Day thirty... Just when you think you got it...

Dad's in charge this morning! We won't be late! Let's go! Leaving in 5 minutes!
What do you mean you need to eat breakfast? How does your mother..?

How does she get any of you to school on time?

Teeth brushed, hair combed. It's picture day... No green... you'll fade into the backdrop for the pictures. But we have to wear green! Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day! We'll get pinched.

Ugh. OK. Green underwear. Now, let's go!

Alright. Get in the car. We'll get biscuits on the way.

Like lovely little ones, they listened to their daddy and climbed on in.

Just like that. Believing that I was on top of things, believing I knew what I was doing. I am the dad after all, you know. One drive-thru is too long. The other, nobody liked the food. We pull up to the third stop.

You know what you want? Good! We've still got time to make it on time!

And then, you know what I did?

I reached into my pocket to pull out my...

FRICKENFRACKENSCROOPIOUSPIP! WHERE IS MY DANG-O-DANGO WALLET?

and just like that, I let 30 days of simplicity, 30 days of focusing and finding Christ in my life fall to the side.

Now, I am not a cussing person. At least not on the outside. I've slipped once or twice but most of the time it all goes on inside my head. And today, the kiddos didn't hear anything that they could not share with their friends at school... but they could see it in my face, in the tone of my voice.

I stressed them all out, trying to get them to school, trying to do my best to beat that clock on the wall... but I was bested by my own disorganization.

We got back into the car, drove back to the house, where we found our hero Mommy (Thank You, Ashley) who handed me over her last ten bucks of her spending cash. We dashed back down the driveway, hit the road and headed back for the biscuits. The poor kids still hadn't eaten.

When we got to school, I let the boys out the door and right underneath my son's book bag... I found my wallet.

I let them off at school, drove off waving, trying to smile but after I got past their school I pulled over to the side of the road and just paused and prayed... "God, why do I keep letting this happen?"

Yeah, that's right. This wasn't the first time. Same spot. Just a few months ago.

But actually, this is an amazing improvement over last year.

Last year, we were haunted by a gremlin who kept hiding my wife's car keys in my pockets in the mornings. I would pick up my set, I would remember that. But then I would get to school and Ashley would call and say, "Umm, Chip. Do you have my set of keys in your pocket?" She would be stranded at home and I would find her only copies, right there with me.

You want to know the most frustrating, kick-yourself-in-the-teeth part of it all?












Most days, I ride my bike to school.

So there. 30 days into it. I'm still a wreck. I still don't have it right.

Yesterday, I read something very powerful from Robert Lawrence Smith's A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service and Common Sense.

(Yes, reader, I did just hear you chuckle about the Common Sense part.)

"Living simply is... not about finding a quiet corner where you can contemplate; Living simply is about giving yourself the freedom to pursue that indestructible impulse to do good in the world, to go toward the best."

And that's why I raised my hand and agreed to teach this class. Not because I have simplicity solved. I still don't have the answer to the questions that so many of you have written to me. No, I agreed because this is what I strive for in my life. To do good, to make good and to share good things.

However, after thirty days of searching, I do believe I am closer than ever. I know the sun goes down every day and the sun comes back up. God is still there, giving me another chance. And I will continue to do my part. To write this blog, I sat at my little desk thought and read and cried. I worked through so many times in my life that needed attention. Many times had to leave the spot to get tissues.

This season of Lent, I said I was to say no to sugar. To keep my mind off of those cravings, I replaced the time with focus on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. And in this time, I have learned that it wasn't sugar that was keeping me from God. I think more importantly, it was that I saw I needed to be saying "no" to other things. No, to time wasting gadgets and the distractions of our modern lives. No, to overbooking my life. No, to my own conceit that I could handle any problem on my own.

Most importantly, I learned that my relationships are so much more powerful than I have ever given them credit. The time I spent trying to find my way through the troubles of my childhood, the traumas of middle school and the mysteries of adulthood... all of those paths were made easier by those wonderful folks in my life.

My parents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, my grand and great grandparents...

My teachers, my pastors, my professors...

Those who shared their talents to the masses through songs and stories...the ones I thought were singing their songs right to me... I was so honored to share their music with you here.

My children, Ashley's family (now may family, as well) and my friends over many miles,

and to my loving wife who always, always cups her hands and bends a knee to help me reach to the next level in life.

You have all taught me the love of God.

Link of the day...
Learn more about Andrew Peterson, his writing and music at http://www.andrew-peterson.com/

Quote of the day...
"If you want to live more, you must master the art of appreciating the little everyday blessings of life. This is not altogether a golden world but there are countless gleams of gold to be discovered in it." --Henry Alfred Porter

Bible verse of the day...
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Day twenty-nine...Simplicity is longing.

I don't sing in front of anyone... except my kids. And that's just because I made a promise to my wife that I would sing for them at bedtime. She wanted the kids to remember me singing to them the way that her dad and grandfather did.

Unfortunately Kids, Daddy doesn't have the Bing Crosby/ Jackson Browne voice like your grandfathers. Mine is more like the scratchy sting of nettle while being chased by the Queen's lovely swans.

However, I have determined myself to the goal of teaching the Sunday school class the following song by Rich Mullins, If I Stand.



Just remember, the louder you sing along, the less likely you will hear me...

Home has always been an interesting concept for me. Sometimes home has meant comfort and chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes home has been a church home. At other times, home was a collection of gathering places where family and friends gather together. Longing for those times, a nap in our library, the joy of a newly organized closet(how this blog all got started), time with my folks on the road to my grandparents...

And all this talk in church about a heavenly home...

Our "stuff of earth," as Rich Mullins puts it, does often compete with the allegiance to our heavenly Father... There are places on earth that I treasure and look forward to returning to...often. Cowpasture River, the Meher Baba Spiritual Center, SCOTLAND (where we met such lovely and dear friends), the banks of Deltaville (Scallop Bay) and the Appalachian Trail which whispers my name...waiting patiently for me to visit on my days off! I have made connections to these places because I often see them as places of rest. I have felt a longing for these memorable destinations because of experiences which I have had there with my family and friends.

There are many more places I look forward to visiting. This spring, I have set apart some time to take some dear friends on a trip to scatter my birth-father's ashes. His family mentioned that he often requested to be sent down the river when his time had come. I will honor that request with a canoe trip in just a few months. Just have to come up with the rest of the money for my kayak!

Reading Rich Mullin's biographical devotional book, An Arrow Pointing to Heaven (James Bryant Smith) was an incredible journey and a welcomed challenge for me. Rich lived and breathed the gospel. He longed to be like Christ. Constantly. He read more, listened more and lived his life more fully that I believe I have ever allowed myself. In many different writings, he mentioned that he would not be afraid to leave this world. There would be no sorrow for him. With the dedication of the great Sun Ra (Le Sony'r Ra), Rich reached out to his creator.

He also, like Christ, had no home, no family which allowed both of these men the opportunity to live the gospel life more fully. But do I have to lose everything to follow Christ?

I have a family that I adore. I am blessed with a wife who understands and appreciates me. My parents taught me self-sufficiency. I have a few very strong personal friendships which recharge me when I meet these people along the road of life.

At the end of the day, I long to curl up with my little ones, read a little Roald Dahl and snuggle up to my wife with a cup of tea.

A bible verse that speaks to me is John 17:4. Jesus says, at the end of his ministry,
"I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work you have given me to do."

Personally, I see this as Jesus' example to us to live this life to the best of our abilities, whatever happens to come our way. For me, I will strive to be a more tender husband, a better father and an observant friend. I long to be a more professional teacher and a better steward, while I am here on this earth.

