A Simple Life In Canada - How To Guide Part 1

This is Part One of a Multi-part Guide.
Please check back tomorrow for the next installment. And thanks Dad for giving me a great reminder to write about things that might be useful to people. Here's photo of my dad taken on a nice hazy summers day last year. He's the best!

What does that mean to you, living the simple life? Does it evoke memories from your childhood of picking peas in your grandparents garden and chasing fireflies or frogs on warm summer evenings? Do you think of the Amish people with their wonderful farming and craft filled communities devoid of cars? Or is it something much closer to home for you, as close as growing herbs and lettuce in your garden? Because we're all individuals and at different points on the path of life we all see and experience things in ways totally unique to us. And that doesn't change if you decide to abandon the modern day rat-race and head for the country. Even out here in Nova Scotia you won't find 2 farmers who do things exactly alike. Some like chickens, some like vegetables, and some just farm trees.

My point is this; before you can even begin to make plans to move towards a simple life you need to assess what that means to you. You need to have at least a goal to work towards and then you'll be able to put the other necessary steps in order. What exactly do you want out of life? I find that the simple steps for this are as follows:

Have a Goal. It's okay if this evolves and changes over time.
     *Why do you want this?
     *How will it benefit you?
     *What steps do you need to take?
     *Can you afford it?

Decide how long you'll take to achieve your goal.
     Sometimes our dreams are tempered by the fact that we need to put a roof over our heads and food in our bellies while we're working towards something better. And that generally means for Canadians that we have to work at a paid job and work on our own projects in our personal hours. It's the trade off of hours available for work vs. a need to get paid. Sure, we'd all like endless time for our own projects but the reality is that most of us can't do that. We need at least a small income.

Make a Plan.
     Having something written down that shows the logical steps will help you to organize the work that's necessary. Just as a builder needs a set of blueprints and an understanding of the progression of a build (permits before walls,walls before plumbing etc.) so we need a plan that allows us to make the most efficient use of our resources. It helps you avoid some of the pitfalls by considering what could go wrong and making plans accordingly. Plans shouldn't be written in stone but they should provide a framework for you to build upon.

Do a realistic Budget.
     Sure we can all make our budget look good on paper, but saying you'll only spend $200 on groceries and eat lots of pasta and then actually doing it are 2 very different things. Maybe you hate pasta but didn't think it would be so bad. Who knows. I'm simply suggesting that you take into account that things may change in price, medical bills might happen, the car may break down. Be realistic and plan for some emergency funds to be set aside if you at all can.

And Last But Not Least ...




Get To Work!
     Nobody is going to feel as passionately about your goal as you do. It's your baby. You're the one with all the hopes and dreams so it's up to you to take the leap into the unknown and be adventurous! Learn new skills, try things you've never done before, make new friends and invest yourself in your project. When you can commit yourself to something it's more likely to be finished and finished well. It's not going to be easy for the most part but it will definitely be worth it.


Periodically, whether it's once a week or once a year, you need to sit down and go over the written plans and goals you have. See how you're doing and if there's anything you want to change or add. Take a look at how much you've accomplished and be honest with yourself about how you're doing. This is a good time to modify your goals and then start off re-energized and re-focused. If things haven't gone as planned figure out why and take steps to get back on track. Maybe you need to go in a different direction or get some help from a professional. Maybe you simply need more time. As the saying goes 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. The point of having goals and projects is to improve your life in some way. Otherwise why would we do them? And anything that's worth having is worth the effort to get it, even if it takes longer than you planned on. If you're getting discouraged then break down your goal into smaller goals and keep track as you accomplish things so that you can see yourself making progress.

Just remember this... every pyramid was built one block at a time.

Good luck with your goals for 2014 and beyond. Check back tomorrow for more information about starting a simple life in Canada.

Canadian Drive-By / Random Acts of Kindness

How many times have you done something nice for someone just out of the blue? Has someone done something for you too? Isn't it a wonderful feeling? It's like the spirit of Christmas all year long.

