"Choosing" less is so apt, because it is a choice. I am trying to choose less, by choosing family time spent in the garden, activities like walking that don't cost the earth (literally and metaphorically), composting food scraps, growing things, creating art and music, dancing in the living room, reading more, spending my energies on caring for people and trying to put love into the world. Looking always to be content with here and now, whatever the Lord has placed before me. All of this leaves much less time and space for shopping, accumulating, corporate ladder climbing. It is not perfect, but it is a start.
I love all of this. I think it’s perfect. I really believe that undoing empire in our world starts within us and it begins with everything you mentioned. The embodied liturgies of composting, of growing things, of making things with your hands, of recycling, of walking and dancing and reading. It’s a slow and steady shift that changes how we think, how we breathe, how we move, how we love. I love others better when I’m taking care of the minutiae in front of me in intentional, embodied ways. Anyway, thank you for sharing!!!!
For me, it’s been recognizing that empire is driven by money, so being mindful of where my dollars go usually ends up with me spending less.
I’m also guarding my attention more and making sure the priority gets the most of it. Keeps me from getting hijacked and reduces the empire’s “reality” from poisoning me.
Yes!! We can tell a lot by where our money goes. This is always such a good, rooted practice. And guarding your attention! What a necessary thing in these days. I’m working on the same. Thank you for sharing!!
Thankyou Kat for continuing to dig deeper into the king / empire motif. And I so much appreciate reading the rich and varied responses of how we choose less!
And yet we also follow a king too, albeit not of this world, whose framework and ‘government’ is quite upside down and contrary to empire.
I’ll add, that as I am becoming more aware of the 2nd half of life, I am also choosing MORE, that is, more of my soul / spirit, to occupy my focus and shape my decisions. Bit by bit no doubt, and by Gods grace!!
Choosing less in this season for me means not letting the perfect or the ideal be the enemy of the good things right in front of me - an imperfect church community imperfect school for my kids, imperfect career/job, imperfect friends, imperfect spouse, imperfect kids, imperfect self. Choosing good things right now for me means letting go of some utopia existence that I’ve been unknowingly striving towards my whole life. It means rooting down in this imperfect place and time that has so many flaws and yet is so, so good. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” And He is.
I have been listening again to your book Sacred Belonging these days and just got to ‘Reawakening Your Wildness’ - it fits well with this exquisite essay. I remember years ago with some friends dissecting the word ‘bewilder’ to be-wilder. It is bewildering to empire when we are wild: choose less, love our own bodies (work in progress), watch the crocuses come up in February.
"Choosing" less is so apt, because it is a choice. I am trying to choose less, by choosing family time spent in the garden, activities like walking that don't cost the earth (literally and metaphorically), composting food scraps, growing things, creating art and music, dancing in the living room, reading more, spending my energies on caring for people and trying to put love into the world. Looking always to be content with here and now, whatever the Lord has placed before me. All of this leaves much less time and space for shopping, accumulating, corporate ladder climbing. It is not perfect, but it is a start.
I love all of this. I think it’s perfect. I really believe that undoing empire in our world starts within us and it begins with everything you mentioned. The embodied liturgies of composting, of growing things, of making things with your hands, of recycling, of walking and dancing and reading. It’s a slow and steady shift that changes how we think, how we breathe, how we move, how we love. I love others better when I’m taking care of the minutiae in front of me in intentional, embodied ways. Anyway, thank you for sharing!!!!
This is a word for our time. Stunning.
For me, it’s been recognizing that empire is driven by money, so being mindful of where my dollars go usually ends up with me spending less.
I’m also guarding my attention more and making sure the priority gets the most of it. Keeps me from getting hijacked and reduces the empire’s “reality” from poisoning me.
Yes!! We can tell a lot by where our money goes. This is always such a good, rooted practice. And guarding your attention! What a necessary thing in these days. I’m working on the same. Thank you for sharing!!
Your words are a gift this Mother’s Day. Absolutely beautiful.
Thankyou Kat for continuing to dig deeper into the king / empire motif. And I so much appreciate reading the rich and varied responses of how we choose less!
And yet we also follow a king too, albeit not of this world, whose framework and ‘government’ is quite upside down and contrary to empire.
I’ll add, that as I am becoming more aware of the 2nd half of life, I am also choosing MORE, that is, more of my soul / spirit, to occupy my focus and shape my decisions. Bit by bit no doubt, and by Gods grace!!
A wise word for these times! Thank you!
Choosing less in this season for me means not letting the perfect or the ideal be the enemy of the good things right in front of me - an imperfect church community imperfect school for my kids, imperfect career/job, imperfect friends, imperfect spouse, imperfect kids, imperfect self. Choosing good things right now for me means letting go of some utopia existence that I’ve been unknowingly striving towards my whole life. It means rooting down in this imperfect place and time that has so many flaws and yet is so, so good. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” And He is.
Bold!! Brave words!! Truth!!
Brenda! I'm so happy you're here.
AMEN. So powerful and so beautiful. The internal force of your words is holy. Thank you for their gift.
Thank you for being here, Laura.
This is lovely and much-needed. Thank you, Kat.
Thank you, Liz!
I have been listening again to your book Sacred Belonging these days and just got to ‘Reawakening Your Wildness’ - it fits well with this exquisite essay. I remember years ago with some friends dissecting the word ‘bewilder’ to be-wilder. It is bewildering to empire when we are wild: choose less, love our own bodies (work in progress), watch the crocuses come up in February.
WOW- I LOVE this connection. "it's bewildering to empire when we are wild" yes, yes, yes! THANK YOU!
Pleasure! Thank you for reminding us that we were a part of the wild 🕸️🦦🌱🌾✨