Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Stewardship Thoughts
As I’ve been reading the passages from Luke in the Daily Message recently, I’ve been struck by how often the word “generous” is used. Be generous; give to the poor. Be generous; ask for just what you need. Be generous…. These passages are striking a chord with me because I am dealing with an overload of material possessions. The concept of “trying to deal with the clutter” is an overarching theme in my life and my friends laugh when they hear me say it, again. Like many people these days, I have WAY more than just what I need – shelves of books, stacks of papers, boxes of things in the garage and basement.
I find myself wondering if this is really good stewardship. The papers just need to be filed or recycled, and I’ve made progress on this. The bigger issue is the stuff we have sitting in the garage. A lot of it belonged to my parents and it either just stayed here when my parents moved out and we moved in or I brought it when we cleaned out my mother’s apartment. And it still sits in boxes.
I’ve started collecting lists of places to unload things: books to Friends of the Library, postings on Berkeley Parents Network or freecycle.org, things to Goodwill or CARH. I’ve found inspiration and resources in books and on line. My current favorite tool is FlyLady.net. For me, her idea of doing things in small steps is working, at least a little bit. And the idea that finding a new home for things you don’t need, don’t use, or don’t love is really blessing someone else who can use it helps me let go of some of these things.
I’m slowly unearthing treasures, box by box. I can use my grandmother’s teacups for our next book club meeting. I will use my mother’s Christmas teapot next December. I’ve given away bags of books and clothes and things. But the pink-flowered bowls from my great-aunt sit on my kitchen shelf. I’ve never liked them, I still don’t like them, and I’m working on being able to let them go.
When’s the next church rummage sale?
I find myself wondering if this is really good stewardship. The papers just need to be filed or recycled, and I’ve made progress on this. The bigger issue is the stuff we have sitting in the garage. A lot of it belonged to my parents and it either just stayed here when my parents moved out and we moved in or I brought it when we cleaned out my mother’s apartment. And it still sits in boxes.
I’ve started collecting lists of places to unload things: books to Friends of the Library, postings on Berkeley Parents Network or freecycle.org, things to Goodwill or CARH. I’ve found inspiration and resources in books and on line. My current favorite tool is FlyLady.net. For me, her idea of doing things in small steps is working, at least a little bit. And the idea that finding a new home for things you don’t need, don’t use, or don’t love is really blessing someone else who can use it helps me let go of some of these things.
I’m slowly unearthing treasures, box by box. I can use my grandmother’s teacups for our next book club meeting. I will use my mother’s Christmas teapot next December. I’ve given away bags of books and clothes and things. But the pink-flowered bowls from my great-aunt sit on my kitchen shelf. I’ve never liked them, I still don’t like them, and I’m working on being able to let them go.
When’s the next church rummage sale?
clutter is taking over my life!
In a moment of madness, I sent in a Stewardship Moments blurb for the church newsletter that owns up to the fact that I have way too much crap. My only goal this summer is to deal with it. So now it's July 19 and I'm still drowning in clutter. However, I've done the following:
5 bags of books to the Friends of the Library
5 large bags of clothing to CARH
1 load of cardboard to recycling
2 extra bags of paper for curbside pickup
an ever-growing pile in the driveway, headed for the dump.
I just cleared out one side of the entry way, most to recycling. Now, onward to the vacuum!
5 bags of books to the Friends of the Library
5 large bags of clothing to CARH
1 load of cardboard to recycling
2 extra bags of paper for curbside pickup
an ever-growing pile in the driveway, headed for the dump.
I just cleared out one side of the entry way, most to recycling. Now, onward to the vacuum!
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