1 on 96...

one large suitcase...sold.

ttd...20 and counting!

9 on 98...

today i rid myself of...
6 more articles of clothing
2 tote bags
1 pile of 11 necklaces (if i count each one, i'd be to 100 by next week...so i will challenge myself)

and today, two of the three children joined in!  jacob was serious and handed me a box of 50 items.  he will get paid slowly but surely.  and mary elizabeth rid herself of 26 items and a ton of trash.  she kept remarking about how *clean* her room looked...and we aren't finished yet!

* as we threw away all the trash in mary elizabeth's room, it reminded me about how important it is to keep paper out of your house.  i actually stand in the garage by the trash can and recycling bin and go through the mail each day before i walk in the house.  easy.

ttd...19 items and counting...how's it going for you?

10 on day 100...

tonight i rid myself of....
* 7 articles of clothing
* 3 purses
in all of about 30 seconds.

i literally thought quick and grabbed out items that i have not worn all summer.  if i didn't wear it this summer, chances are i won't wear it a year from now.

here are some other ideas for purging clothing that i have tried...
* project 333...i wore 30 items of clothing for 30 days back in january.  it really worked!  it not only helped me rid my closet of unworn clothing (i must have cleaned out about 30+ items, which is really embarassing to admit), it helped me to determine what colors i like and wear (and now i only buy items in that color scheme, so most everything in my closet coordinates).
* put everything on white hangers.  as you wash and wear, use a colored hanger.  then after a month or two you can see what you are not wearing.  or, you can flip the hanger backwards as you wear items- then purge items on hangers facing inward (does that make sense??)
* wear items of clothing only once during a two week period and then set aside.  at the end of the two weeks, see what's still in the closet and purge (because you have already worn and set aside your favorite 14 outfits/articles of clothing).

what have you tried to help you purge?  or to NOT add more to your closet?

losing 100 in 100...

as we are constantly purging and organizing our stuff, coach sal and i have always laughed and said that we are going to write a book one day titled stuff will kill you. (we also want to write a book titled rock paper scissors saved our marriage....but that's a topic for another day.) we both love systems, and everything we own tends to fit into some sort of a system- if not, then it tends to get on our nerves and we do something about it.

so, lately i have been doing a lot of reading about simple living/minimualism and have been inspired by how a lot of people are living with very little.  and living with very little stress.  which is extremely appealing to me.  (check out tiny houses if you want to be *really* inspired!)

100 in 100 is going to be the loss of 100 items in 100 days.  and it will begin on thursday, which means it will end on december 31st, just in time to start 2012 with less stuff.  Which also means less to put away; less to clean; less to worry about; less to store; less decisions to make; less stress!  and to be honest, i went through my kitchen a few weeks ago and purged, and i also have empty shelves.  it is freeing.

i am also going to get two of my three children involved by paying them a dollar for each item they lose (the third child said no way, not doing it...i'll clean out his stuff when he leaves for college next year :o).

and the goal is 100 items over 100 days, not an item a day.  so we will keep track as we go, with a goal in mind!  and i'm going to give items to friends; donate items; and possibly sell items as well.

here are the items that i am purging first...
* clothes
* purses
* shoes
* jewelry/accessories
* scrapbook supplies
* dvds
* cds
* art/craft/school supplies
* paperwork/files

thoughts for my list?  thoughts for my idea?  wanna join me?

thoughts for the moment...

school is back.  fall is almost here.  summer was completely and utterly awesome.  a lot of {stuff} has been happening in our lives, some good and some sad...nothing bad.  i've been thinking and praying a lot, listening to God's Word and trying to discern.  here are some thoughts...

* God's plan will prevail, even through our foolishness.
* we may *think* we know what the purpose is for what we are doing in our lives, yet we can not see past time and space.  God can.  and He is way cool.
* God is the potter.  i am the clay.  being molded hurts.  as does pruning.  but the end result is magnificent because it brings glory.
* my favorite verse, luke 9:23-24, is about carrying a cross daily.  when we finally decide to lose our life and carry that cross, we'd better be ready. 
* the Word and prayer sure can heal...everything.  i crave them.

i remain confident of this: i will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord.  psalm 27: 13

a good cause...

i've heard about toms shoes and thought the concept was very cool, and then i did some research.  not only are they not a non-profit organization, but the shoes they give away are not like the ones we can buy here in the states, the shoes are very expensive for my budget, and they are not an outwardly christian organization.  but today i discovered that payless is working together with world vision to give a pair of shoes to a child for each pair of "hope" airwalks you buy for $19.99!  nice...

the good shoe project....check it out!

love this place {time to pack and go}...

we are heading to one of our favorite places on this earth....palmetto bible camp!  this photo (of my brother, looking over the lake at camp) was taken a few years ago in the fall (which is why there are no leaves on the trees!).  we spend a week at camp each summer, when it tends to be very green and very warm!

although this photo is not one of the most beautiful of camp, it's not so much the beauty of the campus that i love and look forward to each summer.  don't get me wrong, camp is truly a wonderfully glorious piece of property, nestled in the mountain foothills and situated near a huge lake.  i especially love camp in autumn, for here (unlike the coast where i live) the tree leaves actually paint the sky with shades of auburn, crimson, and gold and the air is crisp and cool.

what i love about going to camp, the anticipation that builds over weeks, days, and then hours as we wind our way down the roads that lead us there, are the people.  i love my brothers and sisters and the relationship we share in Christ and i experience true joy when i get to see each one and greet them again.  they are beautiful people, radiating God's love.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,
   our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
   “The LORD has done great things for them.”
  The LORD has done great things for us,
   and we are filled with joy.
psalm 126:2-3