"Why do I own so much stuff?" is a phrase that has come out of my mouth A LOT recently. You see, I just moved for the 6th time in 3 years and I have another move approaching in the next few weeks. My car was completely loaded down with no room for a passenger, and I have an entire room full of my possessions that stayed at my parents' house this past year! (I know I haven't blogged in quite some time. Life got a little busy...)
Each time I move I am able to find at least one large bag of items to donate, but I still seem to have so much stuff! On this most recent move I counted 7 coats and 8 pairs of sunglasses. The last time I checked, I only NEED one of each of these!! Granted, I did wear each of the coats this last year in the mountains, and I will need them when I move north. However, I would still be living in extreme comfort with half of them and I'm sure there are people in the world who would be thankful to own just one!
Some friends and I were recently discussing the "post mission trip purge." You know, the desire to get rid of all your stuff after seeing how the majority of the world lives? Sadly, this emotion wears off after you have been back in the "real world" for a period of time. Why is it so hard for us to remember how excessive our possessions are?
What is it that makes us accumulate so much stuff? Although I've been able to give things away with each move, I still find a way to acquire more. In Donald Miller's book "Through Painted Deserts" he states after watching the sun rise over the desert: "This is what we were made for, to watch the beauty of light fill up earth's canvas, to make dirt come alive... It makes me wonder, now, how easily the brain can be tricked by somebody who has a used car to sell, a new perfume, whatever. You will feel what you were made to feel if you buy this thing I am selling. But could the thing you and I were supposed to feel, the thing you and I were supposed to be, cost nothing?"
Just a few thoughts on moving and materialism...
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