More. Want more. We all think we need more. This week at worship services I watched something which made me dwell on this subject. Sitting a few rows behind a young boy, I watched him during the Lord’s Supper. The cracker came around and (as manyyoungsters do) he eyed it closely. With an anxious hand he reached for a piece but his guardian (grandmother?) stopped him. I didn’t watch him while the cup was being served. When the basket was passed for the offering he held on to his money. Couldn’t be more than $2. He held on as if it were the only money he ever saw or ever will see. The two older women on either side of encouraged him to put it in the plate. He mouthed “I want to keep it!”  as he scowled and frowned. They passed on the plate–boy still possessing his pocket change. Not a noisy scene, but so loud. He just wanted to keep it. So we won’t stand strong and teach him that sometimes we are commanded to give back, share, sacrifice. Especially in this case. I stop myself here, as I am not preaching a sermon.

Another instance this weekend I was visiting with a friend and the subject of hoarding came up. She mentioned TV shows about people with serious problems who can’t give up the habit of buying more, gathering more, stashing more. “But I might need it someday.” or “But it’s special because (insert reason here).” There’s a difference in sentimental value and keeping just because. I can relate. My grandmother and my daddy like to keep things I inherited that  habit a bit. It may be more canned veggies than needed because they were on sale. It may 3 extra, old, broken fishing rods because I can fix them someday and we may all go on a family fishing trip sometime. Just last week I cut a coupon out of the Sunday Paper for a store I don’t frequent and didn’t necessarily need to visit. But I made a special trip, clutching coupon in hand and purchased something I didn’t need. But I had the coupon. Spend money to save money?

Call it “spring cleaning” call it housekeeping, as of late, I have taken inventory of my belongings, my possessions. Some are sentimental–one will have to sell them in an estate sale when I die because I’m not parting with them. But so much stuff is just that…stuff. Material possessions but others as well. I love to work. I love  to take on tasks and projects and see just how much I can fit into my 24 hours I have for the day. Sure, being a hard worker and efficiency, productivity are all well and good. But when is it too much? How many open screens on your computer are too many and multi-tasking becomes chill-out-take-a-step-back-refocus-and-do-what’s-most-important?

This time of year so many charity events and opportunities arise to give back and donate. I took inventory of my coat closet and found–wow–I don’t need 7 coats. For many shopaholics/fashionistas this may sound trivial. For me? It was an eye opener.

A rapper once sang the lyrics “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” I find some truth in that; not saying wealth is a negative by all means. But I encourage you to take inventory in your life. Do you really need more, more, more?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 12:29 pm and is filed under You Didn't Ask But.... You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.