"STUFF"

Tuesday morning, the 3 little girls and I went to have breakfast with our beloved Ms. Peggy. Ms. Peggy is a preschool teacher at the preschool at our church. Addi, Drew, and Bryna were all in her class. Elli....well she won't have the blessing of having Ms. Peggy....SIGH! You see Ms. Peggy retired this year, and she's moving to a very small little community and living in a cabin. We adore Ms. Peggy, because she's wonderful in so many ways and loves life and everything living. She's one of the greenest people I know and always has wonderful earthy things to do with the kids. She's a granola girl....through and through. We'll still see Ms. Peggy from time to time, but we won't see her every week like we use to; so we decided to have a little "we love you" breakfast with her. While we were there visiting and eating, Ms. Peggy was talking about her little community and country town that she is now living in. I told her how I was truly a country girl at heart and would love to live in the country, have bad cell phone reception, no TV, and a huge garden. As we were reflecting on the country life she is now living, she said something to us....and it was just further proof that our Ms. Peggy is the fabulous person that we know she is. She said that she really liked living in her small little cabin, in her small community, where people don't have much; because it was humbling. She said that it just proved to her even more that we don't need stuff to be happy. I so know that's true....I do....and I'm so on board with that. I'm not saying that I don't have or like "stuff", but I'm saying that I know that "stuff" is not what makes our lives full. Relationships with others, serving others, loving Jesus, praising Him and serving on His behalf....those things are what makes our lives full! NPayne and Addi are on a mission trip this week, and although they are exhausted from working their tails off helping others....they are having a great time, building relationships, being the hands and feet of Jesus, and being full of The Holy Spirit. I have to say....I'm a little jealous! Now don't get me wrong....I'm thrilled they are serving...it makes my heart so full to know how much they are helping....but I simply can't wait until I am able to go as well. While they've been gone, I've been exhausted from working my tail off here at home. I've been cleaning out and getting rid of stuff....right and left....and I just realized tonight that I am also serving others by doing this. There will be many families, children, adults who will benefit from the things I'm donating. I also came to realize that I'm being filled by knowing that I don't need all this "stuff" to make my life full and getting rid of it is so so so refreshing! Really what it boils down to is this:

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

-Psalm 126:3 (NIV)