Waste

Those of you who are wondering how we picked the order of the 7 months, we sat down and just picked an order - not thinking of the actual months and what would be going on those months. The schedule is the following:

July - Possessions [CHECK]

August - Waste

September - Food

October - Shopping

November - Clothes

December - Media

January - Stress

We went ahead and scheduled it out so that our tendency to pick the topic when it's most convenient couldn't take place. As you can tell, we weren't selfish. Note my birthday month I won't be able to shop with the money I receive. December... when we are off of school and Drew will most likely receive multiple media items - we won't be able to utilize them. Yay for challenging us to get away from the worldly things that bog us down and focus on what truly matters. Our Jesus.

Anywho, we are starting waste this month. Some of the things we are going to try not to waste are:

- time. We are going to be smarter with how we spend our free time. Dinners together at the table - interacting instead of on the couch watching a show

- food. We have several items in the cabinets and fridge that were bought a while back and never consumed. They aren't bad, we just buy better things to eat first/ Our goal is to clean our kitchen of the excess that stays around not getting consumed.

[Already struggling with this one since I have a hotdog bun that reached it's end in his soft life... so its yucky carbs... but i cant waste it... what to do??]

 

- water. I'm going to do laundry less. dishes once a day in a sink full of water rather than running the water as I wash them.  

[confession: I already broke that rule. it's habit to wash whenever there are dirty dishes. I'm a work in progress. also, I was hoping to do all the laundry yesterday and start fresh - but I forgot. So I'm starting the month by doing laundry. whoops. again - work in progress.]

- gas. driving Drew's Malibu which has way better gas mileage whenever possible. We would go to one car, but I am getting a job so our schedules won't allow that.

- money. We have already cut back on several luxury items like direct TV when I stopped working. We can be more cautious when we eat out and how we spend out miscellaneous fund. Little things like getting sodas at dinner or going out for ice cream instead of making cookies at home will also be boycotted. Sad. Day.
-recyclables.  Yup I just called and asked for recycling bins. Those of you that know us well know we aren't really the recycling type. We aren't against it, it's just never been a priority for us. But since it is waste month Drew and I agreed it was only right to start now. ;) I'm anxious to see what kind of trash we waste! Along with this - I'm going to use reusable dishes and rags over paper towels, napkins and wipes whenever possible. No I'm not making my own wipes for Peyton's dirty tushy, but I will go to the effort of getting a wet rag to wipe food off his face over grabbing the ever-accessible wipe. It's better for his skin too.

 I think for our family this is how we can best use what God has given us wisely. It will be a challenge!