I am embarassed, so embarassed to have my garage doors opened especially when the stuff inside is visible to people who drive by and could possibly take a glance at the mess. I always keep them closed. A couple of years ago I decided I was going to simplify. I moved into a smaller home, sold rooms of furniture, smaller yard and less stuff to occupy my time.
Today I decided it was time to finish what I started several years ago. All the stuff that couldn't fit in my smaller home had to go, to go somewhere else. I put my gloves and hat on and braved the big concrete floors filled with items that have no current purpose. I worked 8 hours on that garage and when finished I was able to pull in one car and could comfortably walk around the car and look at all the stuff that I decided just couldn't be donated.
I had a broken dishwasher that I have failed to have picked up, a broken bookshelf, dog house, 9 bikes (only 6 in the family), 5 boxes of clothes that don't fit my family (I keep adding to it as the season changes), Kitchen table, 6 chairs, yard items, and of course all the seasonal boxes that included Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter and all the toys that I refuse to give away because they hold to many memories. Then there is the work bench, tool boxes, wrapping paper, and who knows what else.
All of this stuff, some given away, some resorted and organized kept me busy for 8 solid hours. On occasion I threw a ball into the pool and watched my dog jump in and seize it with pride. This was my most pleasurable activity all day. You can't just throw that ball once, it's a game that is played over and over again.
Our stuff sometimes holds many memories of where we have been and maybe where we want to go. I have a box of my favorite art supplies. I stash them there so on occassion I can pull them out and paint or draw and be mindless for several hours. It's stuff and it's mine, yours, and it can be very consuming like it was for me today.
Every time I read the verse in the Bible about Jesus telling the young man to go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me." Mt 19:21 I think really hard about this parable. I ask myself everyday "am I doing enough to serve Him?" Do I cling to the stuff more than I should or do I really just use this stuff for convience of time. I think about the people who have lost their belongings or home to fires or natural disasters. I believe in a situation like that if my loved ones are spared the stuff wouldn't really matter. But I have never had that happen and my heart hurts for them. Sadness.
Once again, I learned that the stuff today that consumed me in the past has consumed me once again. This stuff is not filling us up with happiness, it is just taking our time away from God. It becomes all consuming instead we should be filling ourselves up with God. We keep looking for that happy pill and people are finding it temporarily in stuff when God is always there waiting patiently to hold our hands, tell us a story and love us like he loved us the day he made us.
Tomorrow is Sunday and I think I am going to relax and enjoy God's day and forget about all this stuff.
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