Reducing ...

I am quite certain that it was not by chance that my husband's assignment for his english class this week was on what a Christian's responsibility is in the environment. As we researched books together the same theme entered our minds ... reducing. This is always something that we have good intentions of doing but never seem to follow through with very well. We do not have boxes packed as high as our heads to the front door but we do have LOTS of stuff.

In reading about reducing our footprint on the Earth, I began to see how my consumption effects others. I know that this may be elementary to most but I think that God likes to use moments like this to speak to us individually about what He has for us at such a time as this. I began to think about what it would look like if my family were to start small. I am such an all or nothing person that honestly it can be hard for me to take a "small" step.

My first small step will come in donating some unneeded items to charity. We will first do a garage sale to help with sending some kids to camp who have not raised enough money yet to do so. The rest is going to a great new thrift store in town who has opened their doors once a month to families who have adopted. They feed the families pizza and provide each child in the family with an outfit of their choosing! How awesome is that! I think my old stuff is finding a great new home!

My second step may seem even smaller but I am all about embracing the small this week. Toilet paper is probably our family's biggest waste consumer. I think I have relied too long on a name brand to save my tush and it is time to find a replacement! If you love your toilet paper ... tell me about it. I love input! Along with toilet paper the next will be plastic bags. I have gotten lazy about reusing plastic bags and have just been throwing them away. We will start by trying to not use them and when we do, simply working to reuse those that we can.

That is my start at trying to simplify a bit this week and helping a dollar to stretch in the dear family of ours! I will let you know how that is going as the weeks go by. Now you should make a post of your own and head on over to Linny's blog to set up Mr. Linky!