One of my goals for 2007 is to join a movement led by Sallie at A Gracious Home in Celebrating a Year of Abundance. It's not meant to be about deprivation or living legalistically, but instead it's about being a good steward of what we already have and trying to focus less on material things. Along with the others, we will be following an old Depression Era motto:

While decluttering my house recently, I was amazed how many things I had, even down to toiletries that I had forgotten about and so bought more of them. I am now working steadfastly through using everything up before I buy more.

Another issue for me will be food. I live in a different city to the one where I work, so often I will stay up there during the week rather than drive home. This makes planning meals and sorting out food shopping more difficult. It is often just easier to buy food on my way back home and make a meal from that. If only to allow me to defrost the freezer, I need to make the effort to make my meals from the food I already have. It will force me to be a little more inventive and adventurous with my cooking over the next few weeks as I try to find combinations that work. Perhaps I should be glad that I live on my own and that no-one else will have to suffer this!

While sorting through a huge pile of paperwork hidden away in the spare room a few weeks ago, I was shocked to see how much stationery I own. (That weekend, I also developed a new hobby - shredding old documents is wonderfully satisfying!) Some of it I have had since I was in primary school! There will be no excuse for buying new stationery any time soon.

Part of what I am looking forward to is having a more uncluttered home, but I'm hoping to learn more about what is responsible stewardship for all of God gifts to me. Even already, as I have wandered around my house or done my shopping, I have almost heard your voices sitting on my shoulder gently reciting "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without!"

Sallie also tells me that this week is National Delurking Week designed to get all the lurkers out there to comment on the blogs they visit. When I saw this advert for it, I just had to participate it so please comment somewhere if you've never commented before!

You crown the year with your bounty;
your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
Psalm 65:11