SortaCrunchy

What Are You Into This Month - January 2011

I haven't posted in four days which is of course not at all unusual for me.  But betwixt nurturing Dacey through the flu and hosting the Sparkliest Unicorn Birthday Party ever and working on the continual process that is Oasis, I'm just feeling all pent-up. 

I need to off-gas some of this pressure. 

(Now that sounds stinky, doesn't it?  We have been eating lots of cabbage!)

I'll try to ensure this is stink-free:

What I Am Into This Month - January 2011

On My Nightstand: I have to confess and publicly apologize to my beautiful friend Marla (again!) that I'm afraid I missed the Your Secret Name read along she hosted.

All of my reading time has been consumed with When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . .and Yourself by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett.  This is not light reading (obviously), and it's really interactive.  It's set up so you could easily read it as a small group or book club - there are introduction questions for each chapter and lots of heavy-hitting thought and application questions at the end of each chapter.

With the growing burden I feel for the underfed and hungry and homeless right here in this small town, I've really been camping out in the material these authors present.  It's some Big Time Paradigm-Shifting stuff.

Anyway.  That's what I've been reading.

Want to Read:  Would you even believe I still haven't read Radical Homemakers? GAH. So want to read that. Also, I am probably one of the few remaining who hasn't ordered her copy of Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. Can't wait for that one.  And, new to this wanna-read list is Fall to Grace: A Revolution of God, Self & Society by Jay Bakker (yep, son of Jim and Tammy Faye).  Thanks to Rachel for the heads-up on this one!

T.V. Show Worth Watching: So, we have discovered the brave new world of Netflix streaming.  Kyle and I watched the cult-hit series Firefly last week.  LOVED. IT.  Not how I would normally respond to a TV series that is, essentially, a Western set in space.  I don't watch Westerns.  I don't watch Sci-Fi.  But this little pretty, it worked.

Annnnnnnnnnnnd then it got canceled after one season.  Because that's how Fox rolls.

Anyway, good stuff if you're looking for fun.

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater):  So, yeah.  We both loved The Social Network.  Who didn't?  Exit Through The Gift Shop was fascinating.  By far my favorite of the entire previous year is Fantastic Mr. Fox.  The girls love it, but they don't even get it.  Not really.  Outrageously charming and witty and clever as all get out.  Big thumbs up.

In My Ears:  I wish I had something new to offer to you, but I am still profoundly happy with Forest Sun on Pandora.  I've tried to branch out, even revisit some old favorites, but I . . . I keep coming back.  (PS - I have updated my About page which now includes a link to my Pandora.  I'm not sure why you would want that, but this seemed like the right time to mention it.)

Items of Note: The biggest thing - BIGGEST - is the official launch of the Give:LOVE project!  There are some absolutely darling Valentine designs that I know you are going to just LOVE.  Crossing fingers I will have that up and running for you tomorrow (Feb. 1st!).

Also, you do know how I enjoy the Etsy.  I could never have pulled off The Unicorn Birthday Party without Crowsmack (darling unicorn t-shirts, pictured above), Miss Middie (vintage 80s unicorn stickers for the party favors), and LilDoodlers (unicorn crayons, also for party favors).  Each of these incredible businesswomen worked with me in my last-minute ordering rush and everything turned out gorgeously.  Viva la small business!

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month: Well, Give:LOVE.  More purging of stuff that will involve parting ways with some things very dear to me (hint: books).  Growing and moving forward with the church plant team that we have been part of since December.  (Oh yeah, I didn't tell y'all that, did I?  We're on a church plant team!)  First signs of spring.  Love, love, love.

So, what are you into as this first month of 2011 dwindles away, mis amigas?  Roll it out in the comments or link up with your own post.  (And feel free to play fast and loose with the categories.  I change them everytime.  See here and here for previous examples.) 

Can't wait to hear!

 

As always, I must give credit to Steph at Adventures in Babywearing for creating this little monthly share list way on back in October 2007.

