Hi Parents!
I hope you have been finding encouragement from this site! This week, [February 1-6] we'll tackle a simple topic... simple living that is! In our world, that's tough! We live in a society where more is, well, more. And to be honest, we like our STUFF! We have boxes/shelves of books, multiple pairs of shoes and t-shirts, a dresser and a closet full of clothes, three frying pans, sporting equipment cluttering up the garage, etc. etc. The devotion for February 1 reads "Sometimes I get so sick of stuff. It's nothing more than clutter that I need to clean and organize."
So here we are, overly attached to our STUFF, believing we need more than we actually do, and struggling to live simply and generously. Jesus calls us to that simpler, more humble way of doing life. He reminds us to be content with what we have. Having less can mean having more time to spend with family. Having less can teach us to manage our money more responsibly and to be creative with what we have. Having less means we can help others more. So how can we begin to live simpler lives and teach our children to do the same?
When your teen wants to buy something, have them ask these questions...
Encourage your teen by...
Challenge your teen...
I hope you have been finding encouragement from this site! This week, [February 1-6] we'll tackle a simple topic... simple living that is! In our world, that's tough! We live in a society where more is, well, more. And to be honest, we like our STUFF! We have boxes/shelves of books, multiple pairs of shoes and t-shirts, a dresser and a closet full of clothes, three frying pans, sporting equipment cluttering up the garage, etc. etc. The devotion for February 1 reads "Sometimes I get so sick of stuff. It's nothing more than clutter that I need to clean and organize."
So here we are, overly attached to our STUFF, believing we need more than we actually do, and struggling to live simply and generously. Jesus calls us to that simpler, more humble way of doing life. He reminds us to be content with what we have. Having less can mean having more time to spend with family. Having less can teach us to manage our money more responsibly and to be creative with what we have. Having less means we can help others more. So how can we begin to live simpler lives and teach our children to do the same?
When your teen wants to buy something, have them ask these questions...
- Do I need this?
- Do I like this enough that I'll use it again and again?
- Is this something for which I'm willing to give up space and money?
Encourage your teen by...
- Helping them find joy in the simple pleasures of life; a fresh blanket of snow, a warm cup of hot chocolate, a snuggly blanket, a great book, watching a game with friends.
- Ask them what they consider simple pleasures.
- Encourage them to uncover deeper goals; becoming better people, positively influencing others, using their talents for God's glory.
Challenge your teen...
- Over the next 30 days, give away some of your stuff - maybe one item a day.
- Realize that our definition of need is not quite the same as Jesus'.
- Invite Jesus in. We invite Jesus to stand with and ask him to show us what we need, or rather what we don't need.
- Day by day, we become less attached to our stuff, giving more generously and living more simply.
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