More and more simply each day.

I think this is why this particular song reaches to me, If I Stand.

The words...
There's more that rises in the morning
Than the sun
And more that shines in the night
Than just the moon
It's more than just this fire here
That keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger
Than this room

And there's a loyalty that's deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the giver
Of all good things

CHORUS:
So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

There's more that dances on the prairies
Than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean
Than the tide
There's a love that is fiercer
Than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother's
When her baby's at her side

And there's a loyalty that's deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

CHORUS(2x)

And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

Notice that Rich points to longing for a relationship with God - stronger than those within our families and friends. He reminds us that we should give God that honor, as well. The same way we would welcome our friends into our homes... we should make a space for God... make time within our crazy schedules for time with him in prayer, in praise and in worship.

So, along this path, I am learning to see God in my love for my family and in the way I learn from my children. I have found more reasons to thank God...not just for his creation in the natural world, but also for his leadership in the dark places of life as well. In those welcoming morning smiles, in the gatherings around our table for celebrations and dominoes... Just as I long for these times, I feel compelled to reach further in my life, to serve the God of my creation. I am thankful for his guiding hand, leading me to the wonderful people and places in my life. I am challenged today to depend more on God, to come to him in times of need and in contentment, and to look for him more often in the wonderful people he puts in my path.

Link of the day...
http://www.rvihn.com/ - Roanoke Interfaith Hospitality Network - a temporary home for those trying to build a future

Quote of the day...
“The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing — to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from — my country, the place where I ought to have been born. Do you think it all meant nothing, all the longing? The longing for home? For indeed it now feels not like going, but like going back.” C. S. Lewis - Til We Have Faces

Bible verse of the day...
"For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good." Psalm 107:9

Day twenty-seven...Simplicity, but at what cost?

In his book, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Richard Foster points to many of the good things that technology and quicker delivery options have brought to our lives. And in the years since he published the book, the list has only gotten bigger, faster and better.

However, Foster warns that we should not allow our reliance on such things should be kept in check. He reminds the reader of the importance of remembering that each item we consume has a source. For instance, he points that our morning coffee also has its beginnings in a field somewhere. He pleads with the reader that we, as Christians, should be aware of our social responsibility. Should our cup of coffee bring danger, toils and snares to the fine people who harvest it for us? Knowing where your coffee comes from is easier today, due to more transparent business actions today. I get my details from my favorite green tag store here. I know there is no way to be 100% certain, however I do think we should expect coffee companies to show corporate responsibility.

As I was discussing this a few days ago with my brother-in-law, he pointed out to me that coffee was not to blame for the most of our troubles, but that it was our reliance on computers - personal devices included. He told me about reading the following story of mistreatment, slave-like conditions and unfit working conditions which have been found in over seas factories around the world where our clever little devices, clothing and toys are being produced. Since much of my paper/news reading time has been taken up writing this blog lately, I had not read the recent stories about these horrible conditions...

I would encourage you to visit a few of the stories here:
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/apple-sweatshop-problem-16-hour-days-70-cents-172800495.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/aug/27/disney-factory-sweatshop-suicide-claims

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-06-02/news/27066047_1_foxconn-minimum-wage-china

There seems to be new information coming in regarding Apple production spots, but still it leads us to a good place for discussion. Those quick and easy choices that we make have grand consequences for many people around the world.

This reminds me of a favorite Amy Grant song I listened to in high school... but I never really paid attention to the lyrics until today...



Consider what you can grow yourself, make for yourself and do without for a time... in an effort to help change the world while working to change ourselves. Or make a greater stance. How can you help? Connect with members of your church, stand up together. Become informed. See the link below to learn more about Unbound.

Simply stated... consider others, those who struggle, those who toil. Consider the nameless in your thoughts and prayers today.

Link of the day...
http://justiceunbound.org/ - The Presbyterian Church USA and a guide for Social Responsibility and Social Justice

Quote of the day...
"We — individual Christians and churches — commit ourselves to a culture of peace and freedom that embraces non-violence, nurtures character, treasures the environment, and builds community, rooted in a spirituality of inner growth with outward action. We make this commitment together — as members of Christ’s body, led by the one Spirit — trusting in the God who makes all things new."
-taken from PC USA's Social Creed for the 21st Century

Bible verse of the day...
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Day twenty-six... simple praises.

Today, I was given the wonderful opportunity to sit with a group of folks at the third installment of our "Get Ready" Sunday school Lenten lessons based upon the spiritual practices. I found myself sitting across the table from some amazing, thankful folks. When the prompt was given, "Share one time where you found God answered your prayers," I was amazed to see how free people felt to open up about their greatest moments. For the third week in a row, I watched as someone was reduced to tears... overjoyed.

Ms. Nordt walked us through bible verse after bible verse, giving us pictures of God, as presented in new and old testament scriptures. She presented Hebrew vocabulary, giving substance to words I had heard in hymns and in really long bible verses. I learned so much in this short class. However, it was the worship connection, what Reverend Robinson called Corporate Worship, which led me to a closer relationship with those around me and with God today.

Fathers, sisters, brothers healed. Patience in the journey. Guidance for shaky parents.

The most stunning part was that I have walked past these people for two years now, heading into church. I have worshiped with them...sang the hymns, listened to our marvelous choir and incredibly talented choir and choir director and felt closer to God through worship... Like church camp... like campfire worship close to God.

But these last few weeks, under the kind and gentle direction of our Sunday school presenters, I have felt further connected to our church family. These lessons, reminding us of our focus on spiritual growth during the Lenten season.

This was to get us talking about the importance of a "koinonia," a deep fellowship, in the spirit. A worship song which has followed along with me... in the back of my proverbial pickup truck... is Rich Mullins' song, "Sing Your Praise to the Lord." You may have heard Amy Grant sing this song. That's where I heard it first. But it was written by Rich Mullins. This recording shows the lost lyrics that were not included in Grant's version.



"From the rising of the sun
To the place where it sets
The name of the Lord is to be praised
The Lord is exalted over all the nations
His glory above the heavens
Who is like the Lord our God
The One who sits enthroned on high
He who stoops to look down upon
Down upon this earth and its sky
And that is why you gotta sing"

Simple praise. Giving your time and adoration... giving yourself.

Link of the day...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-07-22-housechurch21_ST_N.htm
a growing trend in folks finding worship within the community using "house churches"

Quote of the day...
"Worship is the human response to Divine Initiative." - Richard Foster

Bible verse of the day...
"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16.

Day twenty-five...Simplicity is being unplugged.

I found reading The Wilderness World of John Muir an uplifting and joyous experience when I discovered it last year. I often return to certain chapters to find courage and creativity renewed through his experiences travelling through the world.

The stories of his childhood about him escaping the harsh life of youth growing up around Edinburgh, Scotland. His adventures exploring Dunbar Castle only whetted his appetite for discovery. When he left Scotland, he came to the United States to walk his way from Indiana to Florida in 1867. The stories of sleeping in cemeteries and the grateful moments when he came upon strangers with soup pots filled helped me focus less on the troubles of life more upon the glorious creations which God has provided for us to find in our lives. Like Muir, I have found a place of peace in the natural world around us. The bible tells of the wondrous world... but the authors of the bible's many chapters had never seen the glories here in America, like Muir saw them. Boy, can you imagine the praises that the psalmists would have written, had that been the case?

