Cutting the Stuff

I believe, this among other things that we are put on Earth for 2 purposes - to learn or to teach.  God sent some of us here to Earth with specific lessons in mind and some he sent as the teachers.  You know maybe we're even both!  I believe we all have a path cut out for us by God before we are born and every experience we have on this Earth - good or bad - is a part of that lesson.  The people we meet in our lives cross our paths to either learn from us or for us to learn from them.

I've been observing and reflecting for quite some time now - since before my friend Kate and "The Fire" but more so since about stuff.  Stuff we have.  Stuff we want. Stuff we need.  Stuff we think we need.  Too much stuff!  Kate had mentioned about getting caught up in the stuff and feeling so weighted down by stuff.  I've been feeling that way for sometime myself.  Surrounded by so much stuff, I wonder what of this stuff is really the stuff I love and stuff that I need.  The answer is always - not so much.

We have lived in our house for 11 years now.  When we first moved in, we weren't married yet and so many people gave us their stuff and we had stuff and we bought stuff.  We cleaned and we painted and made our house into our home.  I love my home and I love the things in it but...

Do I really need to continue to save all of the cards from my wedding shower and our wedding?  I have it all written down in the book who gave us what.  Nope - don't need those.

My wedding cake topper that is broken and the tarnished silver-plated toasting glasses that no matter what I use or how much I polish I can't remove the tarnish?  Nope - don't need those.  (BTW yes, Jeremy and I discussed this before they were purged)

The pen used at our wedding reception to sign the guest book?  Really, I did keep it and what's even better?  It doesn't write!  The ink dried up.  Nope - don't need that.

Must I keep every book I've ever read?  I have more than I'll likely read in my lifetime plus a few and to go back and read one I've already read?  Nope - don't need those.

That box of clothes that doesn't quite fit but might if I just got a little bit of exercise?  I'm not saying anymore.  Nope - don't need those.

My old cell phone and all of its accessories + Jeremy's old phone + my old, old phone + Jeremy's old, old phone and all of their accessories that I was saving on the off chance that we might need a backup phone or someone I know might need one?  Nope - don't need those.

Christmas decorations that totally don't work with my home decor and are so cheesy they're almost scary?  (I don't like to revamp my whole house for Christmas.  I like to put up the tree, add a few little touches so it looks like it all belongs there all the time.) Nope - don't need those.

Fake floral arrangements that have been on display for over 11 years complete with 11 years worth of dust?  Nope - don't need those.

Picture frames in every size, color, or shape?  Metal?  Wood?  Resin?  All stuffed in a drawer?  Nope - OBVIOUSLY don't need those!

Soap supplies for my soap making business where I was going to make enough money to quit my job and work for myself now living in the basement untouched for oh, about 3 months now.  Nope - don't need all that.  (I will continue to make soap for our own use but, no more craft shows, etc.)

Pictures that were to go on the walls but, I don't know where I had intended to put them bought simply because I like them?  Nope - don't need those.

See what I mean?  It's just so, so much stuff.  Why am I hanging on to all of it?  I don't need it. It's just stuff.