It's Just Stuff

This weekend we had our last yard sale in an effort to get rid of all the things we can't ship to Scotland with us or that we don't feel are worth storing. Most of the girls' toys fall into that category. There are a select few little ones (pinky pie pony, panda pillow, and her special tea pot set...) that are dear friends of Madison's and are small enough to take with us. But for the most part, all we are taking is clothes, a few toiletries, our computers and U.S. measuring cups :) So it doesn't really make sense for me to store all of the girls' toys for three years when they won't be interested in them when they come back to the states in three years and they are 4 and almost 6 (ok - that's just crazy when I actually write it. Surely my girls will never be THAT old?)

So I spent Friday packing up most of their toys and many other things that I realized I just don't NEED. I had worship music playing while I was working and there were several times that I started to tear up as I would place something in the yard sale pile. I packed up Maddy's princess castle and enjoyed reminiscing about how she learned how to play make believe with that castle.
I remembered a sweet little stuffed animal that a dear friend had given her at my baby shower. She has grown up with these toys and there are so many fond memories that go along with them. I hadn't anticipated that the emotional element of giving our things away.

Funny though - she wasn't the one attached - I was. She hasn't even noticed her things are gone. She's just having fun playing in the empty moving boxes. I was the one that found myself attached to these "things". But as each new item went into the "For Sale" pile, my heart found deeper refuge in my Savior. I cried out to him in my sadness and asked for strength and hope. He is faithful. I was soon comforted by the wonderful truth that this is just "stuff". The toys, the cars (we just sold last week), the extra dishes, and clothes. It's not WHY I'm here on this earth. I was reminded that Where my treasure is, there will my heart be also.  I was created to bring honor and glory to my Father Jesus. This move is helping me to see things a little more clearly-without all of the "stuff"of this world clouding my view.

Phil. 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.