Am I lazy?
From “Catholic Minimalism: Purposeful and Intentional Choice for the Home” (the community group on Facebook):
I don’t usually go for self-deprecating humor (surely God doesn’t like us disparaging His creation!) but in the past I have caught myself saying, ”I’m not really ‘a minimalist;” I’m just lazy.” What I have meant by that is that many of my attempts to declutter and minimize the introduction of physical things into my home are rooted in my dislike of frequent tidying, complicated dust-collecting surfaces, and the general maintenance that comes with owning things. Those reasons combined with living in a small space propelled my interest in seeing just how many things I can live without.
By engaging with minimalist content (you will hear me reference Josh Becker’s “Becoming Minimalist” in future articles, no doubt), I have taken on challenges that are certainly designed to save time in the future, but in the process of habit-changing and perspective-altering, I found myself working hard and even frustrated by the effort involved. In contrast with laziness, many of the strategies for managing one’s possessions require consistent motivation and effort before they become second-nature. For example, the minimalist challenge to “…immediately complete any task that can be accomplished in one minute or less” might be a hurdle at first despite the obvious long-term pay-off. Throwing some household object away because it requires too much maintenance doesn’t make you “lazy” either- particularly if the lack of the thing gives you time to focus on the more meaningful moments of life. In short, endeavoring to save time in the future requires effort in the present that is not consistent with laziness, but more so with hard work and a desire to challenge one’s habits.
Change is hard. But change is essential! Particularly as Christians, we know that radical transformation of many of our habits and drives is the route to salvation. We must be merciful with ourselves, as God is with us, in order to effectively continue on this journey of change- which precludes the voice inside that calls you “lazy”!
“…to live is to change. And to be perfect is to have changed often.” Bl. John Henry Newman
Why shop Catholic?
I’d like to speak to this topic in a series of blog posts because they are so many different angles from which to approach it!
The idea that we as Catholics should “shop Catholic,” even for secular goods, seems like a forgone conclusion. Afterall, it is “nice” to buy from a Catholic-owned shop. You and I probably feel slightly better whilst making a purchase from a Catholic- or even publicly Christian- seller than we do making another quasi-anonymous purchase at whichever chain retailer we’ve become accustomed to purchasing from.
The question as to why we should prefer or even have an obligation to shop Catholic required a bit of digging. I knew it must go beyond “because it is a nice thing to do” when I realized that I would happily buy a handmade scarf from a struggling widow, or a cold drink from a child’s lemonade stand. There are lots of purchases you could make in order to be nice and that would make you feel good. Patronizing businesses that share your faith, as a member of that faith, on the other hand, confers a lot more lasting value and forward direction than mere niceness.
Buying from Catholic shops means contributing to the greater Catholic community. Whether the vendor is from your parish or halfway across the world, your purchase supports a Catholic way of life for the individuals, religious communities, and families running these businesses. In a market that seems to favor deceptive generic convenience on a global scale, our Catholic identity is more at stake than ever. If our purchases reflect that Catholics across the world are the Body of Christ, on the other hand, we would realize that we can nourish that body by “shopping Catholic.”
Maybe this is our wake-up call to prioritize our spending in a way that nurtures our Church as the body of Christ- as opposed to watching little bits of our earnings disappear into disparate, faceless entities who actually want us to lose touch with our Catholic identity in favor of a disconnected secular one that spends without principle. Afterall, our money is frequently earned with time spent away from our families- how much more value does our time itself have if its wages are spent building up the Kingdom?
Catholic Minimalist takeaway: Our time is precious, and how we spend our money directly speaks to the value we hold for our time. Seeing ourselves as part of the Body of Christ calls for an attitude towards spending that speaks to our Catholic identity, which makes us more discerning shoppers, and can help us grow in fellowship with Catholics all around the world!
Worry is Useless
I. Reflection: What did Padre Pio say right after the often quoted line, “Pray, hope, and do not worry”?
He said “worry is useless”!
Many of you know that I am a psychotherapist in addition to a Catholic artist. Worry is present in almost every case I treat. People may even think it’s worry that drives them to pursue therapy in the first place, when most often, it’s hope!
When it comes to wellness, Catholics are so lucky. We are beyond fortunate to have the comforting words of the saints- as well as Scripture- that we know we can rely on and trust. When Padre Pio says, “Worry is useless,” he isn’t suggesting that our lives are devoid of suffering, but that prayer, unlike worry, is a hopeful, active response to pain or sadness. Recall Philippians 4:6-7:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Letting go of worry is no easy feat! But my advice is as follows: when you’re feeling consumed with a recurrent worry, ask yourself: “is worry helpful to me right now? Is it driving action? Is there something else I can do to bring me peace instead?”
II. Solutions: Letting go of worry is easier said than done, but here are a few changes one can make in the home that make worry much easier to deal with:
Predictable prayer routine
Established (and circumstantial) time limits on stressful discussions/venting
Purposeful designation of spaces around the house
Sacred music on during specific times of day
Interested in joining a community of Catholic declutterers, downsizers, and life-simplifiers? Join the discussion on Facebook:
Catholic Minimalism: Purposeful and Intentional Choices for the Home
https://facebook.com/groups/catholicminimalismcommunity
What is Catholic Minimalism?
Order is beautiful, which makes perfect sense because what is TRULY beautiful directs us to what is Divine.
Many of us Catholics strive to build “domestic churches,” giving our homes orderliness and beauty by decorating purposefully, spending prudently, and living intentionally.
One of the foundational principles supporting Little Botanical is my particular vision of “Catholic minimalism.” Afterall, what Little Botanical offers is the opportunity for Catholics give their homes “orderliness and beauty by decorating purposefully, spending prudently, and living intentionally”!
For some, “Catholic minimalism” might suggest a decorating style; for others, it’s a call to frugality, while many others apply the term to any exercise of prudence with regards to what comes into the home. My uniquely welcoming conceptualization of “Catholic minimalism” invites you to grow with us, no matter how you define “minimalist living” in your home; what unites us is a love of Christ and a desire to fulfill our vocations by inviting orderliness and simplicity into our lives!
Besides providing Little Botanical with a driving mission, Catholic Minimalism is also a chance to connect and learn as a community. I operate a Facebook community group dedicated to Catholic Minimalism as well as a corresponding Instagram. Join me on both platforms; let’s grow together!
Facebook community: facebook.com/groups/catholicminimalismcommunity
Instagram: www.instagram.com/catholic.minimalism
Love from,
Lea at Little Botanical