 

and so we sat

The screen door slams again and I'm a flurry of black garbage bags and big blue bins and boxes.  Out, out, out.  It's our mantra and our rallying cry and it takes work and follow-through and focus to get this thing done.  I'm making haste while that glorious sun shines and I'm loading the car to haul off that which will be recycled and that which will be donated and that which will be given away.  And I'm filling up the garbage cans in the alley again.

She's playing on the back porch steps, oblivious to my work.  Doing the work of childhood.  A mess of tangled blondie curls falls to the middle of her back.  Long gone are the perky ringlets that fringed the nape of her neck when she was little little.  I'm dashing and dodging her when she crosses my flight path and she's drawing with sidewalk chalk.

I've made my last trip to the alley, and she says, "Mama, today is a good day for sitting."

I open my mouth to argue, to make a case for focusing on the task at hand, to remind her three year old self that Mama is busy, but she's patting the concrete step, showing me the space next to her, there in the sun.

And so I sit.

It is a good day for sitting. 

Yep.

I hold her like a baby, and she giggles.

When did her hair get so long?  When did her eyes turn so brown?  When did her little hands become so elegant, so very not babylike?

The sun feels good on our faces.

And sitting feels good.

You Tell Me: Homeschool Preschool

First, a note: I'm still playing nurse to a sick chick.  Dacey officially has the flu.  Ugh.  Additionally, her birthday party is planned for Saturday morning, so we are crossing our fingers that it will happen, and we are hurriedly throwing all of our time and energy into intense labor on the oasis project to prepare - at the very least - the downstairs for guests on Saturday.

If you have emailed in the past week or so, there's a pretty good chance I haven't responded.  I'll get there! 

In the meantime, I need to ask you all about something that I've been turning over in my mind:

What can you tell me about doing a homeschool approach to preschool?

As many of you know, Dacey did preschool (Pre-K) in public school last  year and is on the same early childhood campus for kindergarten this year.  She loves it.  Loves it with a capital L-O-V-E.  Her temperament and personality fit wonderfully with the public school classroom (she loves rules and order and consistency and worksheets and incentive systems).

We have a different situation with Aliza Joy though.  First of all, she is an early September birthday, which means she officially misses the cut-off for starting Pre-K next fall.  There is a small liberal arts university in our town that offers a wonderful preschool program five days a week, mornings only.  We're looking into that for AJ for several reasons, not the least of which being that she has been desperately wanting to "go to school" since the first day I dropped Dacey off for Pre-K, and we are quite sure she would love it.

On the other hand, AJ is much more of a free-spirit than her big sister.  Much. More. Free.

Through the years I've read blogs and articles on homeschooling, and I have to say my teacher heart has always been drawn to it.  I have to think this "extra year" we get at home with her because of when her birthday falls might be a gift for the two of us - a time that could be rich with learning and experience.

So, you tell me - what advice/resources/direction would you recommend?  Montessori?  Waldorf?  Classical?  Eclectic? 

She's an extremely extroverted child who loves to interact with other kids.  She's not incredibly interested in art and has a pretty short attention span at this point.  Granted, she is only three.  She loves to be outdoors and has lots and lots of big energy.  She gets bored easily, and when she is bored, we have trouble.  She's incredibly naturally athletic and is pretty much just a firecracker all the way around.

I would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions you might have.  And even if I don't get the chance to email back a response to comments on this, please know I am reading and treasuring your collective wisdom!

photo by Minimalist Photography

Is Nothing Sacred? Finding Oasis in a New Bible

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that I've had the same Bible since I was a sophomore in high school.  So, like, eighteen years. Or whatever.

Look at it, won't you?  Note the dusty rose/mauve Bible cover.  That's clearly not of this decade.  It's not even of this century.  It's solid early 90's Christian Culture Chic.  Through the years, the Bible cover and the Bible's covers have grown attached to each other.  Literally.  It's quite unhealthy.  Co-dependent, I think.

Kyle bought me a new Bible for Christmas.  And, to be honest, I was offended.

I didn't ask for a new Bible.

I didn't want a new Bible.

He had the audacity to suggest that I needed a new Bible.  I think he might have said my old Bible was "embarrassing."  I did not "take that well."

What if you're called on to read from the first chapter of Genesis?

Well. 

