Simplificationized.

In Matthew 6, the author writes about not being anxious about "what we will wear, what we will eat." He might have been thinking about me when he wrote this passage, unknowingly. I am a girl trying to outgrow the immatureness of girlhood. I made a chart of what occupies a lot of my thinking-time and realized there are two things that hold a very discouragingly high percentage. Food and clothes. Now, I am definitely not anxious about having ENOUGH of these things. One peek into my closet space will assure anyone that I have no concerns about having something to wear. Another quick glance into the pantry and fridge of the Swenson household will remove any doubt of us starving. My struggle is not against anxiety, but of distraction. When my mind is aimlessly shuffling through the file cabinets of life, I end up planning meals and outfits. Really? Meals and outfits? Aren’t there a million other things that are far more important that I could spend my mind energy on? It’s a process of maturity, and it takes a great amount of discipline that I am just recently beginning to practice.

Basically I’m trying to simplify. If I were to wear the same outfit every day and eat the same food at every meal, that would free up SO much time and energy spent elsewhere. The more options I have, the more time I have to spend on making decisions. I should simplify things a little more, cut down on what’s available and there will be less time spend on making a decision. However, did you realize how complicated it is to simplify? How time-consuming it is?

The other day I was driving on 35W, minding my own business. I passed a semi-truck, no drama there. I turned up the music. Suddenly, the truck was blaring his horn at me. I had drifted slightly into his lane directly in front of him. He was warning me, “Move it or lose it, sister.” I was slightly annoyed. “Don’t get yer undies in a bunch, amigo. I got this.” Then it turned into a life lesson. Has anyone else ever been annoyed when someone tried warning them of danger? I’m not talking like falling-off-a-cliff danger. I’m talking like…gentle reminders that we need to be careful about the type of movies that we are watching…caution about the health issues of smoking…wise but slightly brutal “advice” about being careful about the guys I choose to spend emotions on. I don’t know about you, but that will warning is invaluable. It may feel constricting. It may not flow with the general mood of life at the moment. It may even feel insulting. But I definitely prefer to get honked at than get run over by the semi.

Still in the decision process. Thought I was done but God always is up to something...

Thank you, God, for the adventures of life!