Packing, Pitching, and Donating: 14 Years to Sort Through

Moving, it's a necessity of life. The pure logistics of doing so is a nightmare in itself. All of the organizing, quick decision-making, and dealing with, "No, not that!" and other sundry reactions is enough to make one's head spin. There is even the let's do this while a certain family member is not present/looking, who isn't even a member of this household, mind you.

Fortunately, for me, most of my children are at a much more reasonable age. While there are some treasures, we were able to move out 8 bags of mostly toys. You read right, 8 bags just this morning.

So how does one accumulate so much? Think dollar stores. Think McDonald's happy meals stretched out over more than a decade with four children. Think well-meaning relatives who think that more is more and love to bury the children underneath them all every birthday and Christmas.

And then there's me. Buying books brand new, at discounts, at yard sales, online and at bookstores all adds up over the years. My office has a section of packed-up books even after giving away 3 1/2 cases worth. I anticipate taking out my favorites and leaving the rest boxed up. Soon, I will realize how much I don't miss them and give them to someone who will actually read them, benefit from them and share with others, rather than hoard them.

Well, today has been very productive and this break will soon be over. So, off to Facebook for a quick look, perhaps a spot of news and back to work. Maybe, I'll make time for a quick sandwich. I hope to accomplish all of that within a half-hour and then get back to work. Thanks for reading. God bless you and yours.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    When this process is over, you will be glad you purged, packed, and gave away many things. I did this plenty of times in my life. In 45 years, we packed, purged, and gave away many things, having moved 16 times. Most with the military. When all is said and done, if you purged something that later you wanted, it can usually be purchased again if you really need it. I never found anything that I wanted later enough to buy again.

    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bethany LaShellJanuary 7, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Keep pitching, brother! I'll be there with my super-size, heavy-duty trash bags and packing expertise next week :-). The whole process really is no fun, especially for pack rats, but it'll be over soon and you'll be amazed at how much space you have and how neat everything is (well, till your little tornado blows through!) with fewer things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beacon2LightJanuary 7, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    I've been more of a book pack-rat than any other kind. Although, having this Logos 4 program is really helping me to let go as well as the move. Sometimes, we get complacent in our accumulations though volumes have sat on my shelves untouched for years. I will set many free to those who can use them.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Call to be a Ragamuffin: A Review of the Movie on Rich Mullins' Life

Image
I thought this film was absolutely great.  The acting was good and the story was real.  Shocked and saddened at the ghosts of Rich's childhood, if I may use that terminology, I was drawn into the healthy and unhealthy ways he struggled with his raising.   Like the Bible does with its heroes, Ragamuffin doesn't sugarcoat Rich's life.  He struggled with smoking and with alcohol.  His language wasn't always church language, to put it mildly.  One sees someone seeking to be real.  Tired of the masks Christians often put on and the blindness to the call of Christ to provide for the least of these, Rich gives generously to Christian churches and charities while living humbly.  Seeing the poverty of others and the difference he could make in the lives of those with less, Rich Mullins pours himself wholly into ministry.   Just a few other thoughts in closing.  His tragic death is handled well.  In  the special features section, Dav e, Rich's brother, does a
Read more

What's In a Name?

Image
What’s in a Name?  In 1990, I graduated from Philadelphia College of Bible.  Over the years, PCB changed and with it, its name altered as well.  After achieving university status under President Babb, a new name was chosen, Philadelphia Biblical University, one that does not easily roll off the tongue.  Eventually, students, alumni, the community, etc., got used to it like will eventually happen with the new name change.  However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t reasons to wrestle with the proposal.   The rationale for the name change Dr. Williams, current president of PBU, argues that there is a perception of PBU being a Bible college with “university” in its name, leading people to believe that it has “limited offerings and a narrow vocational focus.”  My thought:  The word narrow sounds familiar to me.   Matthew 7:13-14 Furthermore, market research conducted via focus groups and a survey yielded data that was considered in favor of a name change in gene
Read more

Reproducible Pastoral Training - A Book Review

Image
Reproducible Pastoral Training: Church Planting Guidelines from the Teachings of George Patterson by Patrick O’Connor is a book about missions. However, its insights are also helpful to anyone who is either starting a church or seeking to see it grow. Patrick O’Connor dives into the wisdom of George Patterson and presents it in an intelligent way. Various topics are explained in the text. How does one reach a culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What is better, door-to-door evangelism or another technique? Is it best to begin with a multi-cultural church or to start with one culture? How does one utilize contacts for the sake of the Gospel? Also, how does one prevent establishing a foreign church rather than a native one? Furthermore, the author goes into issues like how leaders are trained and when they should begin serving. I found myself revisiting preconceived notions of what is done in Western churches and thus is considered to be biblical. For instance, the d
Read more