Okay.  So the first three chapters of Genesis are all torn out and in disarray.  I don't know when that happened (possibly around the time Dacey was a toddler and possibly when we were learning that Toddlers Destroy Things).

But, you know, those first three chapters of Genesis . . . they cause so much division.  So much rancor.  So much disagreement.  Maybe it's sort of symbolic that I can't read to you from the first three chapter of Genesis.  Maybe?

But what I needed for him to understand is that my old Bible was much more than, you know, God's Holy Word spoken to us.  It was a record of days for me.

I still remember exactly where I was when I first stumbled on Ephesians 3.  I remember taking my ink pen and underlining and starring it.  I was a senior in high school.  I needed to know how high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ.  I needed to know that the God who loves me can do things I can't even dream up in my wildest dreams.

Consider, if you will, the book of Daniel.  Does your book of Daniel look like this?  Possibly.  (If you've taken Beth Moore's class on Daniel.)  (Like I have.) (Twice.)

One of my favorite pages from my old Bible.  On the morning of January 27th, 2005, I was nine days passed my due date with Dacey.  We were to wake up early, call the L&D floor at the hospital, and if there was room, I could come in for an induction.

And alas, there was no room.  And once again, I had to wait on the LORD:

(but I did go into labor later that day.  God's timing.  You just never know about these things.)

Page after page is marked up, circled, starred, noted . . . I can hardly read a passage without taking a tumble down Memory Lane.

But it gets better.  Oh, yes.

In the back, there are scads of old church bulletins and notes and random pieces of paper, some carefully tucked away, some thoughtlessly shoved in for no apparent reason at all.

Here's this one from when we lived in Fort Worth, years and years ago, years before we started our family, those years I spent as a Coach's Wife, the one who sat alone in church.

I entertained myself with baby names:

And this one?  Oh, this is just one long note passed between bestie Jaime and I circa 1993.  Maybe 1994.  Righteous, upstanding young women that we were, we should have been taking sermon notes.

But we were sixteen-ish, and our thoughts rose far above the church pews and stained glass and swirled with dreams of leaving home and college and career and and and . . .

I put a heavy blur down on that one to protect the innocent, of course.  Jaime and I were nothing if not innocent.  *snort*

I keep that one because it makes me cringe and laugh and remember who I was when that Bible was crisp and new, when my faith was taking baby steps, when I knew nothing of the bruised knees and forehead bumps that my beliefs would endure in the years to come.

And so.

My husband, the one who loves clean lines and no clutter, the one who doesn't write in his Bibles, the one who is responsible with church bulletins, he bought me a new Bible for Christmas:

And there is Genesis, all intact and complete (and still controversial).

And there's Ephesians, pristine and glittering with the same promises:

And there's Daniel, all maps and puzzles and knots to be untangled and words that find fulfillment in Revelation:

And a very sterile Psalm.  Still offering the same assurance of God's goodness while we wait.  It looks naive and untested, all untouched like that.  Doesn't it?

It's a little sad, you know.  Putting that old Bible away and using a new one.  This one is even a new translation, y'all!  This NIV-born-and-bred girl is tripping on two left feet through the New Living Translation. 

But the timing feels just right.  I am thirty-three-and-a-half, after all.  The passages I have already underlined in my new Bible didn't catch a star in the old one.  My faith, while most definitely not fully matured, has made it through the wobbly years and feels good in its skin. 

It did take me a few days to warm up to the new Bible, the one I didn't ask for, but it wasn't long before a gentle Voice spoke:

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19) (In the N. L. T.)

 

Getting the most USE out of REUSE!

We've been doing battle with the sickies all week, and so today, I am thankful for this guest post from Katie of Imperfect People.  It deals with my favorite of the 3 R's: REUSE. 

When it comes to organizing and storage, I would always purchase new containers to be just the right fit for the job.  I never thought twice about it! 

I then had a friend share some of her yummy soup leftover in an old spaghetti jar.  It honestly never occurred to me that I could do that!  I thought I had to use Tupperware for leftovers!  That jar of soup sparked my dive into repurposing containers (not literally . . . that would be interesting).

