Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Day #7 – Do I Really Need That Stuff? Praying About It.
I opened the email from 40acts today with curiosity, wanting to see what was in store for this day. This generous act. At first read, I thought, “Oh, I’ve got this. I don’t have any difficulty with money. I’m pretty generous with what I have.” There I was, patting myself on the back for being generous. When I have the money, that is. Which is not always the case.
But . . . something inside me did not seem right. My eyes went up to the top of the screen, and I read through the article again. After some consideration, I thought, “We live in such a small place—only four rooms. There isn’t all that much stuff around here. At least, expensive stuff. My goodness, the most expensive thing here is the upright Kawai piano. Everything else is either cut rate, discounted, from thrift shops or second hand. But I was thinking about furniture.
I went back to the beginning of the article, for the third time. This time, I congratulated myself with the thought, “I just don’t have much problem with giving stuff away.” But then, I thought about my books. I love books—I really and truly love books. Three rooms have four floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in them, and six medium size bookshelves. (In the interest of rigorous honesty, I must admit I am also married to a bibliophile.)
And clothes. I sometimes shop at resale shops, and I love the selections I get. I do give away the occasional two or three shopping bags worth of stuff—recycling to various resale shops, but there always seems to be more. And more. The bookshelves are groaning. My closet and dresser drawers are stuffed.
God, help me to get rid of some of this extra stuff. Please. I have two members in my extended family who are trying to live a more simplified lifestyle. Not because they are trying to be more Christlike, but because it’s more of a green, eco-conscious, earth-friendly way of living. All of which I approve of! Simplifying my life is being a good steward of this part of the world, and I truly believe this would please God.
God, I really will try to get rid of some of my beloved books. And, streamline some of the clothes I have clogging up the storage space in my bedroom. That will free up some room, and make this apartment more of a spacious and pleasant place to be. So help me, God.
Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.
(Check out #40acts; doing Lent generously at www.40acts.org.uk )
Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind. @chaplaineliza And read #40acts sermons sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .
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