Keep, Donate, Toss

Let the downsizing begin! I say that with excitement hoping that if I make it sound exciting everyone else will get on board (including myself). I know we live a very comfortable life typical of many Americans, a life of abundance, a life with very little want or need (although I still say I need that repeatedly). But here we are preparing to live with even less.

So how on earth do you go about downsizing 9 years of things collect during our lives together not to mention the many years of stuff we each brought from our single years? You take a deep breath, have plenty of  trash bags and boxes, keep chocolate and a coke on hand and dive right on in.

Step one...the attic...dun dun duuuunnnn. Does anyone even know exactly what all is in their attic? Because I surely did not! Sure there was Christmas decorations (which we have very few), there was baby stuff (which we had way too much), then there was "school stuff". Boxes upon boxes labeled "school stuff". These boxes were filled with things I had accumulated while in college, student teaching, and teaching. All of these items were must haves, things I just had to save, things I couldn't dream of parting with. But they were also things that I hadn't touched in almost 8 years, things that would greatly bless someone else who was actually in the classroom, and to be honest some things that were destined to be something else via the recycling center.

Step two...the rest of the house. You know the thought of packing the rest of the house made the attic seem like a piece of cake. It took me about two weeks to sift through the years of collected home decor, clothing, kitchen items, and toys. Oh, the toys. I had to honestly look at each item and think, do we use this, when was the last time we used this, do we need this, could this bless someone else? Hard questions but when you are moving from a house with ample storage to a much smaller (but still spacious praise the Lord) apartment you need to ask them.

I think I gave away, sold, and trashed more items than I've had in my entire life. It was sad, but it felt good. It felt good to not let my stuff rule over me and my emotions. That sure those dishes we've had since we got married are pretty and all but we never use them (like we haven't used them for 8 years) so why keep them? Or of course I remember wrapping Mabry and Maggie in each of those baby blankets but do I really need to keep all 12 of them?! No, a few will be sufficient to put in their keepsake box and the rest can go to another baby so they can stay warm or have a soft place to play.

The girls even got involved as we sold or gave away items that I couldn't hide from them like our outdoor swing set or furniture from their room. With every piece that left I told them (and myself) that it was going to a good home where it would be used and loved. That there is no point in us keeping something we can't use, because these items were meant to be used and enjoyed not stored away. There was excitement at first, especially if I was able to give them the name of the person who was going to be enjoying their things, but eventually they would forget and go looking for something and find it was no longer there. That is when they mourned the loss of their things. I told them it was okay to be sad but not to stay sad for long because they did a good thing by letting their stuff go and allowing it to bless others.

It's hard to clean out and it's hard to let go whether it is physical stuff or emotional baggage. All of it is ours and we usually keep a tight grip on what's ours. But if we are being really honest. None of it is ours, not even our own selves. We all belong to God. We are adopted into His family. Everything we are is because He made us. Everything we have is because He blessed us with it. But why? Why did He make us and why does He bless us? Well, He made us to love the way He loves and He made us to bless others they way He blesses us.

How cool is it that every aspect of this experience, even the (not so) simple task of cleaning out the attic and downsizing for a move, is showing me more of Him and His glory?! Wow, our God is good!

Lord, thank you for your abundant blessings in my life. You are so kind and full of grace. I am so unworthy of all the love You choose to pour out onto me. Work in me Lord as I continue to downsize the "stuff" in my life whether it is physical, spiritual, or emotional. Help me to toss the things within me that are not useful or productive, keep what it important and valuable, and share what I have to others who could benefit from it. In Your Son's precious Name. Amen.