Mr. Muir did not start writing his books until later in his life. These writings are to many the beginning of the American ecological movement. He is often referred to as the "Father of the National Parks." Muir relied on his keen memory, his notes and his simple drawings to recall the details of his journeys. You can see some of the drawings and details of his journeys here:
http://www.drawingamerica.org/2012/01/john-muirs-natural-ability.html.

Below is part one of a retelling of the life of John Muir, made by the National Parks Service. Check out part two on youtube, as well.



The challenge today is to visit your own "Scribbler's Den," like the one mentioned in the video. Find a quite place to walk, find a particularly lovely wildflower and take a picture of it. Don't pick it! Leave No Trace... Then take that photo home and in your quiet time, draw it to capture the details. You can see that John Muir wasn't worried that his drawings had to be perfect. They just had to capture the moment and the details of your time outside..."unplugged."

Link of the day...
http://www.johnmuirlive.com/index.html See a living recreation of John Muir's life.

Quote of the day...
"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." John Muir

Bible verse of the day...
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Day twenty-four... Simplicity is listening.

My friend, John R. Williamson, is a teacher, a father, husband and musician in California. We met many years ago when I was searching for music for a radio program that I had put together for a local am radio station. He was so kind to have sent a number of his cassettes my way.

Many a Saturday, I found myself travelling along, driving my little girl around town, listening to John's music. After a few years of pen paling, I actually convinced John to fly across the United States to play an east coast tour. We set up something like 12 concerts in 9 days to help pay for his trip. What an adventure it ended up becoming, what a hoot! At the end of his visit, John repaid our Virginia hospitality by showering us with many wonderful works of his art. The walls in our cozy library are covered with these wonderful grand statements of life captured on canvas. One of my favorites, which sits right beside the soft green chair where I read every night, is the blue -inked drawing he called Listening.

This picture is a simple reminder to me everyday that I should take the time to pay attention to the people in my life, listening to what they have to share. In most cases, this is a talent for me, where I am able to cut off the distractions and focus on what my family has to say. Some days, I do find myself caught forgetting the important information... especially scheduling issues. I know this drives Ashley crazy. Listening has also become more and more of a challenge with more and more children in the house. We've had to teach the kiddos to take turns talking, just like at school, in order to maintain our version of insanity.

I often picture it as the old tags we would have to take at the cleaners...

That said, I have set it as a challenge to myself to become better organized in thought and action, based on the things which I hear people say in a conversation. I have been keeping notes about my children's needs...my daughter needs paper for her binder, the boys would like to spend more time playing basketball at the Y. My wife would like just a few days where she doesn't have to be responsible for the constant juggling act she goes through to get the children off to school in the morning.

The Donahues have started using google calendars, set up for each member of the family. Checking this calendar each day, before I call Ashley on the phone allows me the chance of being a bit more successful in my attempt to "stay on top of things." It has helped our relationship tremendously, if only to give me the chance to recognize why she is so tired at the end of the day. You mothers are superheroes...I'll tell you that.

It took some planning and practice, but now I check our calendars every day. We have fewer slip ups in forgetting upcoming events and I have gone several months now without overbooking events.

Listening is key in building a relationship.

Focusing on listening in my life has shown me that the same it true with my relationship with God. Like the visual of a prayer wheel, am I just sending up request after request? Am I taking time to listen to the answer to my prayers? Am I taking time to listen for God's guiding hand?

Take two minutes to turn off the phone, the computer, the television. Pull over to the side of the road in your life, just for a moment. Better yet, take a step outside and just listen. If you can survive two minutes, try five minutes next time.



Link of the day...
http://psychologytoday.tests.psychtests.com/take_test.php?idRegTest=3206 Psychology Today offers a free Listening Skills test.

Quote of the day...
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” Robert McCloskey

Bible verse of the day...
"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;" James 1:19

Day twenty-three - Simplicity is elbow grease.

This selection will be the basis of the prose section for my Sunday school lesson for Lent in one and a half weeks. I'd love to hear your thought on it before I use it with the whole class. I am not one to steal the words of anyone and I give full credit where it is due. I stumbled upon this in Rich Mullins book - The World as I Remember It - Through the Eyes of a Ragamuffin.

I will not attempt to rephrase it because it says everything I need to say right now, with excatly the right words. Thank you Rich for your insight and for how you marveled at God's great, big wonerful world.

"Once in a while - just every once in a great while - you have one of those moments. They are those moments that come one at a time, with no interruptions, no competitions, no phone ringing or beeping, no kids screaming for attention, no emergencies, no jamming of the lines, no log pile of ideas...

So you fold that last piece of laundry, you nail down that last plank. You lay that last brick and wash off your trowel with your fullest attention, aware of your deepest joy. You sharpen your lawn mower blade and savor the motion and sound of the file sliding roughly and at just the right angle along the cutting edge. You toss one extra pass of your football with your kid or your dad or your friend, you fine tune your guitar, you reread that last couple of pages of your favorite book, you measure out and keep the safe space between you and the car ahead...

Not often, but every one in a while you have that perfect kind of moment when you put everything you've got into a task and find you have enough, and you feel that, even if you bungle the job, there is little at stake. You sink your teeth into something, put your heart into it, act deliberately, by choice - not by coercion of immediate necessity. You mean what you do as if there was no meaning at all in everything else - you do it for the joy of doing, not just to get it done. You shoot from the hip, swing from your shoulders, and feel that exhilarating grace and balance of having found your center, or having centered yourself.

It is for those every-once-in-a-while kind of moments - far more than for those once-upon-a-time ones - that we can be most thankful. It is in those moments that we find some sense of who we are. Regardless of how grand or how common the event of the moment is, in it we see ourselves at our absolute best - focused, poised and pure - no compromise, no ulterior motives, no self deception or pretense. We see what we are like when we have no point to prove or score, no bills to fit, no scrutinizing to endure... We meet again that child in us who stills loves to swim naked in the cold, quick-running waters of the now - the child in us who can feel in his skin and very bones the warmth and brilliance of the sun. In those moments there is that flash of astonishing recognition: this is not a child who is merely in us - this child is us.

No wonder we love the moments and want them to linger. But for now they can't, so we must let them go. They are the flicker of some holy flame, a twinkling of an eye wherein the dead come alive again. Remember them, thank the Lord for them, but move on into the next moment and be present in it. It is God's present to you. "

Copyright 1996 by Release Magazine, reproduced without permission... would love to receive it though, one day. Feel free to contact me, if needed. mailto:ChipAshley@aol.com/



Link of the day...
http://www.kidbrothers.net/release.html - read Rich's other articles from Release Magazine

Quote of the day...
"We are joined in a responsibility together make this world a good one for all of us. Each of us warms the world or chills it inasmuch as we offer or withhold respect, hospitality, encouragement, love or truth."
Rich Mullins

Bible verse of the day...
"So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?"
Ecclesiastes 3:22

Day twenty-one... Simplicity is welcoming.

Lesson two of our Lenten Sunday "Get Ready" school series was held yesterday. For each of these meetings, we are focusing on one spiritual practice, giving us a chance to find areas to work on in our lives during this season of Lent.

Dr. Sullivan was given the chance to share the practice of hospitality and did so in such a wonderfully, well-thought out way. I was personally challenged by this in my own life. This quote was presented yesterday by Jason Foster, author of the book Christian Hospitality.

"Hospitality as presented to us in the Bible is not merely a practice. Instead, it is a way of life; a whole life view of the coming of God's Kingdom that offers us a uniquely Christian ethic. It is comprehensive, all-encompassing, exhilarating and challenging."

