It has come to my realization that I love stuff. I can actually remember the first time I was amazed by stuff.. this was at my friend Melanie's house when I was five. She had everything and more and a bed that had a step ladder to help her get up to it. (I was very impressed by this as a young'in) I asked my mother when it was time to go why Melanie had so much more things than we did? Not so fair I should say as I was the same age and we were friends? My mother responded in that her dad worked at a job that paid more money than my dad's and the conversation was over... but my love for stuff did not.
I love stuff.
I love going to other people's houses and seeing other people's stuff. I love magazines that talk about organizing all the stuff. I make lists of Christmas stuff to buy in July, (I have half of Adam's Christmas gifts already actually...) because I love stuff.
Recently Adam and I have refinanced and saw that we needed to spend less, pay off more. My wife self was very encouraging and optimistic when this all went down but my stomach did flip-flops. I love stuff! I love shopping! Adam and I love these things together. Throughout my life I have been taught to be frugal and to find deals, and this is helpful but never stops one from loving things. Normally I think I have a good handle on this, but sometimes I slip. I notice that I slip when I go on Pinterest too long and start to look down at my clothes and sigh, or go to a friend's house and see their bookshelves lined with all the new books and I get book envy. However, I am pleasantly surprised how well everything has gone. On a tight budget we have actually enjoyed other things together that I would have never noticed if not for this change. There have been more walks, more talking, better yard sales (as we only give ourselves a certain budget) and together we look on the free ads for things that we could use. ( our lamps were free from a lady who wanted them gone!) It brings us together in a way that I saw my parents bond, but I suppose I was too young to understand. Being "poor" has brought a new focus- off of "stuff accumulation" but living contentedly. As I sit here on the couch my sister and law and husband sold to us I feel no current needs or wants. I really want to remember this simple time of life for my family. I want to remember that things don't make us content and that this stage in my life is lovely. I love my hotplate for a stove, I love finding spare change in the wash and using it for coffee money, I love that I get to experience all of this new with my husband and (free) kitten.
Again, I love stuff. I just want to remind myself, and hopefully encourage you, to see that stuff isn't what we want to strive for in the long run. I have noticed a change in me that is good and I want you to feel the same way that I do.
Maybe you aren't needing to slim down on your finances, but maybe you can see why it would be a good idea to step back and see what you do have. (I have a sudden urge to #blessed ;) ) It's so much better to live in contentment then to want what isn't there. It helps you to be creative, to be resourceful, to be free of want and it gives you the opportunity to be shown by Him that He cares for you. (refer back to the free lamps that we really needed)
We all have our moments when we are tempted to be jealous of our friend Melanie's step ladder that goes up to her big ol' bed- but I dare to say that she is no longer envied by me.
Less isn't always more, but lately it has been for me.
Your Hippy Nomad,
Summer
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." (John 2:15)
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