Matthew 6:19

Most of my shelves and bookcases are still empty.

I'm hesitant to fill them until I know what truly "wants" to go there.

There are "treasures", boxes and bins of them, waiting patiently in the garage.

Stuff doesn't care where it is--

admired on a shelf or nestled deep in the corner of a box.

That's because it's just stuff.

However, it becomes more than just stuff when I attach a memory, a story,

a person, an occasion, or an experience to it.

That's when it becomes a "treasure".

So, when I spent three hours in the garage yesterday clearing and cleaning,

it was more than I could do to start picking through the 

"treasure boxes."

These are all the things that sat about my home, on shelves, on furniture, 

in nooks and crannies that made the Sweet 16 home to me.

Everything had a special place, and I had little "altars of gratitude"

(i.e. stuff) throughout our little home.

With every box and bin opening, there was more stuff, 

and I was flooded with feelings.

Interestingly enough, 

they weren't necessarily all the positive feelings that 

I would usually associate with a treasured item.

The feelings were truly flooding my spirit and making me weary.

Hmmmm...

Something tells me that my "treasures" lose their appeal when 

they become merely baggage from the past, heavy, 

though lovely, and intrusive on my present.

My nine months in 1001B showed me how little I need to thrive.

And now it's hard to turn back and reclaim much of

my past life, both literally and figuratively.

So, as Mary suggested, perhaps relationships with our "treasures" 

(or just plain stuff) are like relationships with the people who have 

come and gone in our lives--

some for a season

some for a reason

some for forever, just because they are.

So, as I get ready to go "down there" again, 

I'm trusting that I will know where most of my stuff goes:

to others

to #2606

to keep 

(until another day of discernment).

There is no rush to decide.

But one thing is for sure, 

not everything has a place in this new season of mine.

And that is okay.