Shopping, the Simple Living Way

Happy Thursday!

I had an idea this morning for a way to go shopping without spending any money, which is a MAJOR part of simple living.

Think of it as "one man's (or woman's) trash is another one's treasure." Get a group of friends together for a swap meet. Bring items that are still in good condition but need to find a new home. This is great for those shoes that didn't fit as well when you got them home as they did in the store or for that pair of jeans that shrunk too much in the dryer. (wink, wink)

Now, let's be polite about it. Don't bring along ripped up T-shirts or those fanciful, puff-painted sweat shirts that went out of style circa 1984. (Unless your friends really like those, of course.)

When the party's over, the snacks are gone, and you have pillaged your friends' closets as much as you can, take what is left over to an assistance organization such as a Goodwill Thrift Store or the Salvation Army. For the tax-write-off savvy, get a receipt and keep a list of the items you donated. You can then assign a fair-market value to each item you donated and get a little break from Uncle Sam for a good cause.

If you try this out, please comment and tell us how it went. And, if you have any tips or hints regarding buddy swap meets, chime in. Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a blessed week!

Check back on Tuesday for the newest update to the blog.

Live Simple, Live Well!

Dawn :o)

Simply Christian

Today, God pointed me to a certain passage in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 reads:

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Our world teaches us to "out do" our neighbor. To be better, richer, prettier, smarter. To be above others. To have more. To be more. To do more. But when does it end?

After so meaning years of living for others, seeking approval and for others to recognize my life as worthy, I've realized something. That my love and work for God is all that matters. His approval matters. That He, our God and Father of all, considers me His good and faithful servant. That at some point in my life I will hear, "you are my daughter with whom I am well pleased.”

This blog will now take the turn that God has chosen for it. I've been praying for a while now about what to write about. Should I have author interviews? Contests? Free stuff? All that may happen, but for right now, in this place, we will discuss the simpler things in life. The simple things that God touches me and you with every day. I hope you enjoy it and comment often. I am here to listen.