Day 1: Simplicity of possessions
- Read and reflect: “This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29 GNT)
- Look at your possessions. Find things you do not use and give them away.
- Read Understanding Simplicity by Richard J. Foster.
Day 2: Simplicity of Mind
- Read and reflect: Psalm 119:33-40
- What are things that are producing addictions in me? Give them away.
- What are external stimuli that you need to set aside to avoid decision fatigue?
Day 3: Simplicity of Finances
- Read Luke 12:15-21
- Where am I in debt (buying what I can not afford and have not saved for. This does not include education or mortgage loans)?
- What do I need to do or sell to get out of bad debt?
Day 4: Enjoying without buying
- Read and affirm: Psalm 50:10-11. Everything is God’s. Our idea of owning it misses God’s invitation to trust him with His world and live in gratitude.
- Put away all devices or media get out into God’s creation (park, beach) and enjoy time as a family or with friends. Watch the sunset. Play a board game. Let your kids decide something they want to do as a family.
Day 5: Simplicity of Schedule
- Read Luke 10:38-42
- With God, review your schedule.
- Does your schedule reflect a priority of God, worship with others and flexibility for what He wants? How does your schedule reflect (or not) a desire for what God wants in what you are doing?
- Smartphones and tablets without boundaries are dangerous. How much time do you (or your children) spend on a device each day? What needs to change?
- Parents read: An Overscheduled Child may Lead to a Bored Teen
Day 6: Simplicity of Schedule Pt 2
- Read Genesis 1:31-2:3. At the end of each day God stopped, reviewed and was glad. At the end of the week God enjoyed what he had made.
- Does your schedule include margins of down-time and non-structured play each day?
- What changes do you need to make to have more simplicity in your schedule?
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