg laying hens. 

I am an individual that does NOT go along with the crowd. I am definitely more of a donkey than a sheep. I find my own path and take the road less traveled. I am not a people person and find it hard to let people in. I have been burned too many times by very close family members which has made it hard for me to trust. All of this makes me somewhat shy until I get to know you, then watch out, I can talk your ear off.

Political speaking, I am NEITHER republican or democrat. If I had to define my views, I would say I am a Constitutional Conservative. I believe the Constitution is a document of negative powers that is meant to keep the federal government from interfering in our lives. I also believe in the rights of the states. I believe it is up to individuals, churches, and charities to care for those in need. I believe the government welfare system created another system of slavery that is hard to get out from underneath. I believe our system needs to go back to a system that is for the people and by the people, not a system for the sycophants and by the sycophants. I know everyone has their own ideas and opinions. I will gladly listen to your views with great respect and will think over points you have brought up, if you will give me the same consideration. 

Socially, I am conservative and adhere to my Biblical principles and truths. However, I will NOT interfere or belittle your beliefs, as long as you don't try to impose your beliefs on me. Although I am a follower of Christ and will share my beliefs with you if asked, I will NOT impose my beliefs on you.  Live the way you want, but don't expect me to condone it. I will respect your rights if you will do the same for me. We can agree to disagree. 

Well, that is a little bit of who I am and what I believe ~ the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am a simply complicated person who loves fiercely and believes what I believe. I am simply me!

A Relaunch Of Sorts

Good morning! Last week, I put a short post warning you about things looking wonky here at "A Life Lived Simply." I was toying with the theme of the template, color, and fonts. After all was said and done, I really like what I have. I did make a few minor changes and fixed some links that took a reader to the wrong thing. Now, I am in the process of updating and correcting the tabs at the top of the page and may yet change a few more things, but I need some input from you the reader. 

I know I have a few out there that read faithfully and would love to hear from you. What I want to know is what you like about the lay out of the blog or don't like? Green in my favorite color, but should I go with something lighter. Does the font and size of the font need to be adjust or changed? Is the side bar too cluttered? I would love to put up different widgets for FB and Bloglovin', but I am not sure how to do that. If you have any knowledge I may find useful, please, let me know. 

What kind of posts do you like? I am trying to balance things out, but I am not sure I am achieving a happy medium. Is there anything I am not posting about that I should? Would you like more posts that are personal and about our lives? 

I was given a vision when I started this blog and I am trying to follow that vision. I would like for this blog to grow, so if you have found my blog to be useful or inspiring in any way, would you please let your friends and family know about it. However if this blog is reaching the people that it needed to reach, then I will be happy with that. I am content with letting God lead the way and using this blog as He see fit. I would love to hear from you, so please, leave me a comment on here or at "A Life Lived Simply's" FB page.  

I hope to be back to posting regularly next week. I will be reintroducing myself, my family, and this purpose behind this blog. So stay tuned! Have a simply wonderful, blessed week!  

A Sad Ending And A New Beginning

My maternal grandmother is never going to go to home, again. She will never return to the home she lived most of her of 50 years of married life  and her 20 years of widowed life in. The home she brought her children home from the hospital to and where she raised her brood of 5. The home where she welcomed her 8 grandchildren in and where she worked on spoiling her 8 great-grandchildren. The home where she loved to invite people to eat and made sure they never left hungry. The home filled with laughter, noise, and loud discussions. The home chalked full of wonderful, happy memories and some sad ones as well. The home she no longer remembers in her Alzheimer's clouded mind. Now, the only home she remembers is the one of her childhood and life with her parents and 9 brothers. 

Her children made the painful decision a few months of ago to sell the house, but have been slow to implement. It was just hard for the to face and decide how to deal with all the stuff that comes with many years of living. However, a ray of light came in an unexpected form. One of my grandmother's great-grandson (my oldest nephew) asked if he and his brother (also my nephew) could possibly start renting the house. He is almost 22 years old, has a full-time with benefits, and is ready to leave the nest. His brother is just out of basic training and schooling for the Army Reserves and is also ready to leave the nest. After a discussions with my mother and her siblings, they decided to rent it to them. 

Now they are facing the daunting task of clearing out the house. Some of the furniture has been claimed, but some will remain. That left all of the other items of life to do something with. They opened up the house last Saturday for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren to come, take a look at all the stuff filled with memories, and take home some things to be a reminder of the grandmother we all love. 

It was bittersweet looking through those things, things that brought to mind sweet, wonderful memories. As we looked and choose, we reminisced and shared memories. It was hard and my mother and her siblings were overwhelmed with it. They had been working for almost a week before and are still working to clear everything out so my nephews could move in by the first of November. 

Most endings are sad, but in this case it has been made even sadder by the pernicious nature of Alzheimer's. For me, I think the death of my grandmother would have been easier to handle. Alzheimer's has slowly been stealing her form us for years now until she no longer even knows who we are. Yet, even with this sad ending, a bright new beginning is on the horizon for my nephews. 

They are ready to move on to the next stage of their lives. They are to ready to start making a home for themselves. They are grown up and both have girlfriends they are serious about. Their lives are just beginning and the future is theirs for the taking. The renting arrangement could even turn in to a possibility of renting to own. 

If my grandmother could understand what was going on, she would be happy to know that her home was going to be rented to two of her great-grandchildren. She would be glad to see her once happy home be filled with new memories to treasure by some of the family members she loves.

"Every end is just a new beginning
A chapter closed, but always printing
All memories earned in pain and laughter
One book to be closed, but a quest to be after.

If life is a cable and hope is the wheel
And love is the arrow in the Achilles' heel
One line was cut yet the thread is still spinning
For every end, hope delivers a new beginning

No need for words, goodbyes, or sorrow
There is never forever, but only tomorrow
When all doors close and we choke with despair
A new day brings open windows and fresh air

At the end of the road, on the edge of the earth,
I continue with purpose for all that it's worth
I take a leap forward, jump into the dark
There can never be an end when there's life in my heart." 

 

Poem by: Just Sierra

  

Living life simply and simply living!

"A Life Lived Simply" FB Page

"A Life Lived Simply" now has its own FB page and can be found at the following link; "A Life Lived Simply." 

On our FB page you will find blog posts highlighted that I believe will be of a special interest; such as recipes, views on topics of the day, or the start of a new series, etc. I will also be posting things that you won't find on the blog such as; holiday ideas & decorations, snapshots of our simple life, and observations of the day, etc.

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me comment under the post or write something of your own. However, I do ask that any comment or post be written without any vulgar language or name calling. If you disagree with something I have shared, please feel free to discuss it with me, but do so in a courteous, polite way; also, please, remember we may have to agree to disagree. 

If you like the blog or like what you see on the FB page, then, please give it a like and share the page with your friends.  

Living the simple life and wouldn't trade it for anything!