Overwhelmed by Stuff

In this country we are so blessed to have so many material things readily available to us.  Books, clothes, toys, electronic devices and more are easily attainable.  However, those blessings can easily turn into hindrances when we accumulate so much that our lives are spent in taking care of STUFF instead of living our lives in service to others.

So many days it seems that I am moving STUFF from one place to another so that I can work with other STUFF. I have STUFF in the kitchen that must be moved from the counter tops so that I can get out other STUFF to make bread.  I must clear the school table of all the STUFF in order to get out other STUFF to do school work with the children.  We must clear the beds of STUFF in order to sleep in them at night.  I must clear my desk of STUFF before I can work on anything there.  STUFF is ruling our lives!!  And for some reason, we constantly think we need more STUFF!!  Why do we get into this trap?

If you've been here long you know that we are producers around here.  Musicians must have their instruments, music stands and music.  Artists must have their canvases, paints, paintbrushes, pencils and so much more.   Cooking from scratch and food preservation means buckets of grains and beans, canning jars and canners, huge pots that don't fit into cabinets, and jars upon jars of preserved food.  Homesteading brings it's own stuff with pots for starting plants, chicken tractors, books on homesteading, tools and equipment...more and more stuff.  Add in the clothes needed for eight people, bedding, food storage, a home business with lots of equipment, twenty-three years of homeschooling and twenty-seven years of raising children and you have a house overflowing with STUFF!!

I long for open spaces in my home.  For horizontal surfaces that are clear of clutter.  Shelves that have an empty space or two.   Open floor spaces.  Unfortunately, as my family has grown, my living spaces have not.  Now I have reached a point that I get so easily distracted by the STUFF that I cannot focus on the people as I should.  I have periodically purged our STUFF throughout the years, but I think we are facing a major purge soon if I am to regain some sanity.   Construction toys, homeschooling materials, furniture, books, games, knick-knacks and more need to leave my home.  And that's just the house!!  There is still the garage (once something goes in there it is never seen again!) and the unfinished barn that are all full of STUFF!!  Oh, and the attic as well!!  Oh, my!!

I have slowly been gathering items to get rid of, but think I will need to step up the pace as the walls seem to be closing in on me and when winter sets in it will only be worse.   I want to spend more time enjoying my family instead of shuffling STUFF from one spot to another.  And who knows!!  I may even start opening my home to guests more often if we aren't having to take an entire day or more to prepare for an evening of companty.  Every day for the next several months I hope to gather a bag of trash for the dump or burn pile or collect several items to sale or bless someone else.  Does anyone want to join me for the GREAT STUFF ELIMINATION?

I long to make my home a peaceful resort for my family and for myself.  I would love for us to have quiet spots to sit together, to enjoy a good book, a game or to simply listen to an encouraging CD.  The only way this will happen is to purge, purge, purge!  Please pray for me as I set out on this journey to reclaim my home from the STUFF.  I want my home to be filled with precious and pleasant riches....not with STUFF!

Through wisdom a house it built,
And by understanding it is established;
By knowledge the rooms are filled 
With all precious and pleasant riches.


Proverbs 24:  3-4