*******
(Enlarge this for a small peek at the jadeite on the top left.)
Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be.
(Note: You may have to be of a certain age to connect with this post.)
On lots of dark summer nights while I was sick, I'd think, "Must declutter. Must. Declutter." So many weeks were passing!
Six years ago God asked me to fling away 10 items per week, you know, so Naomi wouldn't be overwhelmed with my stuff should I die. Then I almost fainted when I felt He wanted me to give away 350 books. Wasn't that, like, half my collection?!
Yet when God asks us to do something, always, He sends along Grace to help, making the task easier.
I'm still shocked I've released 553 books. With no tears, even.
Anyway, nearly the moment I got well, I bagged up stuff to carry down to the Salvation Army drop-off one block away.
But one item I thought Naomi might wish to sell on Ebay. It was a 55 year-old set of Old Maid cards I'd bought in memory of the ones my sister, brother and I used to play with. When they'd arrived 20 years ago, the beautiful graphics zoomed me back to my 10-year-old self.
(I had the original plastic case and all the cards, including the instructions one.)
After handing them to her (with the story), Naomi kept asking, "Are you sure you want me to sell them? Are you sure?" She could tell they held meaning for me, but you know?
It's time to dig deeper into my sentimental stuff. To release more each year what survived the culling from previous years.
I kept assuring her I was ready. And I didn't want any of the money. Almost immediately the cards sold for $38 at Ebay. Probably I'd paid $8.
The next week? God gave me the grace to release my jadeite collection. When I told Naomi she could sell that, she really began asking, "Are you sure? Are you sure?" For half her life I'd collected that stuff.
Again I (truthfully) told her I felt ready to release it all. There was a time for jadeite, now the time is over. Besides, I can no longer safely climb up there and bring it all down to wash it. Don't want to.
And so it goes.
Only some of you will understand my great peace about this. Especially after having been sick 3 months, I feel such joy that I'm able to declutter like crazy, to catch up on all the weeks I missed.
Remember my post about Cleaning Up After The Party? That made such an impression upon me. Oh, to respect the seasons of our lives, the accumulating ones and the letting-go ones.
Go doing that and suddenly Life feels smoother, simpler, and easier to understand.
May I be led by the Holy Spirit rather than sentiment.
Oh, and color me grateful that I've kept a simple running tally of the number of items I've discarded. Most days? I look around and the house seems exactly the same--so I remind myself of the numbers, instead.
******
An interesting video about the artist, Edward Hopper.
Oooo... a very cool small house community.
Wow, Tom and I so enjoyed this man's memories of his childhood home. (What a trial he must have been to his mother!) シ
******
Oh! And just a reminder. I would never bail out of this blog, disappear forever, without first telling you. Too many bloggers have done that without realizing what a lack of respect (and love) for their readers it shows.
***
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
No comments:
Post a Comment