Boy, when someone touches our stuff... that's what we yell out right? Especially if they might be taking our stuff to the garbage! A similar sentiment I've heard... hey you can't throw that away my kids made that... right!?!
In my youth I would describe myself as cluttered and pack rat-ish. I kept everything... in (neat) piles generally. I knew where everything was, and could put my hand right on it when I (or some else) needed it... but it was a lot of STUFF. I also held on to clothing, for years. I never seemed to actually wear anything out, so I felt like there was no reason to toss it... I COULD STILL WEAR IT!
Then I got married... to a man who didn't really keep anything. He liked a clutter-free life... when forces collide we will say :-). Boy those first 6 months of marriage where challenging to the both of us.
We tell this to our engaged couples that we sponsor for marriage prep... I can remember one day when we finally decided that we needed to sit down and figure out how our life was going to LOOK. We each talked about the things that were most important to each of us, and how we were going to accomplish them so that we would both be happy with the living arrangement!
Pretty much from that point on I realized that I needed to let go of my stuff... stuff that I didn't need, stuff that really had no use, and stuff that I simply didn't have room for both physically and mentally! Now, if there is an item of questionable worth or use... PITCH IT (actually donate it) more times than not.
If by chance I catch a show or read an article on tidiness/or lack there of, it spurs me on to recheck our possessions for their need in our life or would be better suited for someone else (this also happens with a change of seasons, anytime I have to go through the boys clothes I go ahead and hit all of our clothing).
How timely was our Gospel reading yesterday?
As Jesus was setting out on a journey,
a man ran up,knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;honor your father and your mother.
"He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.
"Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.
"At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!
"The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among
themselves,"Then who can be saved?
"Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God." (Mark 10:17-27)
Hoarding, pack rat-ish, messy, or cluttered, this is not what our dear Lord wants from us. I challenge all of you to clean something out... a shelf, a drawer, a closet... find something to donate! Those with kids, this can be fairly easy, they grow out clothing quickly and out grow toys that some other child is sure to need.
I've found the less clutter you find your physical state in, the less clutter you find your mind in!
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2 comments:
We are both tossers, thankfully. We regularly throw stuff out and make piles for donation. IndieGirl does have a little bit of an inclination to hang on to every single paper from school, so we have to temper that impulse somewhat. We barely have room for what we use, I can't imagine where we put stuff we were keeping just in case. :)
I'm a very visual person and I can't stand clutter, especially if it's within my sight. That's why after building those floor to ceiling bookshelves in our learning room, I REALLY want to have floor to ceiling doors for them. I don't have a problem getting rid of stuff. The frugal side of me says to keep it just in case we need it again, but the visual side of me trumps that I and tell myself that donating these things is a form of tithing and helping out those less fortunate. Now that Mustard is nearing the crawling phase, I plan on going through every nook and cranny and paring down on many items. Thanks for the reminder to get this done.
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