Day 22: Don't Waste Your Life

The Beaudoin house has been a-buzz with Spring cleaning this week. How appropriate as we round out week 3 of 7. As you might recall, our challenge was to give away 7 things a day. Every day. Originally, we decided to give away 7 things as a family...not sure if we were going to be able to reach our total of 217 items. We completely underestimated how much stuff we have. So, we decided to go solo...trying to give away 7 things per person. And, independently, we have surpassed our goal. Beautiful.

Month 1 Goal: 434 items.
Month 1 Current Total: 446 items.

I told Malachi that his room is next. He clapped. Even he's getting in on the action.

Every closet has been cleaned, every drawer emptied, every corner inspected, every bed flipped, every shelf de-cluttered. As we were cleaning out the last room today, Mike and I had this conversation:

Me: I feel like I can breathe again.
Mike: Because you're not dying slowly from all the dust accumulated on this crap?
Me: Well, that, and I feel like this is more like what life is supposed to look like.

Stripped down. De-cluttered. Clean. Humble.

As the month has progressed, I've felt this growing disconnection with our stuff. Mike held up a tall Dr. Seuss-like, VT hat during our cleaning today. After we laughed about the prospect that he might ever wear it again, I commented on how happy a little boy will be to have a Hokie hat. I can see a little girl with a string of pearls on. I can see a mom with a new purse. I see a dad able to fix his kid's bike with his new tools. I can see a teenager posing in a new pair of jeans. I can see a cold family bundled in their new fleece blankets. I don't see myself in these things anymore. It just made giving them away that much easier.

Oh, that I can live with such an eye for meeting the needs of others everyday. My excess gets in the way of following Jesus more humbly. And, in the end, if I keep chasing stuff, I will have wasted my life. Wasted it. Loving God and Loving People. That's all there is. If I am not in the pursuit of loving God or loving people, what I am pursuing is worthless. So long, throw pillows, drill bits, earrings, sheet sets, guitars, towels, t-shirts, dining room table. I am trading you for a greater chase.