by Kim Avery
“I have too much stuff” sang out the urgent email from mom. You see, she and my dad are moving. After 50+ years of marriage, 10 of them in their current home, they are uprooting themselves once again.
They have picked out a beautiful, friendly community and chosen the perfect and perfectly-sized home. But their new house is less than half the size of their current home. Less than half! Hence, the emergency “I have too much stuff” email.
Why So Much Stuff?
I understand. I like stuff! I have a lot of stuff. Like my mom, I actually have too much stuff. What brought about this sad state of affairs?
Each item in my house was carefully pondered, lovingly selected, and paid for with pain. When I bought the waffle iron, the Snuggie, and the Miranda Crystal Trifle Bowl, I brought them home because I wanted them. I thought they would do something for me. In fact, I knew that they would change my life.
The waffle iron would create warm memories doused with maple syrup and a touch of whipped cream. My Snuggie would envelop me with love when the winds of life blew cold. And the trifle bowl? It, of course, would fill my life with awestruck admirers as I walked into each party with the Mona Lisa of all desserts.
Tumbleweed Dreams
But in the end, it is all just stuff. Tumbleweed dreams, these once coveted items are now languishing at the back of the closet waiting the day when they’ll be thoughtlessly given away.
Love can’t be bought, respect must be earned, and beautiful memories can be made with nary a waffle iron in sight.
As I graciously declined my mother’s offer of making her stuff my own, it occurs to me that in Christ I already have all that I’ll ever need. And that is something that money definitely can’t buy.
How about you? I’d would love it if you would leave a comment in the box below and share a few of the expendable items that are hidden in the recesses of your life.
Tags: moving. Kim AVery
We have a cupboard that I call the “appliance graveyard.” It has the rice steamer, milk shake maker, and a few other things that I THOUGHT would make our life complete. They didn’t, obviously, but then again things never do.
A couple of years ago my husband and I moved to a condo. It meant downsizing in terms of what we could hoard (I mean store
Best thing that ever happened to us because we don’t need all that STUFF.
This post turns my thought to other STUFF too. I’m in the helping profession and many times people want to give me their stuff just like your Mom wanted to pass her’s along to you. I’ve already got enough to work out myself. I’m learning to politely decline and also growing in my understanding of what God deisres for me to keep and what to disgard.
I enjoyed this post, Kim. Thanks for sharing!
Oh Melinda - that is just too funny. I just realized that I have a satellite campus for the “Appliance Graveyard” at my house as well. Why do I buy those things???
Thanks so much for making me smile.
Kim
Thanks for this post, Kim. It was just the devotional I needed before I head to a couple stores in Orlando on the way home….
I recently had a garage sale… what a lesson in humility, and an “in-your-face” reminder that stuff is just stuff. The most difficult items to part with were things which I had placed (perhaps too much?) sentimental value on: the peach and blue House Blessings plaque received as a wedding present almost 20 years ago, the sparkling maternity cocktail dress I wore when 9 months pregnant with my first child, and even the obnoxious dancing turtle given to my girls by a family friend who has since passed. These things which were hard for me to give up (well, OK, the turtle, not so much) brought a grand total of $1.50, and no one even considered the “beautiful” plaque! I needed that shocking realization that things are just things, and what matters more are the treasures in our hearts, and investments we make in the lives of others.
I love collecting “stuff”. Especially books, and toys for the kiddos. The Lord has been speaking to me about having too many needless things, though. Especially since our house is so disorganized…seems it would be easier to organize with less things, huh?
Thanks for the gentle reminder!