remove the stuff

Crush Consumerism

Coming from the fast paced suburban life, some days I still struggle with the slower pace.  Like being weaned off of an addictive substance..removing oneself from the misleading temptations of the world is a process. 

What would it look like if you began to remove the “stuff”? Would you grow closer to your family, would you find hours of time wasted on meaningless habits now freed to be with the ones you love?

I found that the more I gave away, donated, and threw away, the freer I became. The “stuff” I thought I would need at some point, was actually keeping me stuck in a cycle of moving it and caring for it. I can’t tell you how many times I moved the same box of dishes that I “might” want to use some time. Or the countless boxes of Christmas decor, much of which I did not even use. Don’t be a slave to the stuff you have.

On our quest to simply living, we have discarded so much “stuff” and the sickness that is consumerism has grown less and less as result. A complete lifestyle and philosophy shift has taken place for us. We now say things like:

• “Make do or do without”
• “Eat in, not out”
• “By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest.” Agesilaus
• “Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. ” Elise Boulding

Start your journey to simply living today. What one, two or even three things can you part with to make space for God and family? Your “stuff” is invisible to God, he is looking at your heart.

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Mathew 6: 19-21