Simply Sustainable

Stumbled across this in one Mennonite periodical. A new book to be put out by Herald Press called: Simply Sustainable. They are looking for ideas/contributions for the book, which is set to be released in 2010. One of the authors also co-wrote Simply in Season, which has been the book of the summer in our home...

Check out the site and blog at simply-sustainable.org

Could be a good book to base some group discussions and experiments out of in the future!

Disconnected.

Andy, your post got me thinking about connectedness...

We are being drawn into these ideas of simplicity and sustainability for all sorts of reasons: wanting to live and believe a different message that the world is sending, wanting to need less "stuff", wanting to live full lives, wanting to respect the earth, wanting to maintain smaller budgets etc.

I wonder though if in reality, we are being led down this road of exploration by that part in us that feels the pain of disconnectedness; with the earth, with our true identities, with our food...

Maybe we didn't start this exploration with the awareness of our pain, but maybe we have been brought here divinely, unconsciously because of our internal longings to be more whole.

Doris Janzen Longacre writes, "Don't begin gardening and preserving out of duty to your budget and the world's hungry, although it helps. Begin it for joy, for healing." She writes in More With Less in the context of food, though I think her point is applicable in more contexts than that.

This is more than a pursuit to make ourselves feel better about ourselves and our lives (and sometimes in the process noting how others are not doing these great things we are).

Does it not begin with our awareness and acceptance of our own brokenness?

And listening, perhaps to that part inside that is leading us down this road of healing.

Amy

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Fairest of them All?

Apparently the mirror came into existance in the year of 1500. After this new invention there was an increase in the 'splitting of the self'. People started to live outside of themselves, not from the foundation found within. We started to live through others' eyes asking, "Am I attractive?" "Am I in style?"

We often live through the eyes of others in that we care if they think we are attractive or not. It's so easy to allow the media to define our success. Therefore, the self is always outside of itself & we find ourselves discontent.

Author Richard Rohr states that we suffer from a lack of contact with reality. Until we break the material world's hold on us and reestablish contact with reality, we will never be happy. We will live our lives through these beautiful models that we can't live up to..what a terrible tragedy that people should be seduced into imitating and desiring what we are not and can never be.

What does this have to do with simple living? If we are able to live rooted in Christ, rooted in His Abundant Simplicity (sounds like an oxymoron but ISN'T!!), we do not have to pine after some clothing or product outside of ourselves; we will instead be able to draw from the well within us which is all the more satisfying. It's a well filled with Truths that tell us a new sweater won't fulfill us anymore than the ones we have in our closets. It will tell us that sweaters, in fact, don't have the power to fufill us! The funny thing is I don't quite believe this to be true because a new sweater does make me feel good for at least a little while.

As you can see I'm struggling with living outside of myself versus inside of myself. Is it possible to live rooted and grounded with commercials, ebay, stylish friends, malls, etc.?? It would sure save us money!

-Andrea & excerpts from Rohr's book 'Everything Belongs'

A Rough Outline

We shall meet to...

1. ...provide each other with practical advice and help for simple living.
2. ...provide encouragement for this lifestyle that goes against the flow.
3. ...explore this lifestyle in light of our faith.

Discussion topics to tackle:

1. buying new vs. used
2. research on how to make homemade products
3. research into local food sources, and into the agricultural and ethical practices that went into the production of that food
4. time - what is simplicity when it comes to our time
5. What is our responsibility as a consumer?
6. We need to find experts that are smarter than we are about what to do about complicated issues such as boycotting/vs consuming.
7. How much stuff is it appropriate to own? (based on budget or on what?)
8. Where do we find our life? What gives us life?
9. What does the season call for in terms of extravagance vs. simplicity? When is the time right for what?
10. Internship of world travel to find balance.