The "Stuff" of our Lives

Someone's Old "Stuff"

Jack and I have moved at least seven times in our married life. Each time the amount of our possessions has grown tremendously despite an effort to "cut back." As we prepared for our move from South Arkansas to Mountain Springs, we convinced ourselves we were "downsizing." We gave away, sold, and threw away 20 years worth of things that filled a barn, two sheds, an attic, and numerous closets and shelves in our house. We left that moving day with only a small amount of "stuff" and feeling quite liberated. Being human, we immediately felt the need to start accumulating more! I guess we didn't realize that we didn't really have to fill up the wonderful storeroom in our basement! Now, eight years later, we are back where we started--too much stuff!

This hit home when we recently sold one of the cabins and had to clean it out. There was no place to put it! We are now back to square one--too much stuff! I sometimes think our stuff takes on a life of its own. It is my theory that if you pack something away in a box, put it in on a shelf in a dark place such as a closet or basement for a few months then, VOILA! That "stuff" has multiplied like little cells as described in Jack's biology textbook!

I've often tried to analyze why we can't rid ourselves of things. It is our nature for Jack and myself to save things that we might need later. I inherited this from my family who couldn't throw away even a piece of string, because "we might need it someday." My mother explained it by saying they were children of the depression. However, we are not, yet we save things--from old towels to plastic jugs. "We might need them someday!"

There is also another category of "stuff", and it is harder to let go of these things--things that have memories attached. I have boxes of dolls and the clothes Mother sewed for them that matched the ones she made for me. In my china cabinet are the white dishes with a golden dragon imprinted on them that my dad sent back when he was stationed there in the war (there's another set in a box in the basement!). I have twenty-five old family quilts that won't fit queen beds neatly folded in boxes under beds. Too many memories!

And, clothes! Each season a box of "perfectly good" clothes is taken to the Humane Society thrift store. It's easier to let go of clothes for some reason. Though, it took me a long time to finally cut ties with the LLBean coat with snowflakes that I loved so much.

I have a small sign attached to my computer that says "The best things in life aren't things." In the next few weeks and months, it is my goal to move out, throw out, sell, give away or by whatever means necessary, all"things" that are no longer relevant in our lives. Today, I am going in town to start just that. It is an ongoing process, and I realize that means I must not bring in more "stuff "to replace the old "stuff". I will NOT go in the new dollar store for anything other than necessary items!!! Walmart is off limits!

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy..But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19,20,21