More on Stuff,

Things are settling down some for us. Not so many hard things going on that drain a soul. Oh sure there is the big news about gas leases and such, but that won't change our lives much, we will maybe paint the car and put a new headliner in it since the one in the car is nearly in shreds from hauling young trees from the nursery to be planted a few years back, but we won't change the way we live. Life is better staying simple. Money often changes people, making them forget about such things as the blessing of community, the understanding that all the good in our lives comes from God and not the power of the almighty dollar.
Emery and I keep reminding ourselves that less stuff means more time for us. Less stress. We seem to keep bringing more stuff home even though we don't honestly need it. Small stuff, little things that soon take space, need to be put away over and over.
Melissa and I had the same old chat over again today about having too many pieces of clothing. Stuff you don't wear much. We have our favorite things we wear over and over and all this other stuff gets taken out, tried on and you know the routine, "naw, I don't like how this fits" or "this feels uncomfortable" and sure enough you head back to an old favorite.
I am constantly reminded of how much easier it was to have 5 dresses for every day and two for church. Two pairs of shoes, both alike, one newer and for church wear, the other for every day. When the every day pair wore out, I bought a new pair for church and wore the old church shoes for every day. Using the best for church always. Just black socks, no variance at all.
A few aprons. A couple slips, some long johns for cold weather. A jacket. A sweater. So easy.
In the old days people had fewer things. Less to fold, less to hang up, less to wash. No piles sitting on the floor. Children had the same and then few toys. No rooms filled with massive amounts of brightly colored plastic things that are meant to amuse, but don't seem to created imagination. Somehow children are more bored than ever.
Woman want 5 sets of dishes, 300 yards of fabric if they sew, 5 pairs of scissors. Families want 3 cars, 2 living rooms, and huge kitchens when most folks eat out more than cook. We as a generation just keep buying...just keep feeling more stressed. We always feel like we need more, more youth, more color to our graying hair, more clothes, more shoes, more food, bigger plates, yet nothing seems to really satisfy us. Our hunger is not for things, but for peace in our hearts, the one thing you just can't buy. We just keep looking in the wrong place for the answers. A quick fix for a yearning within us.

Matthew 6:19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.