Give it all away

More often than not, I get in a routine of wearing the same things over and over.

I hate routine. And likely, I hate the same things. Yet I do it, like the rest of you.

I didn't watch some extreme hour special or read a heart breaking article this weekend. In fact, my weekend was anything but that. It was entirely selfish and glutenous. I knew it and kept on. But something came upon me one afternoon. The thought I have many times a year yet rarely do anything about. 'I have way too much stuff'

I mean really, I have way too much stuff. If you're playing the comparison game, I'm doing ok. I live in a smaller place with not a ton of stuff. But really, when has the comparison game EVER served you well. Never. Thus, I have way too much stuff. I have more than I can ever use, more than I could ever remember, and certainly more than I could ever need.

I want to give it all away. Yet something in my is screaming to grip tighter and hold on. There are memories attached to things, laughter thats been had while wearing something, tears that have been shed. I sit in my own predicament, those things won't stop being true if I don't own something any longer. In fact I suspect the event could have happened without the 'thing' I'm clinging to. So why keep it? Why stuff my dresser and closets and such with stuff that never gets pulled out. *Insert part of the blog I still wish I had an answer for but believe I won't ever* Give it all away.

So yesterday I did the typical clean out. Pull out old clothes that I haven't worn in a while, things that don't fit, or those awesome shirts that really only look good in the store. Put those in a basket. Then I got to thinking, there are a bunch of things that I have that I convince myself that I still love but really I don't. Like my favorite sweater of all time. I mean ALL TIME. I would describe it but you might get some horrible picture in your mind, and trust me, this sweater was awesome. So awesome it looks bad now because I'd worn it out. I don't wear it anymore. It just sits there. You know that sweater in your closet? Give it away. You, and I, don't need it anymore. It made the cut and is in the basket.

I continued the mad sweep, only to question if I was crazy. Possibly but also no. This is worth it. But what I decided is I don't just want to do a clean out for the sake of making space to buy more things like I've done in the past. I want to keep cleaning. In a month or so when I see the same clothes and 'things' in my house that haven't moved because they never moved--they are never worn or used--I want to then give those away. Like the bike on my back porch. Its likely to stay there for now, but maybe next trip to Salvation Army I'll part ways. After all, I haven't ridden it for 4 long years. But it has made 3 moves. Sad.

So, all this to say, I really hope this isn't a phase where I just decide to give things away now. I hope I continue to see that its worth giving things up that I don't use or need so others can have them. I could list a million reasons why not, but one great reason why to. Didn't Jesus say 'sell all?'

Blessings