We all have “stuff”

I’ve been talking about material stuff, but I am now going to talk briefly about our personal stuff, our baggage or the mental and emotional weights that we sometimes carry around. “Back in the Day” Erykah Badu had a hit called “Bag Lady” that also applies to men.

Many people walk around with so much “stuff” in their bags that they can’t take a step forward.  They are so focused on their stuff that they can’t see what or who is in front of them.  They can’t go on vacation in a paradise of freedom because they haven’t checked their bags into a long-term cabin. 

We can’t go on an extended vacation dragging our bags everywhere we go. We hold-on to that stuff that holds us down, holds us back, holds us under and keeps us anywhere but on top, ahead, forward, and on the move. We need to take a permanent vacation and check our bags onto a one-way ticket far away from where we are headed. We’re going to a paradise of peace and freedom, and sorry, stuff, you’re not “coming with!”

What has your stuff done for you lately?

New toys, bling and shiny new things are all something that we at some point or another like to have.  We spend money on new cars, clothes, video games, movies, boats, golf clubs, homes, grills, watches, jewelry or even a new “[hair] do.”  Sometimes our purchases are necessities, but more often than not, they are wants or something else that that we see in the store window that someone’s marketing campaign convinced us that we MUST have.  So we go shopping, we buy something, and then we have either:

a)    toys that are sitting in the house that we no longer use and even forgot we have,
b)    toys that are sitting in the house that we no longer use and even forgot we have and are STILL PAYING FOR or
c)    toys that we use frequently because we made a good purchase for our house or for our hobby

Which one of these applies to you?  I believe many people have an interest in something and spoil themselves occasionally and are reasonable with their purchases.  There are others who make purchases or start hobbies and never finish them.  We then are sitting on all of this stuff that we are still paying for and we have no use for the items.  Or we may still use it (like a car) but realize we could have made a different purchase and saved a little money.

Essentially, in a consumption society like the U.S., your success is sometimes marked by your stuff, but your stuff does nothing for you – on the inside.  It sits there and waits to be played with while we are still paying a bill for it and don’t have time to enjoy it.  When was the last time your car encouraged your dreams?  When was the last time your clothes comforted you during a difficult time?  Did your grill get you a new job? 

Some of your stuff may be helpful to you at certain times in your life, but it demands money and maintenance from you. What has it done for you lately?

Note to Self

Have you ever made a “to do” list that gets longer every day.  These are not your normal “to do’s” but your personal “to do’s.”  You know, the things that you “need” to do to be the you that you think you want to be.  Some of the things I “need to do” everyday are: floss, spend time with God, exercise, read a chapter in a book, write on this blog and other things that I believe will enhance my overall being.  The problem is that I never get around to doing them all, I get overwhelmed, do nothing and then I feel bad for not having met my goal.  Who said I need to do all of this stuff anyway?  Oh, yea, ME!

I am going to free myself right now.  Self, the only thing you absolutely need to do is spend time with God. The reason why is because after you spend time with God, He will share with you the “everything else” you need to do for the day.  Problem solved!

I would write more, but I have to go floss now :-)