After a long week of moving Rubbermaid’s and boxes we are finally home in a cabin more than 100 years old. I should say I wouldn’t wish moving on anyone but during this move we learned something really important. When we started packing my wife asked, “Should we keep this?” at least 50 times. My reply was usually, “Of course we want to keep it, we may need it”; whatever IT happened to be. Then 5 days before the movers were scheduled to arrive and after 40 boxes had been neatly packed and taped, I met Ken. Ken was with the company we chose to move and store our heavier items and remaining boxes we couldn’t lift or take to the cabin. He had come to give us an estimate.
The first thing I noticed when Ken stepped out of his car was a big smile. Then, after a brief introduction, we walked in the garage which held some of our already packed boxes. The next thing out of his mouth was, “You need to purge”. What?! I didn’t hire this company to tell me to get rid of stuff. They were supposed to move it. But I listened. He convinced me we were holding on to stuff we didn’t need or really want for that matter. I tried telling him we had already given a few things away but he said we still had a ways to go. When he left I called my wife and told her what Ken had suggested. I was surprised when she agreed we should start purging right away. Maybe they were in this together?
Nonetheless, we went through every box and started a give away and throw away pile. Our boxes of neatly packed books went from 16 to 5. And it didn’t stop there. Before we were done 1 couch, 1 grill, 200 beanie babies, 8 sheets of uncut NASCAR trading cards I’ve kept for 20 years, bags of clothes, 13 pairs of shoes, 2 basketballs, 3 helmets, artwork, hundreds of CD’s, our kitchen table, a piece of furniture someone decided to call a Highboy, a nightstand, a freezer, movies, unopened cassettes, 1 large T.V., our front loading washer/dryer, a 7-foot Christmas tree, boxes of dishes, 2 beds, 5 pillows, a weed-eater, 1 electric hedge trimmer, a rake, a shovel, tools I’ve never used, lamps, mirrors and several chairs all found a new home. Funny thing is, I don’t miss any of it. We’ve since discussed a few items that we should have added to the list. I’ll admit we’ve also looked around for a couple things that we now remember giving away. It’s all good. It’s just stuff.
Fact is, our spiritual life can look similar at times. We hold on to a grudge and box it up should we need to remind ourselves of a past hurt. Talking about others becomes like dust that accumulates slowly turning us into bitter, old people. Secrets stay hidden, until they end up cluttering and ruining our lives. Why? It’s just what people seem to be good at.
I say it’s time to purge. It’s time to do an inventory and rid ourselves of anything that comes between us and God. Sometimes it’s our stuff that we think so highly of. Sometimes it’s our attitude or a car. Whatever it is, release it and walk towards God. The closer you get to Him the more your stuff will seem insignificant and the more He will become clearly the most important thing in your life. While we’re at it though, let’s give some more stuff away. I’m starting with a leather jacket I haven’t worn in 2 years.
Until next time,
Regi