7: Clothes

My friend Sammy and I are currently taking on The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker.  Last week, we chose to eat from only seven foods.  This week, we are fasting from clothing.  Now, now, it's nothing scandalous.  We have chosen seven articles of clothing and will only wear these items throughout the week.

Following Jen Hatmaker's exceptions, shoes count as one item (and we are allowed to have two pairs.  While she had a pair of nice shoes for her speaking gigs and a pair of running shoes, I will have a comfortable pair for walking to campus and a pair of shoes that work for when I longboard to campus).  Also, pajamas and undergarments don't count.  They just don't.

With that in mind, my seven articles of clothing for this week are:

• Shoes 
• Denim shorts
• Black knee-length shorts
• Cropped jeans
• Green "Impact" t-shirt
• Maroon Aggie t-shirt
• White Gap t-shirt for church

At first, I thought I wouldn't have a problem with this challenge.  I'm not one for using a lot of accessories or trying too hard with my daily wardrobe.  I'm a college student.  I have good friends who love me no matter what I look like.

However, I have a ton of t-shirts.  Probably over fifty.  In my defense, at Texas A&M and its organizations, they give t-shirts out for free (or for a couple of bucks) all the time.  On the other hand, there are so many people without much clothing who could use my extra t-shirts, so my defense isn't that strong.  In fact, I hesitated to share this on my blog while I'm writing about pursuing simplicity just because I'm a little embarrassed at how many t-shirts I actually have.  But I'm going to be real with you.  I want to be transparent in a way that allows people to see how the Lord is working on my heart despite my weaknesses. 

My closet... minus a pile of t-shirts in a laundry bin.

I'm guessing the biggest problem for this week will be my lack of responsibility when it comes to doing laundry.  What I usually do is hold out on washing clothes for a few weeks and then do them all at once after I run out of t-shirts and shorts to wear.  Not the most responsible plan, but I have a hectic schedule.  This week, I will have to keep up with my laundry.

It's in the nineties and above every day where I live.  I walk a couple of miles each day onto campus and from class to class (I go to a very big school), so wearing shirts over and over isn't the best idea.  This week, I am going to learn some responsibility and how to schedule this piece of housework.  I think this will be good for me.

I will also learn how to be less self-conscious with wearing the same things over and over.  While I don't think this will be a huge problem, I will see some of the same people multiple times this week and I am a somewhat typical girl; I like to have a fairly changing wardrobe.  I am eager to become more confident in my simplicity.  Why should I be embarrassed to wear the same shirt twice in a week?  That is only my own foolish entitlement rearing its ugly head.

I am excited for this fast.  Last week, God taught me a lot about His provision and sufficiency.  This week, I'm praying that God will teach me about contentment.

This week's Bible verse that I will be memorizing is 1 Timothy 6:6-8.  "But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

Sammy and I have not yet gotten to meet up and compare our plans for this week.  I'll share a little more about her promise verse and 7 list later on this week.  

How could you simplify your life this week?

One year ago: Breaking
Two years ago: Did you know?
Three years ago: The Crazy Cat Lady