In our home, today is the first real day of summer. School’s out!

So to honor this wonderful season’s arrival, I’m having a week long theme about simplifying life.

I’m trying to figure out how best to spend next year. I have books releasing every few months, I have a senior in high school (my baby!), and I have a dad with Alzheimer’s who loses more memory every few months.

I want to make this year count.

But a simpler life has a different meaning for every person.

For me, it means eliminating all but the essential, reducing frustration (say, for example, hunting for car keys), and spending time doing what’s truly important. Actually…what God thinks is important for me to do.

When I have searched through experts’ advice to simplify… they leave God out of that equation. Still, there is good, practical advice they have to offer.

Experts say that there are really only two steps to simplifying:

1) Identify what’s most important to you.

2) Eliminate everything else.

Harder than it sounds!

Here’s the assignment for Day 1:

Create a simplicity statement. What do you want to simplify in your life? Take a minute to write it out.

I’m going to do this! Today. I promise.