This quote, Dr. Sullivan's presentation and a snowy morning off from school have given me an opportunity to ponder and reflect upon my own life.

Yesterday, I started thinking about my own choices. When am I am given time to be hospitable to others? The thought which struck me was that my most important greeting of the day must be the one that I give to welcome my children to the day. At the Donahue house, I have the joy of waking the three wee little ones and leading them into the day. And at least 180 days of the year, those few moments affect the rest of our day. But it all starts the moment I offer them a morning greeting, whether it is by a silly song, a flickering of the lights or a grumpy "LET'S GO! LET'S GO!"

After yesterday's discussion, I realized the power in those moments.

Today, I acted upon that by having everything in it's own place, something that I have mentioned before here on the blog. Telling readers about the importance of living a more simple life and living a life as an example are two different monsters, I'll tell ya! Simplifying, by preparing the night before... deciding who is packing, who is buying. What will the weather be like? Where are your socks? Who will be in charge of breakfast? Taking the time to be just one step ahead made an incredible difference.

And then, I did the most difficult thing of all. I went to bed early. I still had work to do. There was still a dish or two to wash, some laundry was still waiting and I had papers to grade. Instead... I went to bed. Off with the tv, skip my reading time in the green chair. I even skipped facebook time! And it all paid off. I woke up early and woke up refreshed. I tackled the dishes, got myself ready and even had time to walk the dog just a little longer than usual.

Today, instead of running around lost, I greeted them into the morning with this simple song, humming in their ears. Terry Taylor, I owe you dinner!

Of course, my own singing was probably enough to rattle anyone awake, but it was the simple "Good morning. I'm so glad you are my child," which seemed to really bring a smile to their faces. Or again, maybe it was just that I had stopped singing.

This week, I want to focus my blogs on simple words and simple stories. Also, this week, I will be formulating all of the past blogs into notes for the Sunday school lesson. I would appreciate any feedback, concerns or questions you might have that would help clarify my lesson. Feel free to post thoughts here on the blog, or e-mail me at chipashley@aol.com.

Link of the day...
http://salemdailybiblestudy.blogspot.com/ Dr. Sullivan prepares a daily bible study for anyone who may be interested. This simple click and five minutes a day has been a major factor in my spiritual growth over the last few months.

Quote of the day...
"If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."
Mark Twain

Chew on that one for a while. It'll come to you.

Bible verse of day...
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (Psalm 143:8)

Day twenty... simple in word and deed

"Plain, honest speech."

The last outward evidence of simplicity that I would like to share from Richard Foster's book, The Celebration of Discipline is using "plain, honest speech."

Over this winter, our local librarian introduced me to this poem. She said she had to memorize it as a child. She still knew it by heart.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost

"Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

Frost, without a doubt, had a magic power with words. e. e. cummings used his power over words, shaping them and bending them. Shel Silverstein could use a child's fears and elation to create simple poems with lovely, yet simple details to paint a picture of a child's life.

The more I read, the more I am captivated by the power that some people have over words. I've been reading Roald Dahl's wonder-filled books to the kiddos. I am captivated by Dahl's use of details. His descriptions make read-alouds fascinating. From snozzberry wallpaper to the detailed escapades of James and his friends atop an over sized, floating peach, Dahl captures the imagination of the readers... making the book come to life.

Setting aside time to read about man's desire for simplicity, the more I am finding mention of the importance of the words which we speak and write down. Authors often mention keeping journals as a means to collect one's thoughts. In the same books, one would read of the importance of keeping promises and working to eliminate boasting in our lives.

I am also finding that books about simplicity can be r a t h e r l... o... n... g.

That's happened even here with my writings. Looking back over the first week and comparing those blogs to this, the fourth week, my writings have become longer, more detailed. I have found myself running in circles through past blogs, going back and finding I had already made the same point in previous writings. As if I was trying to impress, rather than just share...

I have learned a lesson or two about this from teaching the little ones at Sunday school. They have repeatedly accented the importance of simple speak to me many times. I'd prepare a lesson, share a story, make a connection to the children's lives and then check for understanding at the end. "Now, can you tell me what we learned today?"

Cricket whispers... church building settling. Those noises, but no answers to my questions.

This leaves me wondering, did I present the bible lesson or just talk out loud to myself. Did my words meet the needs of the children? Can I teach them to express, to talk about their learning?

Foster encourages his readers to "Reject jargon and abstract speculation whose purpose is to obscure and impress rather than illuminate and inform." I am challenged by that. Next week, it will be my goal to "speak less and talk more slowly." I was given this suggestion once when I was freaked out by having to speak in public.

Also, I will seek to find the importance of promises. Ask my wife and she'll tell you how many times I've questioned why I took on this task in the first place. Me... I can't speak in public. I don't know enough about anything to teach an adult Sunday school lesson. Those and hundreds of other excuses have come to mind. Fortunately, I believe in the power of a promise. I said I would do it, therefore I must.

Mr. Cummings shows us the simple details and how they paint a wonderful picture.



Link of the day...
http://www.poets.org/ April is National Poetry Month

Quote of the day...
"If thou art absolutely obedient to God, then there is no ambiguity in thee and... thou art mere simplicity before God."
-Soren Kierkegaard

Bible verse of the day...
"Let what you say be simply "Yes" or "No"; anything more than this becomes evil.
Matthew 5:27

Day nineteen... "unnecessary" gadgets?

Recently, I have been simplifying my life... into the doghouse with many of the most important people in my life.

I lost my cell phone. A few years ago being without a cell phone was a treasured experience. I was happy to be unreachable. Sometimes, I worked really hard to get lost.

Then one day, while delivering potato chips for my wife's family business, the delivery van broke down in the middle of I-81, our largest and most dangerous local interstate. Right in the middle. Like playing "Pac-Man" with the dashes on the highway in the middle. As the van stalled, I realized that I needed to get out of the van as soon as possible for fear of being struck by oncoming traffic. I pulled the gear into neutral and proceeded to push the van off the road, while hearing cars speeding around me, blaring their horns. Luckily, I was on the side of the van where I could not see the cars coming. I don't think I could have pulled the car out of the way if I saw the cars and trucks approaching! There you go, Mom. A little comfort. Sorry. When I made it across the road, I sat down for a great many minutes praying and thanking God for the dramatic rescue.

Next thing I did, there by the highway was... wait. I sat on the side of the road, as far away from the delivery van as I could and I waited for a state trooper to pull over and help me out. He let me use the phone in his car to call Ashley. When she picked up the phone, my words were simple.

"It's time for me to get a cell phone."

Since then, I have tried to keep the phone on me and have learned to rely on the convenience that cell phones bring.

Today, I am realizing that it has become an essential piece of equipment.

I haven't made my daily tweet (http://www.twitter.com/#!/KidsIntheValley) in nine days. I missed my weekly phone call to my mom. Sorry again, Mom! I got the evening schedule mixed up for my children which ended up with me having to drive to two houses and a college to look for my children. My daughter ended up late for choir. I ended up frustrated and upset. But most importantly, I have missed some very important phone calls from my wife. When she needed to contact me, I could not be found.

Wasting all that extra time, frustrating the people that I love and having to make unnecessary trips in the car... Ugh, these things have really taken a toll on the family this week.

So, when I read that Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline, recommends limiting our addictions to gadgets in our lives, to me I don't think he is talking about having cell phones. He is not saying that we shouldn't have our computers and other tools. He does, however, state that we should "Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry." To me, he is asking us to check ourselves. Is this connection through technology ruling us?

