The challenge: to simplify your clothing

When I had visited some of the Amish homes I noticed something right away.  These women wore a very basic style dress.  They had an assortment of different patterns and colors but only one style.  There stockings were one color, their shoes one color.  I had to laugh one time as someone had given me one of their dresses to wear and I said, “Oh! I can’t wear that I don’t have any nylons to match the dress.”  I looked quite silly as they wouldn’t worry about “matching” as I did in my heathenistic ways LOL.

What I took away from that was that their wardrobe was simple.  A very basic one.  I don’t dress like I used to before, but I did take many of those simplistic principles with me as I created a wardrobe for myself.

Why make the change:

Having a simple wardrobe means that you can:

• Enjoy everything you wear, everyday.
• Have an easier time picking an outfit in the morning.
• Feel refreshed instead of burdened or overwhelmed when you open your closet.

How to make the change:

I know there are many different ways to simplify your closet, this is how I do it myself.  For those of you that don’t like plain and simple, this might not work for you but for those ready for a change, I challenge you to try my way.

• Pick a staple color as your base wardrobe color.  Mine is brown.
• Keep your undershirts the same color.  I  wear layers of clothing for modesty reasons, I almost always have on a undershirt.  I have about 4 brown colored t shirts to wear under my outfits.
• For bottoms, I have many solid color skirts–brown, jean, and khaki.  I do have some other stylish skirts and the main colors are brown.
• My dresses have browns in them.  When I am shopping I look for those colors and know that I already have an undershirt to go with.  The same for my other skirts, when I keep my theme color brown, then I know that I can mix and match things and since they are the same “base” color they will work together.
• For my summer wardrobe, I spice it up a bit and add purple colors to my wardrobe.
• For shoes, I keep them simple brown.  Brown boots and brown sandals.  Simple.
• For socks, I keep them black.  I should go brown, but haven’t found them yet.  All the same, no worries about unmatched pairs, because they are either ankle socks or knee highs.

By keeping my wardrobe with a staple color has helped me tremendously when shopping because I know what I am looking for and that it will pretty much go with what I have at home.  Simple, basic, and easy.

 

The challenge: to listen to uplifting Christian music for a week

Music is a  powerful source.  It  has a definite impact on us in most if not all aspects of our lives. Music can change the mood of a person, act as a carrier for suggestions, and even influence the mind. You can appreciate the power of music by imagining watching your favorite movie without any music whatsoever. Imagine all commercials being void of music. I’m sure you can now appreciate the power and influence that music has.

I’m sure you have experienced a situation where you happen to hear a certain melody or a particular song on the radio and all types of emotions arise based on past events.  That is the influence that music has on us.

Why make the change:

Music is important to the Christian lifestyle because music influences us so much.  Therefore, we should be diligent about what type of music we listen to.

Before I was a saved Christian, I listened to worldly music.  Music that put me in the mood for sadness, music that put me in a “quirky” kind of mood.  It amazes me how much my mood was affected by listening to certain types of music.  My depression was deepened as I allowed sad songs to flow.  My anger would rage as I listened to  “anger-provoking” songs.  As much as we don’t want to believe it,  we ARE influenced by music.

Music influences us and it can set the stage for many things mentally and spiritually.  Music can assist us in entering the presence of God.  It could be used to change our state of mind and it could be used for mere entertainment.  We Christians should be aware of the impact that music has on us and act accordingly.  We should monitor what we allow ourselves and our children to listen to.

If you are constantly putting in negative songs into your ear, that is what is going to flow through your heart and out of your mouth.  You want to keep music flowing that is giving you a positive impact throughout the day.  Not something that is going to bring you down..

How to make the change:

So how do we make this change?  It is simple….turn off your local worldly station and turn up your  local Christian radio station and let it play all day long.  If you don’t have a local radio station tune into the internet and stream it live.  There are many choices out there that will give you positive, uplifting songs throughout the day.

You want your focus to be on God.

It is good to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praised to Your name, O Most High.” – Psalms 92:1

Try this for 1 week.  Only let your ears hear Christian music for this time.  Notice any changes?  Did it encourage you more?  Make you a happier person?  I don’t know how I would get through my day without having some sort of constant presence of God in the background of my busy life. Try it!