Why Are We Filling Our Houses and Barns?

THE  PROBLEM

How much stuff is enough?  Now in my later years my husband and I are trying to get rid of extra the extra things we have lurking in the attic and closets.  And it isn’t all ours.  We sold both our parents homes withing a year of each other and and aquired more boxes of papers, files, photos, dishware, tools etc etc.   I am trying not to leave a mess for my children.  Besides, this generation does not want Grandma’s china. Many of my peers suffer the same dilemma.  Other friends have downsized or moved south and quickly desposed of their extraneous possessions.

More public storage facilities are being built all around my area.   Who is using all this extra space and with what???  I am sure there is nothing in them as exciting as  seen on the popular Storage Wars Tv show.  I don’t know anyone that can afford to just store jewelry, money and prized artwork and forget about it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having nice things.  I do realize some people live in small apartments and may need to rent space for things like Christmas trees or extra chairs.  But it makes me stop to analyze what is truly important.  Do I need more?  What am I not using that someone else could benefit from? I certainly do not need a bigger house! I choose contentment.

Jesus told a parable to challenge our perspective on gaining more.

Luke 12:16–21 (ESV)  And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Matthew 6:19–21    “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

***Ideally, there should be no poor people among the covenant people of God because of the blessings of God and the generosity of the people toward those in need.  (Holmans Bible Dictionary on the Poor)

THE CHALLENGE

So how can I be a good steward of the things I have besides by tithing?  I try as best I can to practice recycling to keep things out of the dump. There are many websites that help with organizational skills and others help with selling old but still valuable items.  Here are a few other ideas.

CLOSET REVIEW

Most of us have closets that are full.  Shari Braendel at  Style by Color is a Christian consultant. She has a method called 27 Hangers to help manage the closet dilemma. It has helped me, although I may need a refresher this fall.  She suggests emptying the clothes and have three piles. One pile is for keeps, I will wear again. Second pile is the give away : it doesn’t fit, not my color or never liked it.   Thirdly is the throw away pile. If it is ripped, torn or stained just get rid of it.   In my town we have recycling bins for all textiles.

ATTIC, BASEMENT and GARAGE

These three areas are unintended places to stash stuff we don’t know what to do with!  For a while I could not get my car in the garage because it was full of furniture and boxes.   I did a happy dance when I could. I like the commercial where you can just point and the junk disappears!   However that doesn’t always work especially if you don’t know what is there.  (Most likely not family heirlooms like on TV). It gets overwhelming for me.

PLACES TO GIVE

You can check the mission or policies of companies to donate to on their websites.

• Salvation Army/ St. Vincents/Vets/  Goodwill will resell your items for their mission purpose.
• A women’s shelter or homeless shelter that collects clothing, blankets and suitcases.
• My Brother’s Keeper (in my area)  will take lightly used furniture and home goods and give it to needy families.
• Food Pantries
• many others………………..

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.”

 

FALL CLEANING

Autumn and spring are the ideal seasons  for me to declutter and assess what I might need for colder weather but also to evaluate what is extra and I do not need and someone else might.   I hope this will challenge you to do the same.