I heard a sermon a few years ago that just woke me up. Material things are just stuff in the end. Why do we concern ourselves with having so much of it, and having the right name brands and filling our environment with "Must haves"? In the end it just doesn't matter....it will all be left behind. So I remember that day specifically I just let go of "stuff" and became far more happier with what I have in my life; family, friends, love.

Funny you post this....just this morning I was upset at a news story in New York where protesters are wanting the banks to "take care of them" because of the way the housing market is. Maybe this is off subject a little. But it just really irks me that we always want more, more, more....nothing is ever enough. Then when we have it all and we can't handle it, we want someone else to take care of it for us. We are never happy with what we have right in front of us.

ETA: Not we, you and me, we as a society.

__________________
I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

Since we took the Dave Ramsey class and we've been careful about where our money goes, I am so over stuff. I would rather have my money than a bunch of stuff around the house. I find it hard to spend money now. It also helped after I started working part time because every time I want to buy something I'm thinking about how long it took me to earn it. I guess since I'm away from my family at night working, I want it to be for our future and things that matter, not just wasted.

Since I started on my journey to pay off my credit card, I have taken a serious look at "stuff". I have way too much "stuff" -- stuff that just does not need to be here, we don't use, etc. And when I look at that stuff I get mad at myself because i got caught up in society!

The only stuff that matters is family, friends & love!!!

That is the way that i look at the stuff that we have. I am not attached to my stuff. Of course I have my favorites and things that I enjoy. The Lord gives the resources to buy things for us to enjoy and to give so others can enjoy. That's what I think about when I am going through things that we don't need anymore such as all our baby stuff- What good is it sittting here in the attic?

When DH and I were newly weds and had our DD, I was still in college (paid for with credit card), we had a house payment, and we were paying for daycare. On top of tuition, we had to pay for gas for me to drive an 1 1/2 hours up a mountain to school. It was a hard time for us. But the people around us helped us out. My sister gave me her baby crib and swing and some baby clothes, our friends gave us enough hand me down baby clothes to last 2 years, I was giving a baby shower and had enough diapers to last about 4 to 5 months. If the people around us weren't so giving, I don't know how we would have made it.

It's just stuff we needed for that moment and we have since passed it all down to someone that could us it.

It's ALL just stuff and we take care of it because it is only on loan by someone higher up.

What a great thread! It is so inspiring, and just what I needed to read this morning!

I think a lot of time, people fill that to be important or to show status in life, they have to have stuff.

Society a lot of times judges people by their stuff, and of course most people want to look important and "rich" to other people.

A new car, new house, new furniture to go with the new house, new knick-knacks and of course the latest in clothes and styles. And then their is all of the electronic gagets.

People don't realize that family and friends (true ones) are more important than material things.

When dd and I live in our loft over the cafe, we had to get rid of unimportant stuff, and by doing so we had more time for play time, and had to have less of clean and declutter time!

Great perspectives ladies!

You're totally right. I've let go of things, its ridiculous at times how vain we can all be. Im done pretending, I'm done being self absorbed. I wanna live a humble life, take care of my people. Things shouldn't be essential in our lives.

__________________
*Jai guru deva om*
Are you a "bag" lady? Great! Join our group and let's chat!
http://mommysavers.com/boards/group.php?groupid=33

This is a great thread.

I think many people judge their self worth by how many "toys" and "stuff" they have and the image they portray to others. The more stuff and gadgets they have, the more money they appear to make and the more important they look to others.

I'm at the point now in my life where I hate "stuff". More stuff to me means more $$ we have to spend to buy it, more hours my DH has to work, less money saved for our retirement and the kids' college, and more of my time I have to spend cleaning and taking care of the STUFF.

DH and I have been donating tons of our stuff for the last few years. I don't know why we still have so much junk to get out of here, but it feels like we are starting to make a some headway. I can't wait until we get our home and life decluttered. Stuff is clutter and it not only clutters my life, it clutters my head.

__________________
SAHM to 4 rugrats