WHAT IS WORTH KEEPING?

There are two categories of people in this world---the keepers and the tossers.  I am a tosser.  My need for order, which comes from a lack of control over most things, has produced a tosser.  Very few material possessions am I sentimental about.  In fact, I have already given those things which I at one time bequeathed in my will to those dear ones.  It dawned on me they should enjoy them now and not have to wait until I kick the bucket.   I have kept some written correspondence, perhaps because I love the written word, but most other things are long gone.  I learned a valuable lesson when cleaning out Momma's things and helping with my in-law's home----most of the things we hold near and dear--our children will quickly take to the nearest dumpster.  Even when the "things" are valuable--often they are sold--since they are not the taste of those left behind.  There is a great deal of freedom in keeping things to a minimum.  Our things have to be taken care of--that requires time and energy.  The question becomes are we using our valuable resource caring for something no one else will value?

NOW--for all you keepers--to each his own.   I am certain you derive some measure of comfort by keeping, just as I love the order which comes from tossing.  I would dare to say you are in the majority.  I know more people who collect and keep than regularly toss.  I have a dear friend who has a house absolutely stuffed from the full floored house sized attic to her ample storage.  If I need something, she probably has it and probably several sets of it.  This dear friend has lost so many loved ones---and I believe she is comforted by having their things around her.  I would never fault her---but Heaven help her family when it comes time to go through it all.  

Where in the world am I going---truthfully I had to mull this over for a minute--but I knew there had to be a point.  Exactly as we keep or toss possessions--so do we with words that have been said to us.  Here is a confession that I am not proud of---those things which have been said to me that were hurtful--heartbreaking are the ones I seem to remember best.  What in me makes those words stick?  I could write a book on the why--that is not the point.  The point is we should hide those wonderful words which have been given to us deeply in our hearts.  We should dwell on the positive and I would bet there is much more positive than negative.  Leave the hurtful ones behind---learn a lesson from them---consider the source of them---if needed try to atone for them---but they should not be how we define ourselves.  

Clearly God's Word reminds us of His deep love for us---His desire for us to live life abundantly.  Does not His plan of redemption point directly to that?  Put the sin in our life behind us after asking forgiveness and dwell upon His plan to give us hope and a future. 

"And may you have the power to understand,

as all God's people should,

how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is."

Ephesians 3:18

BEGINNING FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1,

 I WILL POST DAILY ADVENT THOUGHTS UNTIL DECEMBER 25.