Minimalism and Maintaining for Mission

 If we had any possessions we should be forced to have arms to protect them, since possessions are a cause of disputes and strife, and in many ways we should be hindered from loving God and our neighbor. Therefore, in this life, we wish to have no temporal possessions. - St. Francis 

It's interesting to look at the trend of simplicity and minimalism on the rise in our culture right now. And while simplicity and minimalism are two different things, they are a part of the journey of the other. Simplicity has been defined by Leo Babauta at zenhabits.net as: "cutting back on the complexity of what you do and what you own." Minimalism, on the other hand, has been defined as: "the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it" (Becker, loc. 129). When I was living in the mountains years ago and studying the life of St. Francis, I would do what I called "Life Inventories." It was actually in relation to what I owned. In essence, whatever I owned that was not 'life giving' in my opinion (in the sense of helpful in aiding me in a meaningful life), I would get rid of it. It was liberating, a kick in the pants of what life is about, and back in those days, everything I owned fit in the bed of my truck (ah, the freedom). Fast forward to today, I have a family and a home. Life by default has become more complex, a complexity that is worth it. While the considerations have changed, but the passion still remains to have a life focused on the mission that the Lord has us on.

So, lately I've been observing some of these truths some more - in the context of our family being on mission. I think when we look at Jesus, we can see minimalism in His teachings. I'm not saying this to hyper-spiritualize the topic or proof text - just making an observation. In Luke 10, Jesus was sending the 72:

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you...

We also see it when He talks about laying up treasures in Heaven and living free from worry in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:19-34).

So, here are a few ways that I'm applying principles of minimalism to our family on mission:

1. Lately, it has become time to purge belongings, and I've been trying to do something new (for me). I've tried to make a point of asking our Missional Community if anyone needs any of the items, then I'm asking other friends outside of our community, then I'll take it the thrift store or charitable organization. In this sense, my process filters through every area of my proxemics (personal, social, public space). This way I'm stewarding my process of letting go, consciously giving to someone who might need it. 
2. It's not enough to give my stuff to others. I don't want to just dump my stuff on other people and clutter their house, rather I want it to fulfill a need. I want others to experience freedom, so I let my community know of my minimalist endeavors and invite them on the journey. 
3. I've been figuring out solutions for our most cluttered areas (I'm sure I'll mention this again, because drop zones are my bane).
4. We don't have a super large house, so when we have community gatherings at our house it gets...cozy. Lately I've been having to make decisions on furniture that makes more sense for having others over (I <3 tray tables).

References:
Becker, Joshua (2011). Simplify (Kindle Location 129). Kindle Edition.

Links:
Don't Just De-clutter, De-own by becomingminimalist.com