It’s interesting how our parents’ experiences shape our
lives. My dad was a young adult when the Great Depression hit. I’ll never know
all the ways that experience affected him, but it did give him the tendency to
save things. He wasn’t a hoarder—I don’t think… But when my sister and I
cleaned out his house after his death, we found stacks and stacks of…things.
Empty margarine tubs, electric cords that had been cut off appliances, way
out-of-date canned goods.
I came into married life as a pack rat—inherited, I suppose,
from my dad. To compound things, Bill has pack-rat leanings as well. About ten
years ago, we decided to fight those propensities tooth and nail. We’ve done
pretty well, I think, but I still have too many clothes. I’m always hoping my
favorites will come back in style or that I’ll lose weight and fit into those
cute jeans again.
Recently, though, God’s been reinforcing the “give and it
shall be given to you” truth. When we hang on to things we don’t need, it’s
either greed or fear driving that act. For my dad, I’m sure it was fear. For me?
Umm…not so sure.
What do you think? Keep or give/throw away? |
| Lora Young |
