Seven

I am not crazy about change.  One thing I loved about working with kids with autism was their need for sameness.  I like routines and comfort and familiarity.  Yet, I get bored with sameness.  I'm not good at setting up routines.  I'm fascinated with minimalism, yet am overly sentimental about parting with things, even with clutter.  So how am I not going crazy?  Am I crazy?  Maybe.  But I've decided to jump on this blogging train more regularly and offer anyone who is amused by a look into my life the chance to travel with me at least along the next seven months, as I embark on a month-at-a-time journey towards figuring out what's most important by strategically and systematically weeding out excess in certain areas of my life. 

This journey is not my own invention.  I am actually basing it on Jen Hatmaker's book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.  I heard about her book on the moneysavingmom.com blog (which I love and recommend).  Jen and her husband took some people into their home after a disaster.  One little kid looked around their home and made a comment like, "These white people are rich!"  At first, Jen was surprised at the comment.  She didn't feel rich.  But she increasingly noticed all that she had, and all that she took for granted and even squandered away.

If you know me, I've been on a serious mission to find sanity and wholeness for myself and my family after a series of trials and tragedies.  I read the Happiness Project right before our family's sky started falling, and never really had the passion to create my own project, or even copy hers.  I loved the book, but pursuing "happiness" just felt like a not-good-enough cause for what felt like a deeper need for wholeness.  "Seven" seems to hit the spot.  It offers meaningful simplicity, contemplation, and change in a way that I am sure will bring its own "happiness" with guidelines already mostly spelled out for me.

Did I mention I don't like change?  And there are many things I DO like.  Many of them involve food and drink.  I love Coke Zero, chocolate, coffee with lots of cream and sugar, cheesey casseroles, chocolate, and more Coke Zero.  I love Pepsi Throwback, and Mountain Dew Throwback, and oh - did I mention CHOCOLATE?  Oh yeah, I did....

I like to think that I'm not a drama queen.  But this first month has me scared.  I am going to only have 7 foods for the month of June.  And I am going to only drink water.  I told myself a few weeks ago that I would wean myself from caffeine gradually.  I am three days from Seven starting, and I have enjoyed a big ole morning coffee as usual, and a couple cups of pop.  I might die, people.  Maybe I AM a drama queen.

Ah, but there's strength in numbers, right?  My mom is on board with this project.  She's actually the one who encouraged me to do it.  I was really only fascinated with the first two months (I kind of like the idea of month 2 - wearing only 7 articles of clothing), but I couldn't resist her enthusiasm.  That's pretty cool.  How many moms would hear about a book like that and be like, "Hey, let's do it!"  I don't know many, but my mom is just that cool.  (Except she microwaves her ice cream, but that's another story...)

My mom also wrangled a couple of friends from her church to do this with her.  And I think Ruben is also on board, at least for the food month.  Food month is three days away.  I am scared!  I am following the book's list, partly because I have perfectionist tendencies, and partly because I'm too lazy to try to think of or research seven foods that are nutritionally balanced enough to live off of for one month.  If I'm going to do this, I'd like to at least enter month 2 at a nice, happy weight that will allow me to enjoy feeling good in whatever 7 articles of clothing that will be my only clothing choices for all of month 2.  For now, the focus is month 1.  These foods are it, starting Friday: eggs, chicken, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, apples, spinach, avocado.  And water.  (insert crying here)

Also along this journey, I am reading the book Quitter, by Jon Acuff.  It provides motivation for some soul-searching, sort of figuring out how to figure out which things you truly love to do and how to achieve your wildest dreams without being defeated before even trying by things like fear and perfectionism. 

Ah... since I doubt I'll be stress eating by binging on sweet potatoes and apples, it's quite likely that I'll be writing more to get these feelings out.  No zoning out with Coke Zero and peanut M&Ms for me.  I hope I'll experience some cool revelations, clarity, etc., but at the very least I'm pretty sure I can amuse you with my crying. 

Three more days....