There are a million ideas out there that go far beyond using empty 2-liter bottles in the living room to serve as a flower vase.  In researching this post, I did my best to bring you ideas that are practical, easy, and attractive. 

Here is a short guide to help you see the potential to your trash!

Glass Jars:  While I already mentioned glass jars can serve to store leftovers (ideally soups and dips), there are a host of other things they can do.  Glass jars come in many shapes and sizes.  Take a second look at everyone that would potentially become trash.  They may serve better as a change jar, a flower vase, or a container for homemade bath salts, pre-mixed cookie recipes, bath oils, and hand scrubs. (photo at left courtesy goodLife{eats})

Parmesan Cheese Containers: These are perfect containers for refilling with powdered sugar.  Powdered sugar is often "sprinkled" yet it comes in a bag making it messy and awkward to sprinkle.  Put it in an empty parmesan cheese container and problem solved!   Same is true for baking soda (if you use it to clean), or any of your homemade spice mixtures.

Tissue boxes (the vertical kind): Makes a great trash cans for your car.
 
Egg Cartons: Take the lid off, poke small holes in the bottom and place in an empty bread or newspaper bag, and there you have an instant (free!) green house for seedlings!

Yogurt containers: The Stonyfield quart size containers are dishwasher-safe which make them another great food storing option.  The smaller ones are great for making Jell-O and popsicles!

Contact lens solution bottles:  I used these all the time in the homemade toiletries department.   They work great for homemade shampoo, conditioner and especially great for your oil cleansing method.  Just don’t forget to label them!

Tin Cans:  I love the ideas showing what can be done with these!  These soup cans found new life as "clutter cups": (via HGTV)

 

And look at this beautiful wall garden made from tin cans from Happy Sleepy:


With a little imagination, almost any container can be made to look like this one from that artist woman:

Trash Cans: They can be used to make a very simple rain barrel or a compost container!  I have a trash can in my backyard for compost.  I've tried several other methods of composting and this is the easiest, cheapest, and most functional option of them all.

Empty Coffee Cans:

Speaking of compost, you know those fancy containers that sit on your counter to collect your compost until you can bring it outside?  My “fancy container” is an empty coffee container.  It collects vegetable peels and everything else just as well as the expensive ones.  The bonus?  The little bit of coffee that was left helps to mask odors.  Plus, it’s free!

Next time you need a container think outside the box.  Did I mention boxes?  You can break them down and lay them flat under your mulch; they suppress weeds better than landscaping fabric and as they break down, they feed the earthworms!  

What containers do you repurpose at your home?

(You can find Katie at her blog Imperfect People, and follow her on twitter and Facebook as well!)

Linked with Your Green Resource - Week Five

Nothing Gold Can Stay: On the Slipping Away of Innocence

We were in the meat section of the grocery store.  Not my favorite place to hang out, particularly post-Food, Inc. viewing, but there we were, looking at country ribs.

AJ has recently realized that the meat that we eat used to be alive.  Breathing, walking, sound-making animals.  She loves animals.  This has been a hard truth for her.

"What did those used to be?" She pointed to the packages of ribs.  "Pigs." I answer.  She gasps and frowns.  I see in her horror that the connection has been made.

"And those?"  "And those?"  "And those?" she asks of every package in the display.

A few minutes later, we have worked our way down the aisle, and she yells as loudly as she can to anyone within ear shot:

Don't eat pigs!  That's gross!  That's mean!

I smile and quiet her, but there's this sense of desperation to her voice, and I know her heart is for those poor pigs, destined to death so we can eat bacon and country ribs.  I know she would have, at that moment, marched for animal rights.

And I know a little bit of her innocence fell away that day, and I was part of the unraveling.  Me and The Truth.

* * * * *
Dacey didn't have school on Monday; we were out for Dr. King day.  She flipped through a hand-out from school showing and telling what life was like before and after Dr. King's work.  It's hard to hide anything from her now that she can read.

We've never talked about racial inequality.  She has friends with skin of all colors, and it has never, ever occurred to her that anyone would be treated unfairly because of skin color.

I tread lightly, use words she can understand, take the conversation as far as she wants to go with it, and tug tug tug.  A little more unraveling.

