We Got Rid of Our Microwave

Domestic Church Fridays

Good Morning Friends,

If you read the title, you are probably wondering what sort of reflection I am going to pull out of the idea of getting rid of a microwave. To answer your question, I’m not, but this is a little physical change we have recently made in our domestic church that has surprisingly been a positive one. I want to share the pros and cons of living without a microwave.

I had been considering getting rid of the microwave for a while.

For one, microwaves aren’t the best things for our overall health. (Microwaving plastic increases the endocrine-disrupting effects of phthalates as one example).

Second, I have an extremely small kitchen for the amount of cooking I do, and the microwave was taking up a significant portion of my precious counter space.

Even though I recognized all of these things, I was hesitant to get rid of it because I was worried it would make eating leftovers for lunch (which we do daily) difficult, or I would be unable to heat my coffee during the inevitable case of forgetting it somewhere and finding it at a less than ideal temperature.

Well, our microwave decided to get rid of itself for me. One day, it just stopped working and started smoking. So I quickly tossed it out the door and decided we would not be replacing it.

It took a second for me to wrap my mind around just using the stove and oven, especially in the case of reheating, but now I am wondering why I ever used the microwave in the first place!

Here are my pros to a microwave-less life.

1. Reheated food tastes better.

2. Reheating food takes less time because I am not having to heat up individual portions.

3. I am living a less toxic life without it.

4. I use fewer dishes (we also don’t have a dishwasher, so this was a huge bonus).

5. I have more kitchen space!

Cons:

1. I still haven’t figured out the coffee reheating situation.

However, knowing that I can’t easily reheat it (in a way I would like) helps me to be more intentional about enjoying my morning treat. I have even postponed making my coffee until I am at my desk for my morning work time. This allows me to appropriately enjoy my cup, not waste it, and also not rely on coffee first thing in the morning. So, in the end, this con has turned into a pro.

In the end, how has getting rid of the microwave helped my domestic church as a whole? Well, it has helped us to start looking at our home with slightly more minimalist eyes.

• What else are we keeping around that we don’t really need or may even benefit from getting rid of?

• What else is cluttering up our precious space that could be utilized more efficiently?

• On a more spiritual level, what other “toxic” things are we allowing into our lives that we can easily be rid of?

For us, getting rid of the microwave was a silly little way for us to begin asking those questions everywhere. My challenges to you today are…

1. Consider getting rid of the microwave (you don’t have to, it’s just a thought).

2. See what is cluttering up your physical or mental space in your domestic church.

As always, I am praying for you, Dear Friend, and God bless you.