Purge the House Update #2

Here are the original 56 items for my first 8 days!

So we got a family computer for Christmas from my super tech-savvy computer-smart brother-in-law Kyle and miracle of all miracle's- I can locate all the pictures I upload! (delight!) So this photo is a bit delayed but I am on track with my house purge. In fact my next post about it will probably include a picture of two weeks worth of items.  To be honest, the thing I am finding the most surprising is I am not struggling to get rid of things at an alarming rate. Now, to be fair, I have never been accused of being a pack rat. I've always followed the "if you haven't used it in a year- toss it" principal anyway. Still I thought at some point this would begin to feel tough or sacrificial, and it's strange to write, but it hasn't yet.

To me the most obvious point from that truth is- I don't need all this stuff. It's not even bothering me to get rid of it, for crying out loud! I've grown up in American suburban culture and it teaches you to stockpile stuff. Directly, indirectly and sneakily. One of my friends just posted a quote that stated:

Every advertisement you have ever watched is designed to nurture your discontentment.

Yep. And paradoxically we become more discontent the more we posses, not less. The more stuff I have, the more stuff has me. I'm not advocating sell-all-your-belongings-and-join-a-commune. Well, not exactly. It's more of a strip-away-the-needless-things-that-keep-us-from-knowing-we-need-the-Lord + be-willing-to-give-away-anything-that-someone-else-needs-when-you-don't. It's a combo of Hebrews 12 and Acts 2.  

Don't forget, if you live in my area and want to join the simplify plan too- I'll be happy to sell your items to fund my son's Nicaragua mission trip this May!