#Day10: "And my God will supply all my needs..."

So I have 4 of the most humble, sweet, organized, challenging (challenging to me, not for me), confrontationally empowering, patient, motivated, selfless, loving friends that there ever was...who not only come together to do a weekly Bible Study but also come to my house to help analyze my clutter and help to begin the "purging/organizing process."

It was a very humbling moment for me to be able to open up my so-called (and literal) dark closets to them and not have them run away screaming. They gently but firmly ganged up on me joined together to support me through processing the fact that it's okay to get rid of things and trust that God will provide for me all that I need, if and when I need it.

...like remember the time I gave away all of my maternity clothes and baby supplies because I was "done having kids," but then God shocked pleasantly surprised us with Sadie?! God "magically" provided every last thing from maternity clothes to baby jumparoos and everything in between via His perfect timing and unexpected avenues. 

You'd think after seeing God's provision overflowing in my life in such a concrete way that I would immediately be transformed into a minimalist....

but No, Not there quite yet.

Some of us can't learn with just 1 lesson...

some of us need reminder after reminder of these truths:

Matthew 6

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 

27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 

29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

OR

Matthew 10:29-31English Standard Version (ESV)

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 

30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 

31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

OR

Philippians 4:19King James Version (KJV)

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I believe God sent my lovely friends over, those months back, in preparation for the process I have entered into now. 

Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to wake us up to the realization that holding onto things means our hands aren't open to receive what is coming next for us.

I am so very thankful to have such friends who will challenge me....
ones who will remind me that all those empty vases on top of my kitchen cabinets need to go...
friends who will support me while also doing the more difficult task of ripping the homemade wooden spoon puppets out of my hands
...to wake me up to the realization that I can't hold onto every last little thing while also embracing the present and the people right in front of me.


....Friends who will force encourage me to do a month of #theminimalistproject.

So with that profound heaviness lingering in the air, I present to you #day10 of #NoClutterNovember

November 10th, my 10 things:

(and in honor of my friends and their commitment to supporting me....I would like to see their commitment and raise them 100)
So here it is.... 10X10....

......my 100 things:

(10 coloring books....I saved a few, but honestly, my kids don't even like to color. 

I won a nation-wide coloring contest in Kindergarten and was raised with easy access to a crayola crayon carousel of colors, so they didn't get their disdain from me!)

(10 discards from the art bin)

 (10 discards from the toy box)

 (Umm...no one needs this many plastic "kids' knives!" ...or ANY kids' knives for that matter. "Kids" and "knives" should not be in the same phrase, ever! 

I do use them for playdough time, but that is about it, so this is an excessive amount to keep on hand. I'd like to use this opportunity to encourage all plastic silverware manufacturers to STOP making knives and just stick with the forks and spoons!)

 (10 discards from the cornucopia of porcelain tea sets in our home...

sidenote: I try to use the word "cornucopia" as often as possible in the fall time.)

 (10 extra action figures)

 (10 extra creatures)

 (10 extra play kitchen accessories)

(10 extra play kitchen foods)

(10 extra car toy stuff)

...So maybe I will never be a true "minimalist," per say. But my goal isn't to eliminate everything, just the things that are becoming "idols"...or false security...or heavy burdens. There is a freedom in generosity and simplicity, and that is my aim of getting rid of excess from my life.

SO....
"Goodbye, so-many-toys. ....That's it. Goodbye!"

This post is dedicated In Loving Memory to Our family of Wooden Spoon Puppets