I enjoyed the 1994 blockbuster movie Forrest Gump. Beside all the amazing historical tie-ins and interaction, I loved the premise. A simple man who was navigating the complexities of life in a simple way. The reaction of those who interacted with Forrest were always over the top and overblown. It made his simple and uncluttered demeanor stand out all the more. There was a line where Forrest quoted his mother, “Stupid is, is stupid does.”
I want to borrow that line and put my spin on it, “Simple is, is simple does.” If I’m going to simplify my life at any level or to any degree I must begin to “do” simple. How can I “do” simple? By slowing down my pace, being intentional with every act and movement, practicing subtraction instead of addition, taking a “solitude break” during the day (even it’s 5-10 minutes), or turning off the music from time to time to practice the discipline of silence. If I want my mentality to change, I can start with some of these baby steps and begin to act more simple on the outside.
The inside (heart/spirit) and the outside (body/actions) are inextricably connected. One feeds into and off of the other. So, try it… “Simple is, is simple does.” Commit to one simple act today. Not ten, just one. Execute it. Celebrate it. When tomorrow comes, do another as well as that one you did today and let one build upon another. As for me today, I have been listening to the Spa Channel on Pandora and it has created a simple and peaceful ethos (atmosphere) for me to work in today. What will you do Forrest?
Grace & Peace
It would be ludicrous to discuss simplifying your life without talking about the need to slow down. Have you noticed that life comes at you pretty fast? As I make my way around our community I’m always amazed at how hurried and frustrated people can be when they get behind the wheel of a car or, in my case, a pick up truck (Hey, it’s Texas!). It’s an interesting thing, this human nature. We rush from red light to red light burning fossil fuel like it’s going to last forever, just to get across town a few minutes faster. It makes no sense whatsoever.
Let me first start off by saying, I’m a “guy.” I drive a Nissan Titan truck. I’m from West Texas. I like sports. Now having said that, I’m also enamored by beauty. West Texas can produce some of the most amazing sunsets on the planet! There is nothing like watching a thunderstorm roll in from the Southwest. Lightening flashes, the rumble of not too distant thunder and the occasional tornado that touches down combine to produce an experience that is thrilling and beautiful in it’s own way.
The journey toward a more simple life is just that… a journey. Like a fine wine or a majestic redwood, this cannot be rushed. There are no shortcuts… only steps and missteps along the way. Have you ever wondered, “How did things get so complicated?” I have and do ask that question often. There are many answers to that question that are as varied as the people to whom it applies, but I know for me the answer lies in neglect and procrastination.
I did it. I took a few minutes out of my day to clear my desk and a nook in my office. It was incredibly empowering! Although I understand that living out a more simple existence is a mentality that begins with the heart and mind, I also know that we must put action to what we say we are desiring to do. I am taking the “K.I.S.S.” approach… that stands for “Keep It Simple Saint.”
Over the holidays I, like most parents with 8 year olds, saw just about every kiddie Christmas movie that’s out there… and there are a lot of them out there! I still get nastalgic when the Rudolf movies come on. You know the movies that have the little dolls that were painstakingly made one frame at a time. They bring back so many memories and I always enjoy watching them year after year. 
I’m not talking rocket science here. It seems that of the endless websites that I have looked at after Googling “simplicity” there is so much information on living simply that I simply don’t have the hours in the day to read it all. Do you sense some irony here? So I’m taking a simple approach to living a more simple existence.
Today begins a 3 day fast we are calling “Three Days of Reign.” It’s to bring in the new year with focus, intent and purpose. It’s interesting to me that whenever we call a fast I get a lot of questions about fasting i.e. what? why? how?… mostly the how question. Let me be direct. Biblical fasting is the voluntary denial of food for a given period of time. Simple.
I am convinced that left alone we will always drift toward complexity. It is the path of least resistance, especially concerning matters of faith. Over the years I fell into the trap of thinking that I needed to have an esoteric revelation. The definition of esoteric is intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. I have been a Christ Follower for 29 years this May and I am finding the closer I get to Jesus, i.e. maturity, the less I really know. That faith at it’s core and in it’s purest form is simple and childlike.
I enjoy getting up early. Particularly when I’m up before everyone else in the house. It’s some of the most peaceful and serene moments of the day. It’s 4:59am as I write this. I’m listening to Patrick O’Hearn, sipping a cup of Vermont Country Blend and my little dog Sparky is chewing on his rawhide toy at my feet. Now this is simple. When I turned the light on in the kitchen even Flash, my grandson’s fish (we are fish sitting) appeared to be sleeping… or so I hope it’s sleeping. I better check on that!
