"Clear your stuff, clear your mind." Eric M. RiddleWhen a new job caused me to relocate to a new city, I only took a few things until my home sold and I bought a new home to move my things into. For several months I had patio furniture in my living room, milk crates as end tables, and a long folding table that doubled as an office on one end and a dining table at the other. I had two plates, two bowls, one pot, one pan, one mixing bowl…you get the picture.
As the months passed, it got harder. I rarely had anyone over, but when I did we used disposable cups and plates. When I finally got a place and unpacked my things it was like greeting long-lost friends. But one thing else I realized as I was getting settled in my new home…I missed the simplicity of living so uncluttered. Cleaning had been simple, I could hand wash every dish in my kitchen in five minutes. And when renting, yard work was non-existent. I had virtually nothing to dust, very little to put away, and only laundry to do. And maintenance, like cleaning the vacuum brushes or the crumbs out of the toaster, was not part of my life any longer. I just kept the oil in my car changed and went about living. Instead I took long walks with my dog, sat on the patio furniture in the yard to enjoy a sunny day, and on a rainy day I could sit and read a book (something I always talked about doing "curl up with a good book on a rainy day" but never actually did). I didn’t realize until I had all my ‘stuff’ back, how much time it took to maintain it all. And then there was the guilt, "I have all these supplies so I really should be making greeting cards instead of buying them." Or, "When am I going to get around to sewing blouses with the material I bought in Hawaii?" Are you cluttered with more stuff than you use? Have you been wanting to simplify your life? What drawer, closet, surface, or corner of the garage will you tackle first? Lord, help me simplify my life; streamlining my life by streamlining my stuff. Amen “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Eric Riddle (1968- ), an America author of Stuffology 101: Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter. Riddle has been a lifelong pack-rat. His former mantra had been, “I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.” Today it’s, “Clear your stuff, clear your mind.”
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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