I didn't find this out though until we were called to move to Honduras. The night Adam came home and told me (Michelle) that he felt called, I laid in bed (8 months pregnant and awake anyway) mentally cataloging our entire house. What in the world would HAVE TO move with me. I only came up with four things. Dying to know, aren't you? KitchenAid mixer, food processor, pressure cooker and immersion blender. The rest I had mentally sold, given away, or trashed.
And now it has come time to start that process of selling, giving away, storing, or trashing. And that's when I discovered I am a HOARDER! There is sooo much stuff here and I used to pride myself on being a minimalist. "I don't need all the baby gear, don't desire the latest and greatest of technology, don't buy a lot of stuff ." WRONG! Just stepping into my closet causes hyper-ventilation. Looks like Target may have gotten the best of me. And it's not about getting rid of it. It's the sheer amount of stuff.
So I started with the obvious. . .shoes. Donated 18 pairs. Failed to mention I still have about 25 pair. Eek! So I guess along with my confession, I am asking you to consider what in your closets could you purge? What need could you fulfill for a "neighbor"? All that cute girl clothes I bought for Asher? I found a friend who is actually having a girl. What could you do without? What could you stop purchasing to put that money towards someone who could really benefit from it? And I am not pointing the finger, trust me. I am asking myself the same thing!
Check out Matthew 25: 35-37!
I love the four things that HAVE to move with you- I feel the exact same way. :) Thanks for the reminder on the collecting- most of our belongings were purged for us nearly a year ago, but I'm so surprised to realize that I actually have a substantial amount of stuff we could do without, in spite of the flood.
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteI just read this last night in Hudson Taylor's "A Retrospect."
"The effect of this blessed hope [the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ] was a thoroughly practical one. It led me to look carefully through my little library to see if there were any books there that were not needed or likely to be of further service, and to examine my small wardrobe, to be quite sure that it contained nothing that I should be sorry to give an account of should the MASTER come at
once. The result was that the library was considerably diminished, to the benefit of some poor neighbours, and to the far greater benefit of my own and that I found I had articles of clothing also which might be put to better advantage in other directions.
It has been very helpful to me from time to time through life, as occasion has served, to act again in a similar way; and I have never
gone through my house, from basement to attic, with this object in view, without receiving a great accession of spiritual joy and blessing. I
believe we are all in danger of accumulating--it may be from thoughtlessness, or from pressure of occupation--things which would be useful to others, while not needed by ourselves, and the retention of which entails loss of blessing. If the whole resources of the Church of GOD were well utilised, how much more might be accomplished! How many poor might be fed and naked clothed, and to how many of those as yet unreached the Gospel might be carried! Let me advise this line of things as a constant habit of mind, and a profitable course to be practically adopted whenever circumstances permit."
-Adam
Grans and Papa are thankful you gave away the girls cloths you acquired for Asher, instead of making him wear it ;-)
ReplyDeleteDon't think that I didn't consider it, Dad. :) Asher has a pretty face! (He's just too butch to pull it off though.)
ReplyDelete