At this very moment, the kids are playing a very exciting game.  They have been rolling a jingle bell back and forth for the last 15 minutes, there is some kind of scoring involved.  I can't figure it out but it reminds me that kids can find anything to play with, do they really need all the manufactured toys that our culture shoves down our throat?  They are very happy with less. 

We are reading more, studying more, creating more and enjoying each other more.  They are playing "old school" games like  hide-n-go-seek, Mother May I, and Simon Says.  There are a lot less distractions and we are all very content.  Shocking, isn't it? 

I secretly love this closeness and the simplicity of our life right now.  I don't know that I would want to live in this hotel forever but I like the closeness that we are experiencing.  

I am looking forward to moving and living in a smaller house, having less furniture to dust, less toys, less clothes, and less kitchen crockery.  I am looking forward to "living leaner".  I think this experience is going to change Dan and I considerably.  Do we really need all this stuff?  Do we really need the big house?  The big cars?  The distractions?  Is that really what God wants from us?  Or do we need to slow our pace down, spend more time with our family, friends and each other?   Do we need to slice out time for quiet, solitude with Christ? 

Slowing down forces reflection.  It is sometimes scary to slow down and see our life more clearly, see it for what it is, own up to our faults and failures, admit them, learn from them and hopefully move forward.