stuff

It's Possessions week!  Give away 7 things for 7 days.  What could be simpler?  My goal in this week was to make this about making connections.  My favorite 7 quote this week:  "It's not that Christians don't care about the poor, Christians don't KNOW the poor."  owwwie. 

This is not about de-cluttering my house just so i can go buy newer stuff to fill it up again.

But I will admit, my kitchen cabinet doors now close and open without stuff falling out!  that's a nice new side effect!

So far my favorite moment has been my RED coat moment.  I truly loved my RED winter coat.  It's about 2 years old, but with our mild winters hasn't seen a lot of action.  So when I asked about a particular young lady (I think I'll call her Esther-she's really really brave and loves God fiercely!) whom i knew was in need of many basic things, i was told she probably had the summer stuff covered, but she'd be needing some winter clothes and maybe a jacket.  my RED coat.  Please not my RED coat-i'll give her my denim jacket, how bout that?  okay, mutter, eye roll.  Saturday morning i went through my closet, grabbed my RED coat and a few other things, and headed over to see Esther.  I felt a bit awkward.  I didn't want to make her feel weird.  Didn't want to be the church lady here on a project.  How ironic that she put me at ease the very second she saw me.  She grabbed me up and loved on me.  But here's the thing.  While Esther was so grateful for my RED coat, that wasn't what she was concerned about at the time.  She had just spent the night in agonizing prayer for a wayward son who was making some really poor choices and affecting everyone around him.  We laid aside the clothes and began to pray for this prodigal to come home. that he would come to know our Jesus and understand that only He can fill his empty places.  i wouldn't trade this moment for all the RED coats in Macy's! 

Here's what i'm still struggling with--that same old question...How much stuff  is okay and how much stuff is stupid ridiculous? i have a hair appointment today at 4:45.  i will spend more on my hair than some people around the world make in month.  I saw a tweet by Jen Hatmaker yesterday about hoping her cute boots were visible on the TV interview she just did.  I watched her HGTV renovation of their newly purchased farm house.  Immediately my fleshy side--you know the side that compares and competes--went into overdrive.  IF THE AUTHOR OF THIS CRAZY BOOK CAN HAVE STUFF SO CAN I!!!! Can i sound more like a 3 year old? but seriously,  i give to my church.  i give regularly to other ministries.  i give to special offerings. i even gave $7 to the homeless man at Dollar General. But am i justifying all my stuff?  i don't know the answer.  i just don't.  Why did the rich young ruler go away sad? He loved his stuff more than he wanted to follow Jesus.  i am so trying to learn this.  i don't want to go away sad.  i want more RED coat moments.