In this often depressing, selfish and dreary world it's wonderful to witness those random acts of kindness that give us back our faith in the goodness of humanity. And today I've had a couple of different stories come across my desk I wanted to share. My friend Jean posted a video about her son just stopping to help someone stuck in a wheelchair and then another story about someone paying for a fee at an airport. I know that in years past I've paid for the person behind me in the line at Tim Hortons (coffee shop) and I've had people leave me small gifts anonymously. One Christmas we got a delivery of presents for our whole family dropped off by a man in a Santa Suit who could sure run while yelling Ho Ho Ho. See, there are good things happening in the World, you just need to find them or do some yourself.

Here's the video and the article link. Both well worth reading. Whether you are here in Canada or anywhere on planet Earth, doing something anonymously or selflessly is just a wonderful example to our children of the way the world could be if we put other people first. Kindness, it's learned.

Families Are Eternal-Sunday Message

The Family unit is essential to God's plan for his children. Within our families we learn how to love, how to serve, and how we should live our lives as good moral people in society. Not everybody has an ideal family life. Some have trauma and neglect to deal with and others have anger and bitterness that follows them for years. The only words of comfort I can give you are these...that your Saviour knows and understands your pain and wants you to be happy. And that there is a God in Heaven who loves you too.

We each have the opportunity to make the lives of our family better each day. By honouring your husband or wife and loving them as you love your children and grandchildren, you set an example of how a family is supposed to be. A family should be a place of trust and love, where we can be ourselves and seek comfort and refuge from the world when we need it. It is my prayer that we will each strive for a family relationship like this...no matter where we are today. Things can only get better if we make the effort to do it. Each positive step we take will bless our lives and the lives of those we love.

And while not everyone in this world will have a perfect family you have to remember this one principle: Families Can Be Together Forever.

Happy Friday!

Yes I'm happy. My beloved husband comes home today! I know I'm sappy...I miss him after 1 day and by the end of the week I really really want him home. I know there are plenty of people who do this all the time, spend the week days away from their families, my father included. And I know that military wives sometimes won't see their husbands for months on end. I have the greatest respect for them because it's a hard thing, especially if you have children. But it's just a temporary phase in our lives and we'll appreciate each other more when we're together I think. Do you think it's true that you appreciate something more if you have to really work for it? What about appreciating a beautiful sunrise or the smile on a child's face? I guess it all comes down to what we find important. What we take the time to enjoy and where we find beauty are very personal things but if we slow life down and have the time, we can find beauty in many different places. So when making life altering changes such as moving across the country or even from one country to another, it's really important to understand the things that are important to you. It helps you to understand the sacrifices of leaving things behind and helps you plan for the future. When my parents moved to Canada in 1988 we had no family here, only one uncle who had moved here years before and never been heard from again..last name Purnell. Anyone know of him? In southern Alberta perhaps? Anyways, there are some things that we hold dear and other things that we can learn to live without. Lots of the material possessions can be left behind, some family keepsakes have to be kept, photographs kept or digitized, livestock re-homed, grown children left to fully unfurl their wings, and family relationships that will change due to long separation. Staying in touch has never been easier, from phone calls to video calls using skype, talking to our loved ones does not mean writing letters that may or may not get delivered. When the pioneers moved out west or from Europe to Canada the only real way to stay in contact was through letters and eventually the telegraph but that wasn't cheap and so it wasn't unusual to go for long stretches without hearing a single word. Sometimes only a letter announcing the safe arrival of a new baby or the wedding of a daughter, the really big important events. Now we can call to announce that the baby tried her first solid food or that they got a good report card. Or maybe we call for no real reason at all. That's good too.

Today I'm appreciating the simple pleasures in life. My family whom I love, a working vehicle, food on the pantry shelves, dry firewood, health, friends who love us, and the beauty and peace that comes from living in Canada.

Home Sweet Home

How wonderful it must have been for our ancestors to be born, marry and live out their lives in the same village. I'm sure there were some who went to seek adventure and their fortunes elsewhere. In my family tree for example, we've got people from Scotland in the 1700's who moved to the wilds of Canada. But many people were content to remain settled in their lives. I want that. To own my own little farm and have a place that I can grow old in with my wonderful husband at my side and the kids popping over for a visit. Give me a quiet simple life where I know all the nooks and crannies of my house and all the seasons in my garden.

Do you think that there aren't people like that anymore? Perhaps we're moving at such a fast speed in our modern society that homes are just where you're temporarily living. My god parents were neighbours as children so when they fell in love and got married about 35 years ago it was easy...she moved in nextdoor. Maybe it's an English thing because here's another English example. Meet Georgina Brown. She's been living in the same home for over 100 years in the little Hampshire valley she loves.

