'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Acts 20:35b
Responding to Susy Flory's book So Long, Status Quo, my friend Kathi Lipp blogged about turning some of her "guilt gems" into cash for a good cause.
At first, I thought I was off the hook: I don’t have any jewelry of value!
But then I got to thinking: I’ve got a bunch of scrapbooking and card-making supplies that I’ve not used, am not using, and will not use. So, even as I type, I'm following Susy's and Kathi's leads and putting my stuff on eBay. $$$ will go to worthy causes (and I'm not talking about my Starbucks fund!)
Money may be scarce these days. But most of us still have stuff that can be converted into money. The hard part, of course, is letting go of stuff.
For one thing, our identities are often tied to our stuff. I like thinking of myself as the kind of woman who scraps by the hour, who makes lovely hand-made cards. Never mind that I never do either; owning the stuff allows me to keep my illusions alive! Letting go of my crafting supplies means I have to let go of the fantasy that some day I may actually find time to use them. As I say "farewell," I focus more on becoming who God created me to be rather than fretting about who I never will be.
Plus, all this stuff cost a chunk of change in the first place. I kick myself every time I think about how much I've invested/wasted. Since I can't get my money back, I do what I can: hang on to my stuff. In this economy, I battle a scarcity mentality, wanting to horde what "little" I have rather than share. As I release my grip, I trust God to provide for my needs rather than fighting petty battles over what's "mine."
Ask yourself:
1) What "guilt gems" or "illusionary identity" stuff am I hanging on to?
2) What good is it actually doing me?
If the answer to #2 is "none," pick a good cause and join us: let go!