I just read a book about St Francis of Assisi. What a wonderful, godly man he was. If I had lived around 1200AD and had known him, I would have really liked him. The bottom line of his life once he became a follower of Jesus was to keep life simple, and he encouraged believers to simply read the Bible to find out what Jesus was like and then live like He lived.
A friend of mine recently packed up her family and moved to Oregon. They decided it was time to get out of the hectic pace of life here in the Bay Area and move somewhere quieter. Somewhere simpler. So they did it. And now it makes my heart happy every time I see her posts & pictures on Facebook about how awesome their new simpler quieter life is up there.
I Thessalonians 4:11 tells us we should make it our goal to live a simple and quiet life. That sounds wonderful to me, but I’ve found that it’s much easier to say than to do. So for those of you who, like me, long for that kind of life, here are some quotes that might inspire you to work harder at living a simpler and quieter life, and maybe even motivate you to make some drastic changes… like moving to Oregon.
- Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. ~Confucius
- I’m just a simple guy, I live from day to day. A ray of sunshine melts my frown and blows my blues away. ~Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Bonham, “Out On The Tiles” (Led Zeppelin)
- To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter… to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life. ~John Burroughs
- Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials. ~Lin Yutang
- To poke a wood fire is more solid enjoyment than almost anything else in the world. ~Charles Dudley Warner
Okay, I admit that one was kind of silly, but it made me smile. And I get it!
- You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. ~Vernon Howard
- Life is amazingly good when it’s simple and amazingly simple when it’s good. ~Terri Guillemets
- The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go. ~Steve Maraboli
- Each day, awakening, are we asked to paint the sky blue? Need we coax the sun to rise or flowers to bloom? Need we teach birds to sing, or children to laugh, or lovers to kiss? No, though we think the world imperfect, it surrounds us each day with its perfections. We are asked only to appreciate them, and to show appreciation by living in peaceful harmony amidst them. The Creator does not ask that we create a perfect world; He asks that we celebrate it. ~Robert Brault,
St Francis would have loved that last one. Today, may you at least catch a glimpse of the joy that can be found in a simpler and quieter life.
By Bernice Gudgel