“He who buys what he does not need steals from himself.” ~ proverb ~
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci ~
“I recommend to you holy simplicity.” ~ Francis de Sales ~
“Seldom or never do we hear anything about simplicity as an essential discipline of the spiritual life. Most of us have only a vague idea of the meaning of the world. …Simplicity means “absence of artificial ornamentation, pretentious styles, or luxury. It is “artlessness, lack of cunning or duplicity.”
“Where there is simplicity, words can be taken at their face value. There are no hidden or double meanings. One says what one means and means what one says. There is no “joker” concealed in the language to nullify its obvious intent. Simplicity does not mean “easy to understand.” Paul was not always easy to understand. Nor was Jesus. Men are still wrestling with their great utterances. But both Jesus and Paul are characterized by simplity. Their intention was not to confuse to deceive but to clarify and illumine.
Where there is simplicity there is no artificiality. One does not try to appear younger, or wiser, or richer than one is–or more saintly! Moffatt’s translation of 1 Corinthians 13:4 hits it exactly, when it says: “Love makes no parade, gives itself no airs.” ~ Albert E. Day ~
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” ~ Hans Hofmann ~
“Beware the barrenness of an empty life.” ~ Socrates ~
“When you have cleared all of your clutter, you can be of greater service to those around you.” ~ Michael B. Kitson ~
“The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.”
~ Steve Maraboli ~
“In order to seek one’s own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life.” ~ Plato ~
“Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them.” ~ Peace Pilgrim ~
The waste of life occasioned by trying to do too many things at once is appalling.”
~ Orison Marden ~
“It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.” ~ William of Occam ~
“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”
~ Lin Yutang ~
“the art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” ~ William James ~
“Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.”
~ Charles Warner ~
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius…and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” ~ E. F. Schumacher ~
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be
beautiful.” ~ William Morris ~
“Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.” ~ Frederic Chopin ~
“How many things are there which I do not want.” ~ Socrates ~
“Dress to enjoy your day, not so that others can enjoy you.” ~ Courtney Carver ~
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” ~ Will Rogers ~
“To be simple is to fix one’s eyes solely on the simple truth of God at a time when all concepts are being confused, distorted, and turned upside down.”
~ Deitrich Bonhoeffer ~
“To poke a wood fire is more solid enjoyment than almost anything else in the
world.” ~ Charles Dudley Warner ~
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~
Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more.” ~ John Kabat-Zinn ~
“The cost of a thing is the amount of life which is required to be exchanged for it.”
~ Henry David Thoreau ~
If you’d like a name added to the prayer list, please let me know. Names will be kept for one week, around the world, people are praying.
Sabbath Keeping ~ Miki and Timi ~ Max ~ Rui Mota ~ Debbie ~ Sandra ~
GretchenJoanna says
If I get better at the noble art of leaving things undone, I will have more time for poking a wood fire! That's a good deal.
odiie says
Thanks for stopping by my blog. You have a beautiful place here, I'm surprised I haven't found it before now. Lovely and true quotes.
From Glory Farm
Pilgerweg St. Wolfgang says
Dear Thistle, you inspired me to make some special text about simple life in "wolfgangiblog". There I made also a link to this your post. Thank you for these sentences and idea!
Your Dori
Lisa @ Two Bears Farm says
An excellent collection of quotes!
Yes, I should've left those eggies in the store. But maybe someone who found them at Goodwill will like them better than I did!
dori says
I love this very much, Thistle! Very very much!!
The BUTT'RY and BOOK'RY says
Hi,
I visited from S.B. blog
and am now your 500th follower!
;-D Many Blessings Linnie
Dianna says
"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". I love this quote because it is basically what I did a year and a half ago. It seemed as though the house could actually breathe again!
KathyB. says
Well said, and something I think about often…more-so now than ever. I am hoping to enact in my life a few changes every few months toward simplicity. I am copying & pasting your post to read & ponder the quotes when I am not on-line. ( which is most of the time )Thank-you Sister.
Anonymous says
please Sandra, include my doctor Rui Mota Cardoso in the praying list. he had his second liver transplant in December last and need all the love we can send him for his recovery. God bless you
Anonymous says
hi sweetie 🙂 there so much peace on your header photo! love it. it's a beautiful way of receiving us the readers and dreamers. when your blog open I just stood there drinking from that serenity. thank you! xxo
Lisa Richards says
Yes! Simplicity is my goal during this season of my life. As a new widow I am examining my life, deciding what to get rid of, where I can live less expensively and more simply so I will have more time for living the life God has for me. I'm excited about the journey. (I just happen to be reading "Simplicity" by John Michael Talbot!) I love all of the quotes!
Pom Pom says
Hi Sandra!
Good quotes today. It's always comforting to read about/think about simplicity.