The burden of abundance
We have too much.
I've noticed this as I pack and unpack when moving between countries. We have to weigh and box up our leftovers (stuff we didn't give away and aren't taking with us). The things I keep to remember the life I have lived and hope to live once again someday.
Some of it is necessary. Those boxes of past tax records and bank stuff... a Ziploc with about 25 expired passports. (These are actually necessary sometimes, who would guess!) Those two boxes of kitchen stuff came in very handy when setting up house again in Sweden! I needed those nine years after packing and storing that box
Some of it is wonderful. Photos and albums of days-gone-by bring true joy when shared with those we love! We don't look at them often enough. We might have too many, but my friend pulled out a picture of my dad she had from our time in high school. If she hadn't saved it, I wouldn't have it. The box with a few baby clothes from our sweet tiny children... or their first drawings, stuffed animal, journals from second grade and stories they wrote when they were ten... these are priceless and I save them until they save them for themselves. Just like my mom did for me.
Too much of it is extra. All the "just in case" stuff that I have accumulated is weighing on me. Often, I won't need it again. I just move it, accumulate it, and try to find someone who thinks it could be as awesome as I do. I should dump it. When I open a box in 5 years, those pieces of the past are almost embarrassing. Better to give them away or trash them instead of packing them up. I have to learn how to let go of these things that are a potential blessing. They could be a real blessing to someone NOW, not in some distant imagined creative self of the future.
We have to be careful. When we consistently have too much, we see it as necessary. We should take enough time to weigh the importance of our baggage regularly enough that we don't find some dusty, moldy rags instead of precious keepsakes. We should clear away the cobwebs and share precious moments of remembrance with our loved ones. We should let go of things that have left a bitter taste, things that need forgiving, reminders of resentment that are too heavy or too bulky to be carried any further.
How much do we need? What can we carry that will brighten our future? Have you noticed how light happy memories are to carry? Have you noticed that you make room for a special piece on a crowded shelf just so you can keep it in view?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
I've noticed this as I pack and unpack when moving between countries. We have to weigh and box up our leftovers (stuff we didn't give away and aren't taking with us). The things I keep to remember the life I have lived and hope to live once again someday.
Some of it is necessary. Those boxes of past tax records and bank stuff... a Ziploc with about 25 expired passports. (These are actually necessary sometimes, who would guess!) Those two boxes of kitchen stuff came in very handy when setting up house again in Sweden! I needed those nine years after packing and storing that box
Some of it is wonderful. Photos and albums of days-gone-by bring true joy when shared with those we love! We don't look at them often enough. We might have too many, but my friend pulled out a picture of my dad she had from our time in high school. If she hadn't saved it, I wouldn't have it. The box with a few baby clothes from our sweet tiny children... or their first drawings, stuffed animal, journals from second grade and stories they wrote when they were ten... these are priceless and I save them until they save them for themselves. Just like my mom did for me.
Too much of it is extra. All the "just in case" stuff that I have accumulated is weighing on me. Often, I won't need it again. I just move it, accumulate it, and try to find someone who thinks it could be as awesome as I do. I should dump it. When I open a box in 5 years, those pieces of the past are almost embarrassing. Better to give them away or trash them instead of packing them up. I have to learn how to let go of these things that are a potential blessing. They could be a real blessing to someone NOW, not in some distant imagined creative self of the future.
We have to be careful. When we consistently have too much, we see it as necessary. We should take enough time to weigh the importance of our baggage regularly enough that we don't find some dusty, moldy rags instead of precious keepsakes. We should clear away the cobwebs and share precious moments of remembrance with our loved ones. We should let go of things that have left a bitter taste, things that need forgiving, reminders of resentment that are too heavy or too bulky to be carried any further.
How much do we need? What can we carry that will brighten our future? Have you noticed how light happy memories are to carry? Have you noticed that you make room for a special piece on a crowded shelf just so you can keep it in view?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
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