Walking Away From the Stuff Jungle

Hello to all!

     I am excited about todays post. This has been a wonderful week of revelation and revolution. You may ask, is it because you get to leave the desert and move where it rains and is perpetually green? Sadly no. I must remain in this abyss of a brown and waterless existence. But that's ok because there is much work needed right here in my own heart and home. I have been surprised by the more stuff I take out of my apartment the more I have. How is that possible? The truths of life can be found in paradoxes. Nobody says it better than Jesus. Those who mourn will be comforted, the humble will inherit the earth, the first will be last and the last will be first. As I have taken action in my life to walk away from the jungle of stuff I have found a freedom in my soul and mind. What if you could have that meaningful life where meaning came from relationships and experiences instead of stuff?

     My journey began about a year and a half ago when I looked around my apartment of 11 years and realized I had accumulated so much stuff I was drowning in it. I decided at that moment to start selling stuff off. I looked at many pinterest boards to help with ideas of the right furniture that could serve two purposes. Thus began the great unloading. I still can't believe I was able to sell as much as I did. In one week I sold over 70 items. Wallets, vases, dishes and many other things that I can't actually remember. Clearly non of these things were adding value to my life. I was able to take the money and get the right furniture that allowed us more room. The most astounding feeling was the mental uplift of not having all that stuff. After the overhaul last summer I looked around and thought much better I'm done. Little did I know this was only the beginning.

     When people hear minimalism they think an apartment with a chair and a vase and that's it. I think it's important to define something before you jump on in. Minimalism is NOT deprivation. It is NOT picking some random number of items and making your entire life about staying within that number of items. Minimalism itself isn't even the endgame. It's a mindset that can help bring freedom. 

         "Living an abundant life derives from traveling a journey of intentional self growth. It's functioning through your true self to live a simple life. It's getting good at being simple. Self simplicity becomes the clarity in which you find meaning. It's the removal of the unnecessary. It's the discovery of what you value most."  Joshua Becker

  

     These photos are my most prized possessions. My husband and I were only married a couple months when he walked in the door with the Ireland picture. I have never forgotten that moment and I have treasured this picture for 18 years. The Jamie Oliver book was another gift from my husband that took me completely by surprise. I love Jamie Oliver and used to watch him cook back in the very early days of his career. The reason this book is so special is because I had had no idea that it existed so I didn't even have it as a thought. This book has always been one of my favorites because the experience of receiving it was so wonderful. The other two pictures are collages I made of my life as a young child with my mother. They capture the essence of my life. I am really proud of how they turned out. The goat figurine was another gift from a dear friend. I grew up with goats and when she gave this to me I was so touched. I have treasured it for 13 years. The mug is a gift from another friend. She painted the Genesis 1:1 verse on it because she knew that it was one of my favorite verses. The black and white photo of my mom is priceless to me. She was a beautiful person inside and out. The Farm Fresh sign was given to me by the same friend who gave me the mug. I love this sign. I had mentioned that I was looking for something like this and on my birthday she surprised me with it. The board and paint aren't where the value is. The woman who made this with her artistic hands is what makes the board and paint have value and keep it from being just another thing.  Every time I look at it I think of my friend who is one of the most valuable people in my life. 

     "True life is found in the invisible things of life: love, hope, and faith. Again, we all know there are things in this world that are far more important than what we own. But if one were to research our actions, intentions, and receipts, would they reach the same conclusion? Or have we been too busy seeking happiness in all the wrong places?" Joshua Becker

     This resonates deeply with me. We are programmed from a young age to buy more, have more, get more, want more. Having a coffee table isn't bad, but do you ever stop and ask yourself, do I need one? Why not unsubscribe to all those e-mails that flood your life every morning? Maybe turn off the social media notifications so that you are able to live in the now with those around you, uninterrupted. For me minimalism means freeing my mind and checkbook so that I can sincerely open those before God and ask what He wants us to do with our money and time. The Bible talks about how it was for freedom that Christ set us free. Yet do we actually live like that or are we creating homes filled with stuff as if this was our permanent home? Living with less is going to look differently for everyone. I have gone from four bookshelves to two. I'm selling off a cabinet that housed a bunch of dishes I didn't really use. I feel lighter and freer. 

     There is so much information out there on how to live with less. The two sites that I have found most helpful are becomingminimalist.com and theminimalists.com. These gentlemen are inspiring and balanced. Nobody is in a robe, smoking a pipe on some mountain telling people to move up there with them. They are challenging the way we think. They are asking us to reconsider and learn to find value not more stuff. My personal challenge to you all is to read through the above links first. Go with an open mind. Maybe there is a bookshelf that at one time was helpful but now it just takes up space. Maybe that drawer that you keep stuffing things into needs to be eradicated. Take time through this journey. It's not about getting rid of all your stuff and sitting in an empty home, sulking. This is your life. Start living with purpose and intention. Consider gratitude a discipline of the heart. Change your thoughts from "I can't wait to have that" to "I have enough and what can I give away." I leave you with this.

     "While rearranging our stuff may cause us to look at each of our possessions, it does not force us to evaluate them-especially if we are just putting them in boxes and closing the lids. On the other hand, removing possessions from our home forces questions of passion, values, and what's truly most important to us. Organizing may provide a temporary lift to our attitude. It clears a room and subsequently clears our mind, but rarely paves the way for healthy, major lifestyle changes. Our house is too small, our income is too little, and we still can't find enough time in the day. We may have rearranged our stuff...but not our lives.

Blessings

Gadiela