too much is never enough...until it becomes too much

For most of my life I would have been what you might have called a slob...I prefer to say I was a "Messie" (as coined by Sandra Felton, who also has a website called Messies Anonymous - I find that humorous). Anyway, I was very messy, cluttered, disorganized, scattered - all of the above. BUT in the last few years I have come to hate clutter with a passion and am constantly engaged in battle with it. So far it keeps winning, primarily because I keep having babies and, well, stuff happens when that happens. Now that we have added the caboose to our little family, I feel that I can finally conquer this monster.

It's one thing to learn to part with unneccesary items, or paper (my nemesis), or trash...but it's another thing altogether to get rid of things that "I might need one day!" Or things of monetary value that I could sell and funnel the money into something else that we (I) really want or need. Currently my issue is with a table and chair set. It's really a wonderful table...it's a nice round, brown wicker pedestal table, with matching chairs that really are comfortable...it has a casual beachy kind of feel to it, while still maintaining sort of a clean line look, and I LOVE it. However, my family went and outgrew it, so currently the table is taking up much-needed space in the corner of the garage, while we are still using the chairs in the kitchen.

The other day I pulled into the garage and saw it and thought, we really need to get rid of that - cringe...Dave would probably LOVE it if I agreed to get rid of it - cringe, again. Then, I got an email which laid out a perfect opportunity to GIVE IT AWAY FOR NO MONEY...just give it away. Immediately I knew it was the thing to do, and even now I know that it is, but my stomach is still in a knot. Oh, and did I mention that the table was free to me? I didn't pay a dime for it, except to recover the cushions after my kids destroyed them. Isn't it pathetic how stuff can have a hold on us? I have been praying that God would make me a servant...would teach me to love people...and what better way than to give? The fact that it's so difficult for me to part with the table and chairs lets me know that I really need to get rid of it. No thing should have that kind of power over my well-being...for heaven's sake two-thirds of the world lives in utter poverty and I am whining about a table and chairs...when I still have two more in the house. Good gracious, Lord help me!