Thanks Dr. Weems…I needed that

That’s exactly what I need to do. Until I can do it at home, I’ll start here. Thanks Rev. Weems.

On Christmas day, I did bible study, wrote a poem, and i went into the basement. there was to much clutter (a girlfriend who visited me a few weeks before made the statement). i got a garbage bag and i started cleaning up the clutter. a few hours later, i had two bags filled, the cardboard boxes tied up, and stuff properly shelved. i was happy. i bought another shelf today. i am going back in the basement this weekend. meb

My Aunt and I are doing this. When we got out the Christmas stuff this year, we checked through carefully for things we really wanted to keep and things we only kept ‘because’. I did the same with my ornaments at home. There are several bags of nice but ‘not us’ ornaments going to Goodwill. I have all of Mom’s luggage to take, since we mr.miranda and I have rolling duffel bags we like to use.

I think women’s shelters might like the cell phones.

@Miranda.

Yes, yes. A women’s shelter would be a great place to donate old cell phones. Thanks!!

This is a very powerful blog, Renita,

And this is a good time the year for this post. I am glad Christmas and the season of excess is over and will be happy to ring in a new year.

I’m thinking it’ll be fine in 09 is going to be the new catchphrase among the saints. I know that’s kinda corny but last year my pastor preached that things were going to be great in 08. So I’m going with it.

I’m starting not to like Christmas, the spiritual component and the traditions I practice with my son are the only reasons why celebrate the holiday, at all.

Furthermore, I could relate to this particular blog because I used to be a terrible pack rat and I am still somewhat of a clothes horse but I am not as bad as I used to be and I have simplified my lifestyle.

One of the lessons I’ve learned over the years is- it seemes like the more I tried to hold on to things, somehow-in someway -I’d lose them.

So, I would often wonder if the Spirit was trying to tell me something about whether or not I was being too materialistic or possessive of my things. So I had to examine why things material things meant so much to me. And as you pointed out, a lot of it was emotional.

Also, I believe for some people-depending or where they came, what they had and how they grew up, that they get their self-worth from their money, status, and things.

Which is basically the message we get from Madison Avenue, every commercial break, we are constantly reminded that we are only as good as the things we own or buy or we won’t be satisfied until we buy the latest, whatever.

I think this can also be a sticky issue for black people because of the affects of slavery and Jim Crow on our ancestors psyche’s an even some of ours that we haven’t sorted through. I think sometimes we believe we can buy our self-worth or somehow use things to prove that we are as worthy as other people.

But I’ve digressed.

I recently bought a new cell-I seem to break them and destroy with ease, so I have stopped investing any real money in my cells-maybe that’s the problem, but I still have about four old cell phones complete with chargers, that are just laying around my room. A couple are packed away, but I am tired of looking at the chargers or having to them around when I reach for something near the socket.

I’ve been thinking that someone else could be getting some use out of those phones, especially a woman, who is or has been battered, and needs a cell phone in her safety (read that escape)kit.

This is the time of year when domestic violence increases (because people spend so much time together with their kids, spouses and significant others during the holidays and a lot of tension builds) so I’ve been thinking about donating my phones to a domestic violence shelter.

So I guess this blog and a comment made by one of the other readers is a confirmation for me that I need to follow through with my plan to donate those phones.

I’m also looking forward to your first bible study. I am excited and will pass the word along to all the women in my sister circle. I will be attneding a bible study on Esher in January so there will be anywhere from 30 to 50 women in that group.

Have a safe, happy, and productive New Year!!
Blessings!!
Rose Marie

I bagged 3 garbage bags full of papers, including previously unopened mail. I am trying to bring some order to my house so I can work in it. And after a whole afternoon of this, I can’t really SEE any difference. How did I go this long?

Thanks for the encouragement.

I am going to pass this on to the group of women who met at my house on 12/13 to “claim baggage” and to begin examining how we can get rid of it for good. Sometimes that mental/spiritual baggage is represented by the physical stuff cluttering our living space.

Thanks for this posting. I pray a Happy and simpler New Year for you and your family.

Rev,

Every year I’m supposed to clean out things and people that I don’t need to take into the next. I never have time and find all these things and people following me from one season to another. Packing has become overwhelming.

This year I started with suits and shoes before Christmas. I admitted to myself that I will never fit into some of these things again as they were pre-25 and the shoes that match them can go too. And I refuse to buy new hangers because there are double things on one. Rosie’s place tomorrow!

Now onto that people list…life would be much simpler without her, them, and even the cute him. (Now I remember why this is hard.)

@Leslie
Sounds to me like you need to invest in a paper shredder.

@Angela
Explain what you mean when you say that your friends met over your place to “claim baggage.”

@Tamecia
Yep, it’s easier to get rid of the clothes and shoes that don’t fit than it is to get rid of people that no longer fit your life.