* * * * *
This morning, Dacey is home from school.  Still running fever; just a cold?  I hope.  I've been dosing her on oscillo just in case.

We snuggle on the couch.  She says, "I have to tell you a secret.  But don't tell A that I told you." 

A is the little girl across the street, second grade or so.  She comes over to play.  A lot.

Okay, I say.  "Sometimes when A comes over, we play the sex game."

I swallow hard.  I blink.  Maybe I didn't hear right.  "The what game?"

"The sex game.  Where we get under the covers and lay on each other.  And sometimes we do the Kissing Club, and we have to kiss each other.  But don't tell her that I told you.  She said it was a secret and not to tell anybody."

I'm free-falling a little bit, grasping and gasping and forcing myself not to react outwardly.

"Hmmm." I say.  I need a minute.  I don't have a minute.  "Well, let's see.  Kissing is just for family, remember?"  I smile.  "You can kiss Mommy and Daddy and sister." 

"And grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and cousins?" she asks.  She loves boundaries, this one.

"Yes, those people, too, if you want to.  And the sex game is not a game for kids to play, okay?"

She nods.  "Okay."

"Hey."  I take her face in my hands and smile.  A real smile.  Not forced.  "Hey, thanks for telling me.  You know you can always tell me anything.  Even secrets."

"Okay."  She smiles.

But, not okay.  Not me.

I've talked it through with a few friends and I've gotten some great feedback.  Normal childhood behavior.  Not appropriate, but not abnormal. 

Unveiling the truth of eating animals, this I can handle.  Frank discussions on a collective hurtful and painful past, I can do this.  But this - this knowing that "sex" is now part of her ever-expanding vocabulary, this knowing that this unraveling happened in my own house while I was unaware - this, I don't know.

But here we are.

So I guess I'll finally be ordering The Story of Me and preparing for this conversation, the one we'll be having for years to come.

Tug.
Tug.
Tug.

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

-- Robert Frost

OASIS: Thoughts from my husband

Once upon a time, very nearly fifteen years ago, an ISTJ boy met an ENFP girl and as they often do, opposites attracted.  For twelve and a half years, they've worked to find harmony and middle ground.

For the first time in five years, today the boy speaks:

For my wife, the great advocate, whom I dearly love

Allow me to begin by saying a big thank you to all of the regulars here at Sorta Crunchy.  I thank you for the joy and companionship that you provide for my wife, Megan, and I also thank you for humoring me by reading the thoughts that I have been asked to share.

For the past 5 years, my dearly beloved wife has been on a journey that has ventured, ever so gently, into the world of crunchydom.  As she is a good and loving wife, she has been patient with me, waiting for me to follow of my own free will, and not starving me to death by means of granola. 

 

Among the many reasons for which I do love Megan is the fact that when she finds a truth in which she believes, she pursues it with a tremendous passion.  Over the years and because we are united as one, together we have pursued many wonderful things.  Most of these were or are things that I never would have explored on my own but after having participated, found that I did quite like them and enjoy the enrichment that they brought to our life.

You regular readers likely know my wife quite well.  To give you an idea of what makes me tick and, in turn, better understand both her and our most recent journey, I will give you a brief background and description of me, Mr. Megan.

I like order.  More accurately put, I desire, crave, and need order in my life.  When things are in disarray, dirty, or unkempt, it truly disturbs me right down to my bones and prevents me from being able to truly relax.  This is most troubling when it is my stuff or my family’s stuff that has fallen into this state.  Unorganized people and psychiatrists have created many labels for people like me, none of which are flattering, but I think they have simply done so because they are jealous of our organization skills (joking, of course).  On to the point …

Megan and I have been visiting for the better part of 6 months about a like desire to simplify our life and, more specifically, our home.  We are unashamedly professing believers in Jesus Christ, and in concert with our beliefs and some recent convictions, we have come to realize that our home can and should be a tremendous tool to be used for developing relationships with those around us and showing them by example what a Christ-filled life is all about.  As a result of this, we’ve tried many times over the past months to make our home available for fellowship with others and each time we’ve exhausted ourselves getting ready for such events because our home is puking with STUFF. 