When we put all of our trust in the newest gadgets, we often forget how we used to live without them. I have often found myself right in the middle of teaching a lesson when the power goes out. My ActivBoard won't work. I guess I just won't be able to teach. I use Google Earth almost daily. No power though...hmmmm.... Now, there's a problem.

It takes a few minutes to adjust and remind myself that I could read a book, or pull out a globe.

Foster's analogy for this is powerful...

"Children do not need to be entertained by dolls that cry, eat, wet, sweat, and spit. An old rag doll can be more enjoyable and more lasting. Often children find more joy in playing with old pots and pans than with the latest space set."

When I asked my students about this yesterday, they said they remember playing with simple toys, but they really like playing with new toys better now. How often have I gotten caught up in this idea that I need the newest toys also. Watch out, Best Buy! Here I come.

In Last Child In the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv relates a story that he heard from a child when he asked the child if she liked to play outside.

“I like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are.”

I found another quote that makes me chuckle regarding our "addiction" to new gadgets...
"I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind! ~Author Unknown"

So, husbands; stay connected because you love your bride. Fathers, attend to your children... and check out that new video game your kids are playing. They might just need your guidance with what they find in the game. You won't know, if you don't check it out with them.

My dear sweet wife just made a huge decision in hopes of limiting her plugged in time. She is an inspiration to me. Yes, the same lady who has spent countless hours this week trying to help me find my cellphone... and covering for me when I couldn't be reached.

It's a tug of war. A struggle, at times. Good luck. Sit down, assess your use. Ever heard yourself say... "Honey, go play. Daddy's facebooking?" I'm so guilty of this. Time to make some changes.
Set a timer or choose a cut-off time. These fancy gadgets that connect us to each other and to the world wide web are not as important as time spent with our children, with our spouses. Make a human connection today.

Ladies and Gents... I give you:

Mr. Bill Mallonee


Link of the day...
Call your phone for free using Google Maps... http://lifehacker.com/226988/find-your-cell-phone-with-google-maps-click+to+call

Quote of the day...
"Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other." ~C.P. Snow

Bible verse of the day...
"But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves." 2 Corinthians 4:7

Day eighteen... de-accumulate!

I don't watch a lot of television. I am deeply affected by violence, anger and watching others talk about their frustrations... you know, the basis for nearly every television show. Occasionally people come to me and say that I must check out such and such. I try to follow through. This has worked out nicely for a few favorites. Raising Hope (a blog I am saving for next week) and my guilty pleasure... I can't believe I am going to admit it...

Happy Endings.

It's got everything that I try to rise above... because I think I am a better person... but I'm not.

The show is...

crude, crass and common - my father-in-law would say...

Just when I think I can't laugh harder, they throw in just a dash of bathroom humor. My lovely wife wants you to know that potty humor is my kryptonite. Want me to fall to the floor, dismantle my armor; just walk up and say "poop."

Sorry. Power in truth, right. Just trying to clean out my closet.

I am that kind of simple man. I want to be like Saint Francis. Instead, I'm more like the dad from Raising Hope...

google that one and you'll see...

OK, I'll move on to quality television. "Hoarders." Now, there's a show that changed our lives. I was just reading to my classes yesterday from a Magic Tree House series, Mummies in the Morning. In the book, Mary Pope Osborne describes the inside of a pyramid. While I was reading the description of the inside of a burial chamber - a room which included all the items the pharoah would need in the next life, one of my students stopped us and said..."That sounds like that show we watch at home about the people who can't stop buying stuff."

She was referring to "Hoarders."

Ashley and I had to stop watching the show because we were starting to see our own house as a hoarder's pit. It is so easy to let it happen... parents buy things for their kids... grandparents pick up something here and there... for me, it's books. We had piled them into every possible corner of the house. It became obvious that I had a problem, bringing in more books than I had time to read.

The idea for this blog about simplicity came from the Donahues cleaning out our closets, literally. I wanted to share how some simple steps could be taken to restructure and find more time, energy and happiness. That takes some work!

Along with the 60 plus bags of clothing and household items, I also gave away some "much treasured" books. My questions became, "Can I check this out from the public library when I want to read the book?" That helped me to weed through the piles.

Our next goal was to build a library for the house. Ashley and I spent an entire winter holiday restructuring an old "hoarders" room and turning it into an organized treasure room. Taking a look at this picture relaxes me so much. We now have room for our books. Now I can find them when I need and I even have a cozy spot for my favorite reading chair. Come by the house at 9 PM, and you will find me sitting in this chair every night.

Building a special spot, a comfort zone, right in the middle of an area which used to cause us so much grief has become a simple, outward expression of simplicity. Ashley and I hated walking through that room. It was a constant reminder of the overwhelming job we had waiting for us. Watching "Hoarders" became the catalyst for us, in that it allowed us to see that with a little work, we could bring order to the chaos.

Richard Foster writes about simplifying our lives through reminding his readers that it is the "masses of things that are not needed (which) complicate life."

He notes one exercise to simplify your life is to "enjoy things without owning them."

"Owning things is an obsession in our culture. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. The idea is an illusion. Many things in life can be enjoyed without possessing or controlling them."

Some examples to find freedom through sharing are:

walking in the woods, playing in a park, using public resources such as libraries, sharing a park bench with someone else...

The list could go on and on. I hope that it will. Consider leaving me a note at this post of something you can enjoy without purchasing it.

There is a fantastic cd of some of my favorite musicians providing cover tunes to their "guilty pleasure" songs. Listening to your musical heroes stepping out of their safety zone is a lot of fun. They admit their weaknesses by presenting a song you would never expect them to enjoy. Much like me... and my enjoyment of potty humor.


The song I am leaving here features Bonnie "Prince" Billy, known for his macabre lyrics and unhappy song endings. He is, however, able to take himself lightly as he sings Mariah Carey's song...

Can't Take That Away.

It is a fitting song for today... I didn't want to Goodwill folks to take away my "treasures" at first. But now, looking at all this extra space and being able to make better economic choices in the future reminds me of freedom. Consider taking something away. Give it another home where it will find use.

Link of the day...
Cut the Clutter... http://www.christianpost.com/news/cut-the-clutter-27763/

Quote of the Day...
"Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify."
Henry David Thoreau

Bible verse of the day...
“God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” First Corinthians 14:33

Day sixteen... I'm just a jerk, is all.

All of this self-inspection, dredging up feelings and memories for the sake of leading a simpler life have left me quite drained. I haven't dug this deep in years. Telling stories of important moments in my life may have slightly blanketed the fact that I am just an ordinary jerk. Have I been leaving those parts out? Am I making myself out to be someone I am not? Did you know that I am conceited and proud, at times boastful?

I have received some really considerate feedback from writing this blog.
"Your blog brought me to tears."
"I never thought about it that way."
And my favorite so far,
"Your blog makes me want to change some things in my life... as soon as I find the time."

These notes have filled my heart with gratitude. But also they have filled my head with helium. I have found myself checking stats, secretly checking the blog audience map in hopes that my blog would read in another different country. I am up to seven now!

But that's not what this blog was supposed to be. I keep reminding myself that I am gathering my thoughts for the Sunday school lesson, not to try to win friends and influence people. I want to hone in the stories, tie them together and make sense of all my ramblings. Writing helps me think and organize.

This here's just a guy who is trying to work out his thoughts before I have to stand in front of an
audience. There have been a number of times in the past, while presenting to a group of people, where I have just broken down into tears, unable to share what is on my mind. Specifically when the topic has been of a personal matter... my family, my job, my love for a deceased love one.

