Downsizing – reducing in size
For some of you, this is not a wonderful word (you know who you are!). And don’t get me wrong. I love the size of our current house. We have three huge bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, plus a spacious kitchen and two living areas. All of this on 1 1/2 acres. I love my house! With three children at home, we need this much space.
I remember standing at the kitchen window of our little starter house, dreaming about the day we would build a much bigger one. And I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
Yet, when I’m at the cabin, I find myself beginning to look forward to the day when it will be my permanent home. It’s small – 1001 square feet. But it has all we need – 3 bedrooms, 1 large bath, a washer and dryer, an open living room and an adequate kitchen. We’re talking about how we can add more storage space with a large hutch in between the kitchen and living room and a desk in the living room.
We were up there this weekend. I needed to clean the bathroom. It took me about 15 minutes. That’s it. And that’s the only one I needed to clean. Because we don’t have a lot of “stuff”, it took me about that long to dust.
Do we really need all that “stuff”? We have boxes of college books in the basement, some baby clothes still stored there, and general “junk”. Boxes we haven’t opened since we moved in almost 15 years ago. Honestly, do I need the stuffed animals I had when I was a child? Does my husband need his hat collection? Do I have to have a salad spinner or a football shaped bowl?
Then he [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke [12:15]
It has taken me many years, but I’m beginning to be able to say with Paul, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians [4:11]
I have been richly blessed. I do not take that lightly. But I am learning to see where true value lies – not in the material things but in the spiritual things. Things that matter. Things that have an eternal implication. (Matthew [6:19]-21)
What are the things that matter most to you?