@Miss Rose
You are right there’s a lot of psychology attachment to your accumulations for those of us who grew up poor. We just got our stuff the other day, and now we find out that stuff is not all there is. Makes you wish you’d known this before you shelled out those bucks on that flat screen, that luxury car, that Mac-mansion, etc.

right on time, dr. weems…as usual. since before the holiday i have been going through my apartment getting rid of stuff. i took a car truck load of clothes to goodwill. i shredded and recycled tons of papers/mail. i have been trying to tackle my desk, which has been cluttered with books i have accumulated over years from school. i feel like if i can get rid of all the physical junk of my life first, then removing the emotional, mental, and spiritual clutter won’t be so overwhelming. at least that’s the plan…

Confirmation, confirmation! Wow, how awesome.Two weeks ago I asked the members of the Church I Pastor to do the exact same thing. I asked them to bring clothes, shoes, etc., to the Church for the next two weeks and I am taking clothes and shoes (Women’s) to the shelter. I also learned about this wonderful organization in Birmingham where Women coming out of prison are rehabilitated, educated and prepared to live a productive life again. They too can use numerous items and clothes.

I am thankful for so much. Dr. Weems,I never told folk I was big boned! Haaa aaah! really serious about that. However, I was over weight. I did loose 70 pounds over the last year! Need about 30 more off, I think.(smile) Thank you Lord. So thankfully, I have some nice suits and dresses and shoes that I contributed as well. I AM A SHOE-AHOLIC!

The men items are still in limbo as to where to disburse. Just last week I went home where I lived before my husband died 4 years ago. And wheeewww, I cleaned out our closet where his things were still in place! There I found some nice things to donate as well.

Yes indeed, the simple life has been my choice for years. I call myself the “Country girl” with a little Pizzzzzaz! I really learned how necessary it is to simplify life and free yourself of things when my Mama (not my birth mother)and my husband died. The things that are important, valuable and sentimental to us do not merit the same to someone else once we are dead. Therefore, if we begin to rid ourselves of too much now, the less they have to dispose of when we leave this life.

Also my dear sisters, in the midst of getting rid of things just know you sometimes have to rid your mind of the same old thinking and even your entourage of associates could use some purging! Perhaps.

Thank you for the Post! Thanks for allowing me to add my 2 cents, Dr. Weems. HAPPY NEW YEAR to All!

My very good girlfriend told me something years ago that I never forgot. When you bring home a bag with a new item (it doesn’t matter what it is) you should throw something out or get rid of one item. One item in - one item out that way you never have too much stuff. Hmmm…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you sister weems and to your visitors!
I agree with sister rose. Both of you are speaking the truth.
I have been on ‘this part’ of my faith walk for over 2 years now-(i left my career in sept. 2006) We are living on one income-my partners- Now God does provide every need, every time, every month–so we started to check our spending habits a while back. Cutting back and re-examining what is important to have and what we can do without. So when the economy started falling/changing as it is doing-it really did not shake us until the prices of things started to go up–still no biggie-we just learned to Trust Him more! We are truely blessed to have as we do. As He prunes us-we know we will be better fruit bearers for Him.
Around the 2nd week of dec. a friend called and asked if we had any clothing and toys that we did not need anymore, for her church. HA! Yes we do! We had been holding on to stuff for years and asking God, what to do with all this stuff that He blessed us with through the years. We wanted to give it to people-singles or families- that really need it-not to those that go to thrift stores to buy cheap in order to re-sell it in their shops! (makes me mad when people do that)
Long story short-i went into the basement and bagged up 22 bags of gently used stuff-toys, childrens and womens clothing and shoes. AND that is not all we have to give away. It’s just where i stopped-as i was a bit tired but happy to be tired for this reason. We also had the girls go through their toys and set aside anything they have not played with in a while–or did not want anymore. The pile grew! Pruning-Pruning of stuff-God already took care of Pruning people out of our lives.TYJ!
I was told that our donation helped 4-5 families and they were happy to rec’.
Now i had to let them know all the glory goes to God–He gave it all to us in the first place.
There is still more that we need to go through in our living space-stuff that will go to trash mostly.
AND along with getting rid of material things we have no more use of–We-girls and the mothers- continue to look through our spiritual selves and get rid of what does not work and never should have been in us in the first place. How stuff finds its way into us–hummm lolo.
Actually it is harder for me to clean our home more than our inner selves. I have done a little each day-piles of papers, mags, and what in the world is this and why did i keep it? -no dead lines or ending date in mind-just cleaning out a little each day.
Doing so gives us more Freedom to claim ourselves and appreciate the new growth and space in our hearts and the extra floor space in our home.
ok sister weems, i may have gone over the space limit-i do apologize-just wanted to share our story with you all.

Good morning. Now that I’m back as a full time student I haven’t worn my office attire in years. I’ve decided to donate the items I can no longer wear to Dress for Success which helps “disadvantaged women take charge of their lives” by giving them an entire outfit (including shoes) to wear to a job interview and giving them one more once they get a job.

Rev.,

The abridged version of “claim your baggage”. It was a time for identifying those things (baggage) we had been carrying with us (i.e. unforgiveness, shame, guilt, anger…etc.)that have kept us from moving forward or from really “all that we could be.” The reason for claiming it was so that each person could begin the process of unpacking the bag/bags and examine its contents.

I prepared a workbook with instructions (i.e. make sure that the bag is yours) and questions (i.e. did you pack that bag or did someone else pack it for you).

It was a group of 8 out of 10 women 39-54 from different parts of my life. Some women were meeting each other for the first time. What came out of it was truly a “God Thing.”