(If you are turned off by the “Christian scene,” don’t tune me out just yet because the true theme behind what I’m sharing here is something that I do believe has the potential to be beneficial to everyone.  You will have to endure my point of view and possibly a scripture reference or two, but do your best to save judgment until you’ve read the post in its entirety.)

To shift gears slightly and provide the final background of this story, at Christmas this year, my father and mother built a kitchen island for our family.  It is a gorgeous piece of very large furniture.  While providing some much needed space for meal prep, it also doubles as our kitchen table with seating for six:


Christmas plans this year caused me to arrive back at our home, island in tow, about 4 days in advance of my wife and children.  After having hauled in this great new addition to our home (with the help of a friend who had no idea what he was getting himself into because it was so monstrously heavy), I had a very unsettled feeling within because this wonderful new toy just felt wrong in a kitchen that we had allowed to become very cluttered and not altogether clean.  A remnant of a bible verse began bouncing around in my head, very much like when you get a song stuck in your head.  Not being able to fully remember the verse or the context, I fired up the computer and found the following:

Luke 19:17 - “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’

 Matthew 25:21 - “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!

Luke 16:10-12 - “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

At this time, it dawned on me what a poor job we had done in our lives of being faithful with a little.  Further, not being grateful or satisfied with the little that God had provided for us early in our married lives, we did the American thing and ran out, credit cards in hand, to purchase much.  We spent money that we did not have to buy lots of STUFF that we really didn’t need, and as a result, we never learned how to be faithful with a little.  More simply stated, during the brief time in which we had a little, we didn’t learn how to take care of it.  When we forcibly entered into the place of having much, the task of taking care of it all was overwhelming.

I had such a searing conviction in this matter that I absolutely could not live another minute as we had been living.  Over the course of the next 3 days, I became the grim reaper of the kitchen, harvesting the souls of clutter from every cabinet, drawer, shelf, and corner.  It was probably a good thing that she was out of town or we may very well have ended up on the next episode of COPS and I don’t own the obligatory stained tank top that the men involved in domestic disputes are required to wear for this television appearance.

To give you a true and accurate read of what I was dealing with, I’ll provide a short list of examples:  (Please don’t interpret this as me pointing the finger at anyone.  My wife and I are a team and we share responsibility in victory and in loss, in pride and in shame.)

-         In 2007 we purchased 12 placesettings of pottery.  I struggled to find two complete place settings that remained unblemished.

-         We are the family that collects cups and glasses, yet we didn’t have a complete set of any style.

-         We had spare parts from 3 different sets of measuring cups and spoons.  Of course, all are different colors.

-         Mysteriously, I think we’ve kept every pickle and jelly jar that has ever graced our kitchen, though the lids have apparently shrunk as no jar had a mate.  (Ed. note: I take full responsibility for the glass jar menagerie.)

-         We had appliances that did not work, as well as a couple that we received as wedding presents and were still in their original packaging.

There was much, much more.  In my wife’s absence, I took several days off of work to completely revamp the visible surfaces of the kitchen and ½ of the cabinets and drawers.  I washed all surviving dishes and scrubbed all surfaces, literally spending about six hours on hands and knees working on the floor.  I purchased new shelf liner, new dishes, new silverware, new glasses, and other things too numerous to remember and list.

Megan and I each bring two very unique halves to our marriage.  Without her, I would live a very sterile, boring, and utilitarian life.  With each of the purchases that I made, and I spent hours at the store in deliberation, I exercised the strengths that I bring into our partnership.  I applied logic and I absolutely demanded quality from each item before it gained the privilege of entering into our “new” kitchen. 

My theme and goal was to provide a minimalist yet complete kitchen setup of quality items that can stand up to the use and abuse of family life for the next 20+ years.  I wanted nice but not showy and classy but not trendy.  I wanted something that we could be proud of without making someone with less feel self-conscious.  I wanted something that we would WANT to take good care of.  While I did have to spend more than I anticipated to accomplish this, I will say that this goal is very achievable without breaking the bank.

