The Weekly Encourager – August 8, 2012 – Life Reboot

My husband and I are beginning a Life Reboot. We've been thinking and praying about what direction our life will take next. Each of us has projects that have been put off for many years due to more pressing priorities such as family obligations. With three out of four of our parents gone and health deteriorating, this seems a reasonable time to give some of those projects a higher priority. But we're too busy! Therefore, we are pulling back from almost all of our volunteer activities for at least a year. I have declined to serve on the Board of the quilt guild (a big decision); I said no when asked to head up church flowers; I am turning down all new quilt commissions. Dave has taken a back seat in Aftershock (his band); he has trained others to take over his set-up and sound responsibilities at church. We decided not to host a friend's wedding reception. We are taking a year off from the Fairfax Choral Society. I'm writing fewer Encouragers. Other decisions are in progress.

We have identified projects for our “gap year” and my list starts with our house. Finally free of the all-encompassing rental property (praise God!), I spent a year on structural jobs such as getting a new roof put on. This year I've been working on interior projects, such as updating our living room, making slipcovers, etc. But my most formidable task is sorting through our many possessions and passing some of them on.

Two weeks ago, my husband provided good motivation by declaring that he wanted to put his band equipment in a certain area of the basement where we've been storing books. Yikes! My first thought was panic, but then I realized this was a God-given opportunity. I've been talking about sorting through the books for a long time, but never got around to it. Having learned from the Lord a few years back that it is best to put what my husband wants done near the top of the list, I began planning. Then the Lord blessed my efforts!

First, I asked Dave and the boys to indicate which books and furniture they wished to keep, then I had the boys carry three bookcases out of the basement, ready for donation. About that time, I found an oak armoire I wanted to buy from an acquaintance. The timing was from the Lord, since other things would have to go out before we could bring the armoire in. One of the young men from church kindly agreed to lend his truck and manpower, so on Saturday morning Austin, Brendan, and Dave moved one bookcase and a chest out to the garage, delivered another bookshelf and chest to Rob's house, and picked up and installed the new armoire into a bedroom. You know how many chores take forever to do, with so many opportunities for acquiring patience? Well, this was NOT one of those times. This was a day when everything went right. The armoire was even more beautiful than the picture, the price was great, and it fit absolutely perfectly into Brendan's truck. I mean, that truck was made for that piece of furniture - what a blessing!

With some big items out of the way, I began the Great Book Sort. I have found that deadlines help me get things done. As Dave was going out of town for a week, it seemed the ideal time for a basement book sale. Whatever I earned could benefit a college in Uganda. I set the sale date for Tuesday, which forced me to go through all the books in the house and cull out enough for the sale in time. On Wednesday I advertised the remaining books on freecycle. People came and got books that evening and Thursday morning. All the books and one bookcase were gone by 3 PM Thursday.

That same week, one of the national charities called and asked if I had any items to donate. Did I ever! My policy when those people call is to always say yes. Then I have a deadline. It's not hard to look around the house and fill a box with things we no longer need. That week I donated three large bookcases and two boxes of stuff. Woo hoo!

What happened when Dave came home, exhausted from his business trip? I knew he would be thrilled to come home and find 300-400 books gone, and he was! Thanks be to God!

Am I a hoarder? No, I don't think so, but I do have large quantities of books, magazines, art, furniture, clothes, jewelry, and collections, as well as fabric, tools, etc. for my quilt business. It's all pretty well organized, but there's just too much of it. (I keep hoping we'll retire to a country estate!) Getting rid of that much stuff in a two-week period was scary, but necessary. Keeping in mind the “useful or beautiful” adage, I'm coming up with criteria for how to know when something has to go:

If I haven't used it a long time, and have no plans to use it in the immediate future, move it out.
If I'm not cleaning, maintaining, or repairing it, move it out.
If the quantity is such that I'm tripping over it or it's taking space that's needed for something else, move it out.
If there's so much stuff that it's a psychological burden, move it out.

That last one is probably the hardest, but I need to face the truth that sometimes possessions impede progress. “It's not the height of the mountain that stops you, it's the pebble in your shoe.” (attributed to boxing champion Muhammad Ali.) Above all I want to honor the Lord with everything that He has given me. That includes being a good steward of material possessions and sharing them with others.

I am encouraged by the progress the Lord has allowed me to make recently, and I pray His help in moving forward. As the psalmist said, “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” - Psalm 61:2 I can't part with my possessions on my own, so Lord, please help!

As always, I welcome your comments.

God is faithful,