I cleaned out my closet today. I took clothes I will never wear again and bagged them up. I am taking them to the Salvation Army tomorrow.
I am also going to clean out my cabinets and take my pots and pans I don't use there too.
This time of year a lot of people are looking for things to wear and to use.
I have an extra coat I am going to take there tomorrow too.
I have really been praying about what God wants me to do with the rest of my life. This past Friday I went with my Sunday School class and we boxed up donations of Bibles and Christian books to be sent overseas. They are going to Africa and India.
The guy who runs the operation says that between 600 to 700 people will read one book. It will be shared until it falls apart. It really got me to thinking how many books I have laying around that are not being read, and I should donate them to places where they will be utilized.
I watch the Catholic channel every day, and there was a program on this week about how we should be conservative with what God has given us. Be mindful and self-controlled with our spending. The speaker, an Englishman, went on to say how we must stop raping God's creation. To quit wasting and using up our world for our materialistic wants.
It got me right in the heart..
How much stuff do I hoard that I don't use? I pondered that question for 2 days.
He said that hoarding was a sin. That for one thing the clutter causes great unhappiness and the stuff we hoard could be given to those who need it.
It really made me cry. And I thought, "My God, I have been hoarding things for years. Things that I thought I would use again someday.
But, Godly sorrow leads to repentance, that is what it says in the Bible.
And that was why I began to write a list of things that I would never use again. I took a long honest look at my spending habits and my things I have hoarded. And decided to change.
I got a notebook out and wrote out my goals for the next several years. (Hopefully the Lord lets me live) I wrote out strategies for my spending. I allotted certain things to still be purchased, but I want to use my time and money in a thoughtful and Godly manner.
I am determined to change for the best with God's help.
Sending you all love, Nita
tonights song, Shackles by Mary Mary
a powerfully awesome song that makes me feel wonderful...
1st song, 1st clip
P.s. i am going to get my visiting caught up this weekend.. love you guys.
4 comments:
you are such a wonderful person...God has touched your heart in so many ways and it shows in your writing, I can feel your words, sounds silly I know, but I cant describe it. Please go to your "redtin heart blog, I tagged you, there for personal reasons that you mentioned before, and God is going to let you stay here for a very long time, your work here in this life isn't finished yet! I love to clean out my closets and things, it's like a new beginning a fresh start. Neat idea on the book giving, that's probably consider a luxury for them, uh?
HUGS always
Annette
You are so thoughtful Nita, even in your pain you have always thought of others. God Bless You my friend.
You are the best. I am so pleased to hear that you are doing things with friends and keeping busy.
Best of luck with you recovery from surgery...get well fast as we will be missing you and thinking of you.
With fondest thoughts of you .
BIG hugs
Patti
I bet that message was convicting. Hoarding is so common. I think that it is encouraged so much in this world. It is especially evident on commercials and in the stores where the things promise us happiness. And then there are the things that we have emotional attachments to. Those are the hardest to get rid of.
I think it is so cool that you wrote down goals for the next few years. Perhaps you could give us a glimpse of some of them as an encouragement to the rest of us. :)
amanda
I save too much stuff too! I look around and some of it hasn't been touched in years. I go thru phases where I give a ton away. Rarely do I ever regret giving something away!
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