My True Treasures
I am decluttering my home and choosing to live with less because I treasure my family more than any earthly possession. When I consider the legacy I want to leave my children; it is not one of things. I want my legacy to be memories of Me, which would include the things we did together, times shared, the places we went, the places we lived, and the wonderful friends we made along the way. I want them to know that nothing is more important to me than them and that My Family will always have my heart.
So, my home has never been a museum or a shrine, its always been a place where they are free to roam and things might break. I am known for saying to them, I cannot replace you, God only made one, but everything else is stocked at the store.
I think that as The Boys have gotten older and their needs have changed, I now have two young adults, I am asking the question have I failed to adapt to them growing up? The Boys need for Disney movies, Dr. Suess books, and every toy they have ever received might have more to do with me than them.
So, I looked into the future and realized that in holding on to these things I am not free to create the life that I desire. I firmly believe that as we grow older we should possess less, so we have space to move through life and our homes more freely. I go to the Goodwill and yard sales sometimes, they are a good reminder of what becomes of the things we own. They either become trash, are given away, or sold for a please take this price, at a garage sale. Our Children may keep one or two mementos, but they should not be encumbered with a life time of stuff we’ve collected.
Our focus then should be on keeping things that reminds our families of the love we have for them and the things that allow us to love them in a 1 Corthinians 13 way. A way that allows our love to be patient, and kind. Not envy what others have, nor boasting about what we have. A love that is not proud of our possessions, does not dishonor others. A love that is not self-seeking, by putting our personal possession above our family. A love that is not easily angered because we have kept a record of how many of our possessions the children have broken. Our treasure should always, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fail our families. Our treasures should be the time and love we give to others.
Yesterday, as part of my decluttering I got rid of some decorative plates we had purchased on the Bridge Over The River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand about four or five years ago. I honestly brought the plates because I felt that the little boys selling them needed the money and he had gone to so much trouble making them. While tourist are looking at the bridge they take pictures of you and place them on these decorative plates; after they have gone to all that work, they approach you and ask if you want to buy them. They are trying to make a living so I got the plates, but now I have the dilemma of not wanting them. Yesterday I let The Boys throw them out a bedroom window, they had a blast, we enjoyed the plates and now they are trash. I created a memory with my children that they will remember always. They could not wait to tell Dad that night. Who threw them best, who had broken them into the most pieces and of course that it was mummy’s idea.
I am decluttering my home and choosing to live with less because I treasure my family more than any earthly possession. When I consider the legacy I want to leave my children; it is not one of things. I want my legacy to be memories of Me, which would include the things we did together, times shared, the places we went, the places we lived, and the wonderful friends we made along the way. I want them to know that nothing is more important to me than them and that My Family will always have my heart.
So, my home has never been a museum or a shrine, its always been a place where they are free to roam and things might break. I am known for saying to them, I cannot replace you, God only made one, but everything else is stocked at the store.
I think that as The Boys have gotten older and their needs have changed, I now have two young adults, I am asking the question have I failed to adapt to them growing up? The Boys need for Disney movies, Dr. Suess books, and every toy they have ever received might have more to do with me than them.
So, I looked into the future and realized that in holding on to these things I am not free to create the life that I desire. I firmly believe that as we grow older we should possess less, so we have space to move through life and our homes more freely. I go to the Goodwill and yard sales sometimes, they are a good reminder of what becomes of the things we own. They either become trash, are given away, or sold for a please take this price, at a garage sale. Our Children may keep one or two mementos, but they should not be encumbered with a life time of stuff we’ve collected.
Everything we own in this world passes away, God commands us in (Matthew 6:19) not to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. So what should we store up?
Our focus then should be on keeping things that reminds our families of the love we have for them and the things that allow us to love them in a 1 Corthinians 13 way. A way that allows our love to be patient, and kind. Not envy what others have, nor boasting about what we have. A love that is not proud of our possessions, does not dishonor others. A love that is not self-seeking, by putting our personal possession above our family. A love that is not easily angered because we have kept a record of how many of our possessions the children have broken. Our treasure should always, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fail our families. Our treasures should be the time and love we give to others.
Yesterday, as part of my decluttering I got rid of some decorative plates we had purchased on the Bridge Over The River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand about four or five years ago. I honestly brought the plates because I felt that the little boys selling them needed the money and he had gone to so much trouble making them. While tourist are looking at the bridge they take pictures of you and place them on these decorative plates; after they have gone to all that work, they approach you and ask if you want to buy them. They are trying to make a living so I got the plates, but now I have the dilemma of not wanting them. Yesterday I let The Boys throw them out a bedroom window, they had a blast, we enjoyed the plates and now they are trash. I created a memory with my children that they will remember always. They could not wait to tell Dad that night. Who threw them best, who had broken them into the most pieces and of course that it was mummy’s idea.
 |
| One of the Five |
 |
| The broken pieces |
As my journey continues My Boys still enjoy watching home movies and looking at our picture albums. I will be working on our picture albums this week, making them so much less. Although I am getting rid of most, I will make some into a slide show and keep a few albums of things that digital just does not do justice. Break down of the albums to come. I did not count their three baby books, because they love them and I know will always keep them. They keep wanting me to update them, which I will do.
What about you? Are you just accumulating things? Or are you purposefully making your love and your true treasures known? The things I love most in this live are my Husband and My three boys.
Now its your turn..........
What about you? Are you just accumulating things? Or are you purposefully making your love and your true treasures known? The things I love most in this live are my Husband and My three boys.
Now its your turn..........
