letting go

As I walk through my living room, I trip over a plastic horse, step over a duplo block, push aside with my toe a pencil and avoid slipping on my daughter's sweater, sprawled haphazardly across the wooden floor.  As I enter the kitchen, I notice that only about 30% of my counter space can actually be seen amongst the receipts, pens, tiny toys I've gathered from the floors of my home, notes, and other randoms that simply don't have an immediate home.  I'm currently working on three areas of stuff that need to be put away, boxes left to "unpack," or things gathered that belonged in a particular room but have yet to be fully emptied.

I've had enough. With all this stuff I feel like I can't breathe.  I can't go out for a run because all I can think about is the three boxes of stuff in my room I still need to put away. I can't nestle into a story with my kids because I still have to sort through seven boxes of "storage" out in the garage. I've spent much of today doing about ten loads of laundry, at least 20% of which I"m certain was never actually worn by my kids.

Some of the stuff I'm sorting through I hesitate to get rid of because I may need it someday.  I haven't used it in the last year, but I MIGHT.  Therefore I toss it into a pile to be kept, stored someplace for another year in the name of WHAT IF?

Then I hear God lovingly whisper, "What if? What if, whenever you need something, I provide it for you?"

I've realized holding on to something in case I might need it someday is actually fear that God will not provide me with what I need when I need it.  

So, I'm letting go.  This past weekend I gave away 8 boxes of stuff I was holding onto for a garage sale, a garage sale I'll never actually have time to do.  Four boxes' contents I advertised on Freecycle and those items went to families who could actually use them.  Four boxes' contents I'm donating to a local pregnancy resource center that will support the prevention of abortions.

I'm letting go of the $200 bridesmaid dress I wore one time to a wedding and will never wear again.  I'm letting go of boardgames we will never play.  I'm letting go of books I will never read.

I am challenging myself this week to let go of 10 items a day that I no longer need.  That's 50 items by Friday.  I might even keep a running list and post it at the end of the week. ;-)

What do you need to let go of and trust God for in the event of "what if"?