If you have a chance to read "Simplify Your Life" by Elaine St. James, I think you'll really like it. The sub-title is "100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter". It's a small book and very easy to read. Not all the suggestions she makes will work for everyone, but there is some really great information. Some chapters include: #1. Reduce the clutter in your life. #4. Cut your grocery shopping time in half. #18. Recycling simplified. #26. Stop the junk mail. #84. Just say no. (and my favorite) #85. If you can't say no, prevaricate.

She has written several "simplify" books, but this one is my favorite I guess because I love lists. Anyone else out there ever read her books? What did you think?

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@attbi.net), February 16, 2002

Answers

Yes, Dianne, we have it here at home. A really helpful book. A site that also encourages simple lifestyle from a general Christian viewpoint is (I hope I get this link right) Alternatives for Simple Living. They send us their resource guide by snail mail.

-- Randal at home in Brazil (randal@onebox.com), February 16, 2002.

WONDERFUL site Randal, thank you for posting it. Sometimes I feel like I am living in a vaccum here on my little homestead, when all around me I see people grasping for more and more. Dianne, was wondering where you had gone off to. Nice to see you. Never read her books but they sound interesting and useful. (do I need yet another book??)

I wish, after cruising Randal's link, that somehow I could take each of you on a tour of Haiti. We are so incredably rich here, yet I have to work at not whining when things seem a little hard. (like milking the goats when it is sooooooooooooo cold and forgetting to be thankful that I have goats to milk)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.

Diane-My sister visited Haiti a few years ago-she said it was really an eye-opener. She lived in the D.R. for three years-she said that people there were really poor-compared to us-but very happy-they celebrated lots of small things. But in Haiti, the people are poor and oppressed.Its hard for me to complain after hearing her stories.

-- Kelly (KY) (homearts2002@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.

Dianne, you live in the Carribean Haiti? Gets cold there? I know a Haiti, Mo. (pronounced HEY-TIE).

-- Randal at home in Brazil (randal@onebox.com), February 17, 2002.

Randal, no, I don't live in Haiti. I live in Michigan. I have done a lot of missionary work in Haiti with my church as I am an R.N. I would not have been able to imagine the life of most Haitians prior to my visit. The majority of villiages still get their drinking water from polluted streams and rivers. The birthrate an infant death rate are not really recorded as most villiages are somewhat isolated. I just know how many babies I saw die or dying while I was there. The government is really scary......in fact the only time I can remember being truly frightened there was when a hush fell over a village that we were holding a mobile clinic at and the Police came through.

I thank God every day for having me be born here.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.