Stuff - The Accummulation of.....

For the past 3 days I have been doing an unusual job. I've been helping my mom, my aunt and a cousin pack up and move my 94 year old great aunt. We had to move her from a double room to a single room in an assisted living facility. I was shocked and stunned at the amount of stuff in the room! It has inspired me to want to go through my own stuff and throw away or give away all the things for which I have no use.

As we've been going through all the things this verse kept going through my mind. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth or rust destroys, ans where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21).

Those treasures she has stored up in the top of closets in boxes and drawers were thrown away because of lack of space. And yes, we found the holes the moths had eaten in some of the old sweaters which she had not worn in years. (Side note here - we have had to deal with a infestation of moths this year and trust me I have a new appreciation of the above verse. Those little harmless looking things can do major damage!)

This whole incident has left me feeling very convicted about the amount of "stuff" I've accumulated over the years. There are things that I could give away that someone else could use that are just taking up space (which I don't have). I want my life and my money to count for more than "stuff" when I'm gone. I don't want someone else to have to go through mountains of "stuff" that means nothing to anyone but me.

Hummm... maybe I will get a head start on New Year's resolutions. I am resolved to "de-stuff" my life.