How glorious it must be to love a place so much and to have the chance to stay there forever.

Steve and I love Nova Scotia. It's home to us now. And while we still have a lot of settling to do, we know that this is the place we're meant to be. Would we recommend it to our friends? Yes, but only the not uptight ones. They'd hate the laid back attitudes that prevail here. Not a hectic city life at all and rush hour lasts for about 10 minutes from 4-4:10 at one traffic light in town beside CFB Greenwood when all the military personnel go home. Oh, and traffic on Commercial in New Minas is always horrible. Apart from that it's easy going, friendly, and we like it. It's a good lifestyle for retirees and people who want more quality of life and less quantity of dollars. You may not spend your life getting rich here but you'll have a good life nonetheless.

Becoming More Creative and Finding Happiness

I like the movie 'Dune' and watched it again this past week. I've seen it so many times before that I can put it on for background noise while I'm working on something else and just listen to it. It's not as good at expanding the imagination as listening to a book on tape or a radio play, but it works ok. Anyways, back on the subject of the movie...there is a line I really like and it says this...

"I'll miss the Sea. But a person needs new experiences. They jar something deep inside, allowing them to grow. Without change something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."

I know that new experiences change our perspective and our empathy for others. It's is right that we keep expanding our horizons and do not become narrowly focused on our own sphere of influence. There are so many opportunities for joy out there if we only stretch ourselves a little. We can discover more about ourselves and our strengths and talents. For me though, I get a bit nervous doing new things sometimes so I'm taking along Stephen on this trip for a measure of comfort. Having a friend is wonderful. Just ask Deanna, she was with me when I first met Stephen for a date, but that's another story.

I just had an epiphany! I'm speaking in Church on the 10th, and this is what I'll talk about...embracing new experiences while remaining true to yourself and your core beliefs.

We've has some comments and queries about why we are doing this "crazy" move of ours and don't we know that we'll be miserable in Nova Scotia. I want you to know that we've considered the options available to us and the best interests of our children. We've prayed about it. And we know that we're meant to go. This move will serve a couple of different purposes, not the least of which is to give our kids some new opportunities and experiences.

We have always accepted the differences in our children but it's a lot harder to plan for their futures in a changing world. We no longer live in a world where you do well in school, go to University, get a job, work there for 40 years and retire with a good pension. People change jobs and careers more frequently than ever. Economies around the world are collapsing and changing. Meeting our obligations to provide food and shelter can take away from other things like leisure and entertainment. Many people are really struggling and of course they have to provide food above all else. That doesn't leave a lot of time for the pursuit of happiness, does it? In the US Declaration of Independence the founding fathers, reflecting the thoughts of many of their contemporaries, wrote this:

We hold these truths to be self–evident,
That all men are created equal,
That they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights,
That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–

Doesn't that mean that the pursuit of happiness is accepted as a basic human right? How do we then prepare our children for the uncertainties of life while at the same time respecting their differences, interests and talents? How do we teach them the balance needed for a happy life between work and play? I guess when it comes down to it they are going to have to figure that our for themselves but we as parents can help guide them in the following ways:
-teach them that it's good to be happy and find happiness yourself so that you set an example by your own life.
-teach them morals and values
-the difference between real happiness and temporary satiation
-to respect themselves and do their best
-to be kind to others
-the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
-problem solving skills
-to love reading and learning
I'm sure I could go on and on but you get the point.

We're biased of course. We have a blend of highly intellectual, creative, lazy, hardworking, fun, serious and curious characteristics in our children. Chris is the perfect example of what society wants in a child, hardworking, studious, intelligent. Whereas Kate is creative, overly sensitive, has a hard time being understood due to her speech impediment but happy. They're very different and so we are blessed to have a home, church and school system that makes adjustments where needed to provide them both with opportunities that cater to what they need to grow. And they are happy.

Here's a video that I like. I hope you'll enjoy it and find it thought provoking. Not just the ADHD argument but the ability of children to creatively think and problem solve. It's not learning to be more creative, it's about not losing what we already had back when we were playing in the dirt with sticks, string and marbles.