On the day prior to my wife’s return, I opted to inform my wife of what I’d been up to.  In retrospect, this was an excellent decision.  Had she walked in on this upgrade unsuspecting, we likely would have needed some professional intervention.  Even with the warning, however, re-entry was a bit rocky.  In Megan’s defense, I was likely somewhat less than wonderful in my forceful invitation for her to join me in my newfound zeal.  Within 24 hours, however, she had mostly recovered from shock and was on board.

Over the course of the next week, we filled the alley trashcans several more times and can proudly say that our kitchen is now complete.  We’ve moved on to the laundry room and provided that the trashmen don’t go on strike, we have plans to complete our entire home.

We’ve learned some valuable lessons as we’ve gone (and will surely learn many more).  A couple of things that I think are worth sharing:

1. We have found that order invites order and clutter begets clutter.  When you leave a tabletop clean and with nothing on it, it is likely to stay that way.  If you leave one item on the table, it quickly becomes two and then three and so on.

2. When your counters and floors are free of clutter, it becomes very easy to quickly wipe a surface down and keep it clean.

3. Quality does not necessarily equate to fancy or expensive.

4. It is actually enjoyable to do the dishes together.  You tend to engage in some very good conversation that likely wouldn’t occur if you were sitting in front of the TV.

5. A clean and orderly mood inspires a true sense of well-being and inner peace.  We’ve caught ourselves standing in the kitchen for no apparent reason and simply smiling.

6. When your home is simple, it is simple to keep it clean.  You can then invite people over without prior planning (cleaning).

 7. From the husband’s perspective:  When I see my wife taking care of the things that we’ve spent our hard-earned money on, it pleases me.  Her taking good care of things that I’ve provided makes me want to give her more.  I find this interesting because according to scripture, this is the same way that God feels.

Thank you again for spending your time today reading what I have to say.  At this point, you may wish you hadn’t.  I do sincerely hope, however, that some of you may read this and be motivated.  Maybe next time you open the freezer, or the cabinet, or the closet and something falls on your head, you’ll think of this writer’s passion for the cause of clutter-free living and follow suit.

Kyle is a former football coach who now coaches people in the realm of finance and investments.  When he isn't taming the bears and battling the bulls of the market, he spends his free time playing Superman for his wife and two daughters who adore him.  If you twist his arm hard enough, he will reveal that he is quite the writer.  He is considering dethroning Peter Walsh as reigning king of brutal decluttering.

(Ed. note -- yes, I wrote that for Kyle)

Parenting With Positive Guidance Winner!

Our weekend has been full, friends. I wanted to announce quickly that the winner of the giveaway copy of Parenting with Positive Guidance is commenter #17 - Christy. Congrats!

For those who did not win, click on over and grab a copy of Parenting with Positive Guidance for yourself!  Don't forget to use the code NEW YEAR to get the book for $8 through the end of January.

 

Announcing the Give: LOVE Project!

THE BACK STORY:

Through the years, I've shared dozens of books with you.  Books on parenting and vaccines and radical living and revolution.  Clearly, my shelf overflows with reading of the non-fiction variety.

Would you believe that the book that first captivated my heart for social justice is a work of fiction?  And not only is it fiction, it's historical fiction?  And that it's actually historical Christian fiction?

I know there are many fans of the historical Christian fiction genre.  It's a lovely niche filled with talented writers telling story after story for grateful fans.  I am just not, however, one of those fans.  The only historical Christian fiction book I've ever picked up to read is the one that happened to change my heart in a drastic way.

In Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers crafts the biblical story of Hosea into a tale so captivating, I devoured it in a matter of days.  My sister Emily had read it in a small group setting and insisted for months that I read it.  I finally did when Dacey was about six months old, and I was both devastated and amazed by the story of Angel, sold into prostitution as a little girl and seemingly destined to live out life trapped in use and abuse.  The story of the lengths God goes to to rescue her through Michael Hosea creates a gorgeous allegory of God's love and redemption for all of mankind.

As a new mama to a little girl, I could barely make it through sections of the book that described what childhood was like for Angel.  My heart ached, my stomach lurched, I felt sick thinking about it.  In my very visceral reaction to the reality of child slavery and prostitution, God birthed in me a desire to do something.