I flubbed up my brother's toast at his wedding because I was so worried that I would ball up and cry during the toast. While I wanted to share of the joy that I saw in their faces when they were together, I ended up bumbling through a horrible rendition of a Polish folktale. A favorite of mine, but I failed to bring it to life.

At my grandfather's funeral, I made everyone wait nearly ten, painfully boring minutes while I tried to make the words come out.

That's why I am writing in this blog, in hopes that my stories, my words would not be as raw during the Lenten-based lesson on simplicity. Rereading what I have written so far has me wondering if I am just doing this to get attention? Is it all for show? Am I truly showing my true character or just glossing over points from my past? Yeah, probably.

As I stated in my first blog, I just want to be honest with the many ideas that I want to share. Writing this down and reading your feedback has really helped. I tend to be a jumbling mess when standing in front of crowds. But also, if you were to meet me on the street and you'll find that I am not truly likely to start up a conversation. And once that conversation starts, you'll find that I don't really have that much to offer.

Always found myself in with Good Ol' Van Pelt on this one ... You know Van Pelt...
"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." -- Linus van Pelt in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I never expected that I would be writing a blog about such personal issues, especially my faith.

The last few days, I've been listening to a favorite band from the last twenty years... The Seventy-Sevens. http://www.77s.com/ for more details. Mike Roe and his motley crew of ruffians have led me through some fine retrospection, inner dealings and reevaluations over the years. One particular song has helped me say no to my selfish ways more than any times I can figure.

Ladies and gentleman,The Seventy-Sevens, The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and the Pride of Life.


Now, those of you who have written to me, especially the lovely grandmothers, are bound to write again to fuss at me for being to hard on myself. Truth is, I deserve worse.

The bible says in Romans 5:8,"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."and later in Romans 6:23,"the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So there. I'm not alone in this thing, at least. You might be a jerk, too. We should form a club.

Visible signs of me being human, a mistake-riddled form of a man - I rush from event to event, at times I put my work before my family and don't listen when I should. I made it back from the grocery store last night with about half of what I was supposed to bring home, just because I didn't listen and focus on the task. The entire afternoon yesterday was spent with me at the dining room table grading papers while my kiddos were out playing. There has got to be a better way. I don't want my kids to remember that I put them off for my work.

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Lent. I am abstaining from sugar during these forty days. This is a good thing, as I know I have already put on ten pounds recently from living a more stationary life...writing, grading papers, reading. I'll need the extra help, not the extra calories.

To start our Lenten series of Sunday school lessons, called "Get Ready," the church chose wisely to have Mr. Walker, a man I truly admire and respect, begin the study with a lesson on Private Prayer. His presentation was remarkable. He engaged the forty, or so, people with thoughts on the importance of the ACTS of private prayer time.

Admonish
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication.

While listening to the lesson, I started remembering one of the last times I truly went to God in prayer just happened to be when the same Mr. Walker had invited The Wild Donahues to go canoeing with him down the Roanoke River. I was excited about the trip, knowing it would provide us with a number of "Whoo-ah!" moments.

Boy, did it ever. But the prayer I remember, came in a moment of fright when Mr. Walker asked me to take the lead of the canoe at a very choppy spot of the river. I had never paddled my family before and I quickly panicked! I remember staring at a huge rock in the middle of the Roanoke River, praying that we wouldn't hit the thing! "Please God!"

I was in such a panic that I forgot that I had the power to steer the boat away from the rock! Just seconds before we hit the roadblock (waterblock?), I managed to loosen my white-knuckled grip and keep our boat from colliding with the rock. Whoosh. Just like that!
We still bumped the rock and I remember Mr. Walker calmly saying from the back of the canoe,

"If you see any more of those, if you'd just let me know ahead of time."

We ended up having a fantastic trip. I certainly hope that it will be repeated again this year. I learned a lot about paddling and leading a ship that day. I also learned about patience and about enjoying the moment in a natural setting. Boats follow the river, but can be directed by your determination.

Yesterday, I learned something from else from Mr. Walker. During his lesson, he presented the powerful idea that it is perfectly fine to have those panic prayers. "God, I need you!" "God, help me!"But, we must also remember to express thankfulness to God when those and other prayers are answered. I don't think I had ever taken the time to do that, to thank God from pulling us out of the rapids, for keeping us from bashing our bodies upon that rock.

You'd have thought I would have taken the time to do that...I guess I'm just a jerk, is all.

The link above with take you to the lyrics of one of a Mark Heard song which I have identified with for a long time. "It's Alright." Being human takes a toll on you. Remembering that we are sinners, yeah... that stinks when you ponder on it. I don't like to be wrong. I often am, though.

I am learning along the way in this life. I am hereby acknowledging my weaknesses and I am reaching to become a better, more thankful and prayer-filled person.

This week, I wish to focus my blogs on the outward expressions of simplicity, as listed in Richard Foster's book - Celebration of Discipline; the Path to Spiritual Growth. In his chapter on simplicity as a discipline, he mentions "shunning anything that distracts you from seeking the kingdom of God."

The simple reminder is to not allow my own failings to stop me from reaching for the goal which I have set. I want to simplify my life to allow me to focus more fully on my family, my relationship with my wife and my time with God.

Link of the day...
Michael Roe - still keeping it real... http://www.michaelroe.com/

Quote of the day...
"There is the danger and the temptation to you, of drawing your minds into your business, and clogging them with it; so that ye can hardly do anything to the service of God." George Fox

Bible verse of the day...
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." 1 John 2:16

Weekend! Get out and play!

Go fishing... or hiking... just go exploring.



Link of the day...
http://www.childrenandnaturenetwork.org/ research, development and rebuilding strategies

Quote of the day...
“It takes time–loose, unstructured dream time– to experience nature in a meaningful way. Unless parents are vigilant, such time becomes a scarce resource, not because we intend it to shrink, but because time is consumed by multiple, invisible forces; because our culture currently places so little value on natural play.” –Richard Louv, Author of “Last Child In the Woods”

Bible verse of the day...
"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.... When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." Psalm 104:24, 30

Day fifteen... We're halfway there.

Looking back on fifteen days of writing daily blogs about the role of simplicity in my life has me thinking. How am I qualified to teach this lesson and how do I want to narrow all of this down to a thirty minute lesson. Members of our Christian Education Committee would say I am qualified because I was there at the meeting... because I was the one who volunteered. My parents would say because that is how I grew up, not having to have the brand name clothes...never had to have a fancy car. My children would likely say that I was qualified because I preach it the way I cook it. Simple, simple, simple.

My lovely wife Ashley takes care of the morning parental duties, getting everyone dressed, fed and off too school after I have already left in the morning. She totes them back and forth to school and then to their grandparent's houses after school. This leaves her very little time to actually go to work. So, I try to take the afternoons and some of the evenings so that she can actually get some work finished. I honestly do not know how working mothers get it all done in a day.

I do my best to get their homework done, get them fed and off to sports, choir or church. I have my particular quick and easy favorites that I can cook for them for dinner. Taco night, burger night, tuna melts, etc. But the story that will stick with them forever was the time their dad tried to make homemade soup.

It looked easy enough. I'd seen Ashley make soup from scratch often. That lady can make a fine bowl of anything. So, I gave it a shot. I added water, noodles and some mixed veggies.

