The Less Project: Looking Backward

Merry Belated Christmas to you and yours!  

Meet P. Fitzwilliam Darcy, better known as Fitz.

I hope your season was--and is--bright with the Light of Christ. 

Amen.

May I confess that I've started and discarded a dozen posts this month.  With my classes on hold until January, this month seemed the perfect time to return to blogging.

Only it wasn't.

This post, however, this post has been in my brain for a while, waiting post-Christmas, end-of-the-year reflection.  

Other bloggers are posting their "best of 2014".

 2014 got the best of me.

My word for the year was "less".

I envisioned clean closets, clutter-free counters, maybe even some minimalist decorating.

And there was some of that.

Like this year's Christmas, with its silver and white and green and pine.

(Having a red-free tree stressed me out for about five minutes, and then I found it soothing, somehow.)

But mostly, this year has felt like, well, less.

I can't even put a super-spiritual spin on my less-ness in 2014 

and say I learned there should be less of me, more of Him;

 truth be told, I've come face-to-face this year with just how much of me is still lurking around, 

and it's not pretty. 

With this year's tiny church plants and half-empty nest,

 its class-from-Hades and its what-was-I-thinking-return-to-college, 

it left me feeling half-empty, too.

There were  lots of good things--I counted 1000 of them!-- 

but with more stress and more questions, 

there was less blogging, less creating...

less focus, less discipline,

  less confidence, less peace, less purpose.

Just...less.

The Lord's been patient with me here, 

and He's talked to me about my dangerous propensity for nostalgia.  

He's given me a word for 2015 that amounts to a holy kick in the pants; 

I'll share it later on.

I think less was the prerequisite course.  

It's time to pack a lighter suitcase for 2015.

Following,

Ginger

The Less Project: Update I

Four unexpected days at home!

One would think I'd have used them to great advantage.  Heaven knows my mind races with possibilities every weekend of what I'd accomplish with an extra day at home.

Projects!

Art!

Blogging!

Alas, give me a few snow days and my brain becomes cooked oatmeal.

Where were those brilliant ideas?

For the first two days, they stayed as buried as the grass in the yard, and I hibernated with a tea-cup and blog-reading.

Useless, I tell you, perfectly useless!

Yesterday I cleaned my house like a madwoman, paid bills, made a menu, all in a desperate effort to not be a shirker.

Today, temps are predicted to rise above freezing, and I may be able to venture to Walmart (shudder) and purchase yarn to give arm-knitting a shot.

So, instead of sharing snow-induced productivity (because clearly there is none),
I'll give you an update on the the Less Project.

My One Word for 2014 is Less, and it means, in part, less stuff.  

I've made some progress in the main living areas, starting with the bookcases.

These aren't built-ins; they're my husband's truimph with pre-fab bookcases from Lowes.  I can't imagine that wall without them. 

I realize they aren't perfectly styled, but they are organized into his side:

(Yes, I know this picture should be cropped, but Big Red is rushing me to the door for our snow-escape. )

and her side:

and the books are grouped by genre.

Then there was my nemesis--the desk area.

 Ugh.

It took me two days to clean out all the accumilated paper clutter, but I managed to empty the bookcase, clean the desk, and create a much smaller and controlled mail-dump area by the back door.

Then in a burst of energy last weekend, I made this ever-so imperfect gallery wall.
It isn't quite finished, but it has lots of my favorite things already.   

Confession: I couldn't find Big Red's level (he has less projects of his own), so I eyeballed it.  I also reused some existing nail holes, but it doesn't have to be perfect to be done.  

When I escape from my snowbound house, I shall purchase glitter for monograms on the clipboards.
(Gold glitter letters were a teen request; we can make that happen. )
The fabulous sign in the center was a Christmas present from one of my dearest friends.
I blogged about that song here. 
The clothesline at the top holds my memory verses from John.

These are courting cards--mini love letters between my grandparents when they were dating.  

The original texting.

With the main living area of our home cleaned and cleared, I already feel like I can breath a bit easier. 

Here's to more less.

Following,

Ginger

Linking up here, and here, and here.