Have you ever gone on vacation for a week or two? When we go to the beach, we head straight for the water and each evening we may go out and get a bite to eat. When the whole week is over we have worn less than ½ of the clothes in our suitcase and read or played with less than ½ of the things in our carry on. And as we are headed home, I always wonder, “If I can live on so little, why do I own so much?”
After we arrive at home, within a week or two I think I “need” everything in my home and more stuff that I have not yet bought at Target.
As we prepare to move to Guatemala, there is very little that we can take with us. So we are getting rid of most of our earthly possessions, literally. People have commented about how amazed they are at what we are doing. But I have a confession, it is not that hard, in fact, it is quite freeing. With each item that leaves the house (with the exception of the dog, which was really hard) I thought I’d be sad, but instead I feet freer, lighter, unbound.
Now, obviously, not everyone is going to be called to sell everything and come to Guatemla (although I suspect some of you are and your just fighting it, come on… we can be neighbors) but for the rest of you… what would it look like if you gave away 1 thing a day for a month and except for consumables like food and gas, you bought nothing new? I think you would find that you could live on a lot less and I think you would feel freer.
If you try it, let me know so I can share your story….I need partners in this journey because when we get to Guatemala, the temptation is going to be to run to the Central American version of Target (Hiper Paiz).
(Mo)
We’ll come along for the ride. But our’s is a bit in reverse, we have nothing to begin with! Although, when we were looking for a place to live the principal of having less moved us to rent a traditional stand alone studio apartment over the garage of another families house. Our entire home is about the size of our current bedroom with the exception of a staircase and a small bathroom. Can we afford more? Sure, we pretty much had a brand new, never been lived in, one bedroom apartment with a den in Ashburn reserved. But then we would have had to fill it! We, like you, love Target! We actually go there on what we call “target dates” and I can walk around the whole store finding things I want. I used to even keep a wish list on amazon.com of all the things I was going to “buy next.” Rory and I have found that it isn’t enough for us just to desire to live with less to be able to give more – we have to intentionally put ourselves into situations where we are forced to live with less. Then the giving more just becomes available (and most people know that giving to those who need is infectious, and not that hard to do when you see the difference it makes). In the end, if we didn’t keep our self in check, I know that brand new apartment would be a perfect advertisement for Target and IKEA!
it’s totally true. during college, i moved about 1 time a year and got sick of carrying everything with me. i got rid of most of my stuff, and it really is quite freeing. furnishing a house is not that hard, and you really come to understand what is actually valuable.
Micah, your final line captures it: “…understand what is actually valuable.”
Jason, I appreciate your heart for Jesus.