What's was missing? Oh, the kids could tell you. What was missing was... flavor. No salt? No pepper? No herb mixture? Nope. Just hadn't dawned on me. Still to this day, they tell stories of the "water soup" that I made them eat. We often encourage the kids to say something nice about the dinner each night, as a courteous way to thank the person who took the time to prepare it. Ashley gets all kinds of noises, thanks and praise for her meal. That night, I just got questions.

"Dad, what is this?, What were you trying to make? Did Mom leave us anything else to eat?"

Reader, don't get upset about their manners. It was truly terrible soup.

My fantastic wife would say that I am qualified for the simple fact that I am able to wash the dishes. Just wash the dishes. She says she admires the fact that I can cut off certain creative ubstructions in my daily life and just focus on the task at hand. I have learned much from the incredible things which she accomplishes in a day. At first, she just thought I was a deep thinker, a philosopher. After nineteen years, I think she is ready to call my bluff. Stay silent long enough and people will think you are up to something. :)

Writing these thoughts down has helped me to grow and develop in a short time. It certainly has helped my weed out my thoughts to offer a precise lesson on simplicity. Presenting my ideas here has given me a bit more confidence that I can present a precise and understandable presentation of what the Gospel has to offer us regarding the spiritual discipline of simplicity.

I'm thinking a lot about the outward expressions of simplicity today, as noted in Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth.

For today, I am just pondering aloud. I certainly would not consider my life bland, in any way. Just my cooking.

I look for ways to be a part of the change I want to see in my community. I constantly seek to learn more, to find adventures in life and to reach personal growth as a husband, father, son and servant.

Simple living DOES NOT have to be like my "water soup." Flavorless, uninteresting... The more and more that I read, I find that simplicity means striving daily to make wise choices, choices which free up time for instruction, rest and growth.

Rich Mullins said on life...

“So go out and live real good and I promise you'll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you're dead, you'll be rotted away anyway. It's not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn't live.”

Now, that's writing with flavor.

For this blog, Thirty Simple Days, I have written about the importance of organization, about reading books which feed the soul and the mind and about the importance of saying "no" sometimes. Presenting music videos and testimony from many of my heroes has made this blog more interactive and a more enjoyable experience. But more importantly, I have been challenged by the opportunity to open up my thoughts and to reach out to others with my exposed heart.

I never expected to share the things which I have shared so far, and certainly anyone who knows me knows that I don't share freely in public. I have found others, more wiser than me, who are sharing their thoughts on the subject of spiritual growth. Here is one for example, a blogger who writes "The Invitation of a Lifetime." This particular blog in the series says it all so much more eloquantly: http://shakenfree.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/the-soul-dissed-satisfied/.

However, I continue to add the salt... to seek for understanding and a better way to express myself.

One song that always comes to mind about spiritual growth is Margaret Backer's The Hunger Stays...



The Hunger Stays

"Hunger stays, hunger stays

I've been thinking about what I've been through
All the good times, all the bad
And anywhere in between the two
There runs a common thread
Some call it a condition
A hidden chasm that will never fill up
A constant thirst for Your presence
A longing for Your love

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays
I've seen Your rivers in my heart
Seen Your miracles time after time
And when I think I can't take anymore
I see there's so much more to find

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays
I will seek till I can seek no more
I won't give up until I find You Lord
'Cause a hungry man does not pick and choose
He just goes where there's bread
And he keeps pressing through

The hunger stays, I keep on reaching
The hunger stays, I keep on seeking
The hunger stays through the blessing

Through the bleeding, the hunger stays"

Link of the day...
http://www.margaretbecker.com/ Margaret Becker's web page

Quote of the day...
"Faith is not a notion, but a real strong essential hunger, an attracting or magnetic desire of Christ, which as it proceeds from a seed of the divine nature in us, so it attracts and unites with its like." William Law

Bible verse of the day...
“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.”- 1 Samuel 2:8-8

Day fourteen... What brings you here today?

My wife and I finally got that wonderful, stare into your eyes for five hours date that we have been wanting to have together. In fact, we got to spend most of the day together. Unfortunately, we spend the time together in the emergency room.

Ashley woke to a catch in her back last week and since that her back pain doubled every day until she could no longer stand straight or even consider stepping forward with her left leg. The leg had gone numb except for the burning pain running all the way down it. She went in earlier this week to a clinic and was returned home with hopes that it would clear up by week's end. When it was so much worse, with no sign of relief, we headed to the ER.

And that's where we spent our lovely date together. With nearly 75 other patients, a number of fantastic RNs and a caring PA. Thank God for PAs- Physician Assistants. We have had our fair share of encounters, as we have three active kids, but every time it was a PA who saved the day!

Star-crossed lovers, well-worn parents, we've been together now for nineteen years. Taking time to stare into your spouse's eyes, seeing them in pain and not being able to fix it, takes you to another level of trust. I knew that the PAs would find the solution, the nurses would bring careful watch and the fine folks who were joining us on our journey (all the others in dire need) would wait their turn so that Ashley would get the best possible treatment.

We're at home now and she is quietly sleeping. She made me promise that I wouldn't share anything to social media about the intriguing utterances that she made while experiencing the back pain or during her time on certain pain killers. OK, Dear. I'll keep my promise. Shoot!

However, she did say something to in a moment of lucidity. She mentioned how the Emergency Room is the great leveler. It brings all the patients down to their lowest level. The moment where we finally give in and say,
"I can't do this anymore. I can't make it better. I can't fix it."

In Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline, he marks an entire chapter for the discipline of simplicity. In the chapter, Foster notes that there are inward and outward expressions of simplicity. For today, I will focus on me and what is going on inside.

Foster writes,
"Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will posses freedom from anxiety."

Walking into that ER, watching other folks during their worst times, sans make up and where pain has overtaken common societal rules like manners..., and us. Just two lost souls trying to figure out how my poor wife could stop having to yell out... "_____ ______________ ____ _____ ____!." Oh, yeah. I forgot. I'm not allowed to share that here. There was a gentleman who had "drunk too much cheap wine," a fragile lady who could not keep from falling down, a young child with a broken arm. In that hospital, looking back on it today, I think I was given a small glimpse at what a day must be like for God. People in need, coming for help. Save us. Fix us. Take it back to normal, God.

In his chapter on simplicity, Richard Foster writes about three three attitudes that we must work towards to gain inner simplicity.

A. "To receive what we (*have) as a gift from God."

(*our daily bread, the air we breathe, water, the sun, the look in your spouses eyes that says "I love you.")

Foster states that, "It takes only a little drought or a small accident to show us once again how utterly dependent we are for everything."

B. "God is able to protect what we posses."

Certainly, we lock our doors at night, we eat healthy and try to exercise and maintain our health, but if we are to loose that anxiety, then we must come to that point where we say, "God, I need you."

To this the author says, "Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these (and all) things."

and then

C. "To have our goods available to others marks the third inner attitude of simplicity."

We had to wait for our turn, to share the staff. There were many times yesterday, where the Rns and PAs were interrupted mid sentence by another issue, an emergency call on the speaker or an announcement of an incoming patient. Well, we got our wish...that long, dreamy date, while we were waiting. A name it and claim it religion, Christianity is not. God must not be seen as an unlimited claw machine. I put in a quarter, wiggle the handle with a few bars and then get to pull out a cupie doll. Nah, that's not what this is.

Foster writes, "When we come to see God as the almighty Creator and our loving father, we can share because we know that he will care for us.