THE CAUSE:

Enter Love146, an organization with the vision to "end child sex slavery and exploitation.  Nothing less."

Formed in 2002 and named in honor of a victim of the sex trade who still had fight in her eyes, Love146 is on the front lines of the battle to end the horrors of child trafficking while restoring the survivors with love.

If you haven't already, I would like to invite you to learn more about the work Love146 is doing

• to educate about the issue of slavery, and what these children are subjected to and endure
• to work towards prevention in the United States and around the world (because, oh yeah, it's happening here, too)
• to provide aftercare for the victims rescued out of exploitation

THE PROJECT:

So, what can we do?  If you're like me, then you might like to pack up and go to work for Love146.  But that's not possible for me or for most of us, is it?

But we can support the work of Love146 with the resources entrusted to us.  And we can use a cultural holiday to inundate Love146 with our support.

I have to be honest, I've never been a big fan of Valentine's Day.  It has always struck me as a little bit made-up and commercial.  But.  I'm not above using it to further a cause that can make an impact on the lives of children around the world!

Would you like to join me in redeeming Valentine's Day to make it something bigger and more lasting than cartoon characters, chocolate, and Red Dye 40?

I put out the call and have been overwhelmed with response from people volunteering design skills.  These talented people are hard at work right now creating sheets of Valentine cards that you will be able to download and print FOR FREE.  And y'all, I've seen some sneak peeks, and they are darling.  Way WAY cuter than what you are going to find at the big box!  And they will contain a small plug about Love146 (worded appropriately for small children and families, of course) so that we can continue to spread the message of the critical work they are doing.

What we will ask is that if you use our FREE downloadable Valentine's for your child's class party (or whatever V-Day event that you might need Valentine cards for) that you would send the money you would normally spend on Valentine paraphernalia to Love146.

So you get fun and unique Valentine's cards, Love146 receives support, and your community gets the message that administering life-changing love is not confined to one red letter day in February.  Yay! 

THE CARDS ARE READY!  Check them out!

Finally, if you don't have children or if your children are too young or have grown out of giving Valentine's or this project doesn't fit your Valentine needs, I want to point you to Love146's Broken Heart Club where you can order a pack of more sophisticated, grown-up type Valentine postcards that will also benefit the work of Love146.

So, are you picking up what I'm laying down?  

Who is with me?  I would love to hear your feedback and/or questions in the comments.  And I don't normally ask for this kind of support, but for the sake of Love146, I would be thrilled if you would pass this project on to your friends and family.  The readers of SortaCrunchy have done some incredible things in the past.  I would LOVE to see you Give BIG LOVE to Love146 this year!

(photo by seyed mostaf zamani)

(in defense of my husband)

So, listen.

I know when some of you read this, you were concerned about the pottery.  And hey, to be totally honest, that part was . . . shocking to me.  I admit I was not happy at first.

But here's the thing.  Kyle and I have been together for coming up on fifteen years.  That man knows more than anyone that I tend to hang on to things long, long past time to let it go.

I'm working on cleaning out our laundry room (now doubling as a studio), and I found a big tub of paperwork from eons ago.

Exhibit A:

Vaccination paperwork and a collar tag for one of our four-legged babies - Celia.  This was after we first adopted her off the street.  I want you to look carefully at the date.

August 2003.

Yep.

Exhibit B:

A receipt from the time I had to have a window replaced in my car.  We had only lived in Fort Worth a few months and this Small Town Girl left her purse in the front seat while she went in to check the mail at the apartment office.  Bad Man saw the purse, was unable to exercise impulse control, busted out the window, stole the purse and took off down the street with four dollars and a wallet full of maxed-out credit cards.

Anyway.  Why did I keep this?  And yeah, check out that date.  That's a big 2001 staring back at ya.

So.

This is what Kyle is working with, my friends.  This is the reality in which he dwells. 

Most men wouldn't have to take the drastic step of throwing out a woman's beloved pottery without permission.  But most men don't have to live with moi.

And, also?

He went ahead and kept two place settings.  Just for me.

He really is a softie.  So don't worry over me too much, dear hearts.