You know that place in your house that you hope no one ever sees? Well, internet, there’s mine. The corner of my basement I try to pretend does not exist. Because if it did, I would have to do something about it.
Those boxes contain what is left of Presidio Homes. They’ve been moved 3 times in less than 3 years. You can see they’ve also been rummaged through a good bit, looking for something “I just know is down here somewhere!”
This week “The 7 Experiment” tackled possessions. Immediately I thought of that mess, but knew I’d never have enough time to deal with it in 7 days (or less because we were going to be in Alabama for a week). But I did, however, have plenty of time to digest the meat of the assignment and came away feeling excited about the possibilities that basement corner holds.
Did you know that by throwing a big, neighborhood garage sale and collectively donating the profits, you can build a safe house in Haiti? Have you ever considered furnishing an apartment for refugees with furniture you no longer use? Do you think that each member of your home could give away 7 items a day for 7 days?
You might be surprised.
Being that I’m ridiculously obsessed with eliminating from my home the things we don’t use/wear as it is, I didn’t have a lot of stuff to get rid of that was easily accessible. But something the author said really stuck with me. You see, I am the type that takes our used items to donation centers. I load up, drop off, and drive away feeling pretty darn good about what I did. The author challenged me to find a need instead. Who needs Savannah’s clothes? Is there a single mom who could use a computer to work from home? What about a daycare or school that needs books?
I think these are great questions to ask because it makes the donation so much more personal.
And if I’m being completely honest (because let’s get real, you’ve already seen my secret corner), I had to ask myself the real reason I get excited about purging my house. And the answer to that question is that it makes room for new stuff.
Ouch. I don’t like that answer but it’s true. Anytime I get rid of T-shirts that are no longer crisp and white… well, then it’s time to get a new crisp, white T-shirt. Those throw pillows no longer in style? Give them away and buy some new ones. Repaint your kitchen? Well, how dare you keep the old towels and canister set that sits on the counter? As a matter of fact, have you seen the new Kitchen Aid mixer colors? Let’s get one of those and donate this perfectly good one because it’s (gasp!) WHITE!
I’m guilty as charged. I love to have beautiful things in my home. But here is something to think about: Do you have a house of love or a house of beauty? When people come into your home, what do they feel? Intimidated? Impressed? Insecure? or Loved?
Jesus takes this whole conversation to another level in Matthew 6:19-21,
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Earthly things do not have an eternal value. It’s not that they are bad, but how much time and energy do you spend pursuing something that will not last? As Jen Hatmaker put it, “If we mistakenly spend the majority of this short life on earth earning more, buying bigger,possessing nicer, and chasing better, then at the end we have this: a mostly wasted life. Jesus begged us not to get trapped in materialism, because not only does it derail our purpose here, it’s stupid. Our stuff will matter for zero seconds after we die, and all it does is steal precious time, energy, and resources away from our true mission here.”
Well said, Jen. Well said.