Jesus said to his disciples "For this reason, I say unto you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat, nor for your body, as to what you will put on."
Luke 12:22

Inward simplicity will come when we are willing to let go. I thought often of Brennan Manning and his Ragamuffins yesterday. Many of Manning's writings point to this, that only once we realize that we have nothing to give of our own, nothing to share but what God has given to us, only down-trodden, road weary ragamuffins can find peace. Life is going to throw us some crazy challenges and some interesting questions. The best we can do is to give away that worry and stress. Most everything can wait while you "seek first the kingdom of God."

Going to the ER was not giving up for Ashley. It was her step towards a simpler way of life, without the frustrations and pains that her body was feeling. Today she is resting and on her way to recovery.

Here is a song that I often think of when I come to a turn in the road and I am not certain which direction I should head next. Rich Mullins and his wonderful sense of longing to find God in everything,



Link of the day...
Physician Assistants, Thank you! http://www.aapa.org/

Quote of the day...
"I lay in the bed at the hospital and said, "Let's see what I have left. And I could see, I could speak, I could think, I could read. I simply tabulated my blessings, and that gave me a start."
Dale Evans Rogers

Bible verse of the day...
My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22

Weekend... on the mend.

Dress the wounds, rebuild the muscle, relax and soak your tired feet.

Weekends around here have become an island for the Donahues.

Find your spot, curl up into a ball - by yourself or with someone you trust and love.


Visit the library. Maybe even walk to the library. Find something new, a title that grabs your attention.

Read something peaceful, burn a candle in the room. Set a goal to find time. You need relaxing time when you feel like you don't have the time for it. It will not come unless you make the time. Five minutes... Start with a moment to look into the sky. Just that, a moment. Refresh and later in the day try it just a little longer.

People often asked Rich Mullins if they could pray for him because he looked so tired. He often replied that he deserved to look that way. A friend just pointed out to me over at the social media site that Rich travelled through my hometown four times in 5 years. After some searching, I found that he travelled often, playing countless times, travelling from town to town. Take one moment to look at his schedule from 1995 until 1997 and you will quickly see why I am suggesting that we need to add rest to our daily routine.
I am suggesting more than just watching a movie, playing video games or other media outlets. I am reaching for a time when we can cut it all off, to open ourselves to hear our thoughts. How often I have found myself at church thinking about lesson plans for school. Next week, I want to offer insight into ways to do this. I will focus on the writings of Richard J. Foster from the book Celebration of Discipline and this verse, Matthew 6:25. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..."

So rest up. You're going to need it!

Link of the weekend...
Relaxation techniques from the Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/relaxation-technique/SR00007

Quote of the weekend...
"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety." Aesop, Fables

Bible verse of the weekend...
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

Day ten... Consider the lillies.

Each Saturday, I take a long run to a wonderful, hidden place called Buzzard's Roost in my hometown. I run for about three miles, run across a bridge, over a creek and through the woods to find my secret spot. Once there, I sit and rest, soaking it all in. I find this time very refreshing, a time to recharge and rebuild. Quiet, alone time doesn't happen very often when you are the father of three.

As the sun bounces off the mountains ahead of me and the light starts to warm the drops of sweat on my forehead, I often take time to offer prayers of thankfulness. This song, by a group called Gungor often comes to mind.



The song reflects the psalms and a desire to worship the Creator and offer thanks for the amazing world around us. But the song also reminds me of a favorite quote by C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis,

"Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a meaning for me."

Link of the Day...
Rich Mullins offers great insight into this thought through his writing, "Considering the Lillies." I invite you to visit a website that details his work through the Kid Brothers of Saint Frank -
http://www.kidbrothers.net/release/sum91.html

Quote of the day...
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Mother Teresa

Bible verse of the day...
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6: 28,29

Day Eight... Compassion

Two words came to my mind when I considered teaching this Lenten-based Sunday School lesson for Salem Presbyterian Church in March. A name that I remember from middle and high school, a voice and a poet who guided me through my wonky cassette player in my small, red Honda Civic.

Rich Mullins.



I never had the chance to see Rich Mullins play live and I never met him in person, although I feel that I have learned so much from his songs and his life story. I am currently rereading a devotional biography written by James Bryan Smith based on interviews with Mullins, stories about his life and excerpts from his journals. I am rediscovering his music, which turned out to be small gifts to my future self - hidden among my cd collection.

Rich Mullins: A Devotional Biography: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven starts out stating that Rich would never have allowed any hero worship or adoration be placed upon him or his life. He just simply wanted to point to the glory of God. He wanted to encourage people to be more like Christ. He often chastised people for knowing his songs by heart, yet not knowing their bible. James Bryan Smith was a friend of Rich Mullins for many years, even sharing his home with him for many years. That's how you get to know that people are human, I'd say.

Rich wrote so many tremendous songs, songs which have led me into bible study on days where I would simply not have done so. His songs showed me how wonder can be expressed through art. His songs reached deeply into the human condition, yet also pointed to the amazing evidence that points to a loving Creator. Rich's music encouraged me to find my own gifts, through story-telling or teaching. He painted pictures with his words and songs.

I remember watching a late-night tv show as a kid, called Light Music. The host Tom Green introduced me to The innocence Mission, Peter Himmelman, Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill and Rich Mullins. On this particular night the song, "The Other Side of the World," from Rich's cd Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth, tugged at my heart. It is a simple call to remember that compassion, love and understanding for others is essential to the life of a Christian. To be able to see people who are different in appearance or to spend time with people who have a different faith and custom, that was living like Christ would have lived.



Rich was an outstanding spokesman for Compassion International, an organization that encourages people to reach out to those in need. Out of sight = out of mind. Rich brought their faces to the forefront.

Searching for simplicity has certainly not been an easy commitment for me personally. I have dredged my mind through the sludge on the rocky-bottomed sea that is my heart to prepare the stories I have shared and the ones that I am trying to put into words for upcoming blogs. I have been staying up way past my bedtime, drinking too much decaf., and reading late into the night.

Just now, watching the first video and comparing Rich's visage there to the baby-faced image that you see in the music video for "The Other Side of the World" is so telling. Dropping all, following Jesus, learning to be more like him was Rich's goal. But it cost him. The search for simplicity is not as easy as dropping your burdens and cutting troubles out of your life. Rich found that seeking simplicity, trying to be more like Christ, was a tremendous challenge.

He gave most of his earnings from his work to his church. He gave away most of his earthly possessions. He left the comfort of his home and taught music on an Indian reservation which baked his skin. He took very little rest and preferred to travel by car to perform at concerts. These late nights took much of his vitality. In the end, it took his life.

Rich died September 19th, 1997, while travelling from Illinois to Kansas, when his jeep rolled over.

Rich tried to live the gospel. Over the next few days, I'd like to present some of his stories and apply them to the scriptures here on the blog. **Please note, I am not trying to present one man as the trust-all answer to life's problems. God is there for that. Trust in Him. These words that I write are just ramblings. Believe me, you can find enough people my small world that could tell you a story or two about me that would make me seem like a hypocrite. I am not perfect. Just ask my wife, my in-laws, my parents, anyone who knew me in high school, my dog and my children.

But, I'm going to keep trying.

Link for the day...
Compassion International http://www.compassion.com/

For Valentine's Day, my sweet, adorable parents (who have been reading my blogs :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!) baked me an amazing brownie cupcake. Wrapped into the cupcake package, they placed a sweet note that warmed my heart and justified for me the reasoning for posting today's blog.

Quote of the day...
"The true way to gain much is never to desire to gain too much. He is not rich that possesses much but he that covets no more; and he is not poor that enjoys little but he that wants too much." Francis Beaumont

Bible verse of the day...
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1