Friday, October 30, 2009

Much.

I can't think of a better title. That's what we have. Much food. Much clothes. Our kids have much toys. We just have WAY TOO MUCH! Granted I could know this all too well because I've packed up our little family TWICE in the last four months to move. However I think its far deeper then that.

God used these last four months to break me in areas I didn't know needed to be broken. I thought I'd been stripped of everything *I* desired by moving across the country. I thought I'd given up enough moving even further away from the family we longed to move closer to. I thought I'd lived far away from my nieces and nephews long enough. Thankyouverymuch. I had a few pity parties about these facts actually. I was really done giving things up. Thanks. Yet God in His sovereignty knew I had more to learn and He wasn't done with me. He's still not.

These last four months we've lived with whatever we could fit in our car. All of that "stuff" drove with us from Oregon to Florida. All of that stuff had to fit in a few suit cases. I lived with a few pairs of pants, a few shorts, a few pairs of capris, some shirts, and a couple pairs of shoes. I lived. I did it. I'm better for it. It SUCKED! I pity partied about this a few times too.

When all of this was over and we had moved into our "more permanent" Florida home and I found all of my "new" things that had been packed up since June I realized just what God had taught me. I was rather sick at the amount of "stuff" we had. How we'd survived just fine without it. How much I DIDN'T need. I honestly didn't even really want it anymore. How much I had just to have. Through my whining and complaining the Lord was faithful and showed me just how much I need Him and only Him. Things don't matter. Thirty pairs of jeans don't matter. He matters. Others matter. Sharing His love with others matters I knew this before but I realized that the "things" that helped with my "security" had become more then just things but idols in my life. Things that came before more important things in life. (no I didn't focus on ironing my jeans forget to feed my kids....but....) I had become too dependant on those "things" to comfort me when I was struggling with this major move. The things that made me feel comfortable were the things God was asking me to give up. I'll still have clothes. I'll still have cute dishes but I have WAY TOO MANY of those and other things.

In honor of all of all the Lord has done we will be having a HUGE garage sale not only to simplify our home but to kick off our fundraising for our upcoming mission trip to Ethiopia in January. ALL proceeds will go to tha cause. We're SO excited!!

If you haven't heard about the trip you can read more here.

4 comments:

Bethany said...

Great writing my friend. It came at perfect timing as I am taking a break from packing up the nit-picky. I wish I could help and purchase at your garage sale. I'm sure you have ubber cute stuff to sale. Prayers for a GREAT outcome of the sale!

Missionary Hicks said...

YAY!!! I got rid of so much when I moved here, but I still have so much that I have left at home that I haven't missed yet. And when I go back, I may get rid of that, too!
Isn't it a relief to realize how little you actually need to survie and even to be compfortable.

emily said...

Really great perspective. Thanks. :)

Rachel said...

I love you. I love this. I have stuff for your garage sale. : )