Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Stash (01/09/25)
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TITLE: Seeing the Light | Previous Challenge Entry
By LINDA GERMAIN
01/15/25 -
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Devoted family members drove through freezing weather to lay their loved one to rest. It was an honor. Now, the precious daughter must confront a job common to so many at such a time as this.
Going through the collected minutia of a life filled with interesting memories will take time. From experience, I know how dealing with someone’s worldly goods can be painful. That includes donating clothes, shoes, and household items that will be a blessing for others.
Amazingly, that exercise in regrouping to move forward often turns out to be cathartic. There will be moments of tears, and even smiles, but also possibly surprises to find accumulations that make no sense to others. This is not an uncommon occurrence for many families charged with disbursing personal items left behind.
Years ago, a friend’s elderly grandfather died. After working hard to clear out decades of junk and questionable treasures, the family was satisfied the work was complete but decided to make one last check in the empty basement.
Just in time, someone’s eagle eye noticed a curious misalignment in the vintage home’s cellar walls. Something green was sticking out. Pain-staking brick removals yielded over ten thousand dollars in cash. They were stunned. Having lived through the Great Depression, Grandpa must have kept his secret hoard “just in case.” He didn’t consider it might have been overlooked and lost forever.
The same thing happened with the sudden demise of another friend’s brother. He was considered one of the good guys—honest, kind, interested in others, and fun to be around. After he passed away from an unstoppable malignancy, his wife was flabbergasted to uncover many thousands of dollars in cash hidden in every conceivable place in the garage. As far as I know, eight years later the mystery of that enormous stash remains unsolved.
The beginning of this promising New Year is an excellent time to initiate the dedicated reduction and organization of too much "stuff."
In attempting to seriously downsize and prevent my son from the agonizing future chore of figuring out what to do about my particular paddy-wacky knick-knacks, my goal is to make my remaining earthly provisions as lean, clean, and mobile as possible.
We only need what we need. Right?
Why, then, did I think I had any use for three extra-large cooking pots? Hordes of hungry folks are not clamoring for bowls of my cheese and potato soup. Besides, I have lost most of my spoons.
And what about those bell-bottom jeans, size itsy-bitsy? Are they hiding in a box just to aggravate me? Does denim laugh?
I could start a library with my hundreds of books, including two sets of encyclopedias. There are enough sheets and blankets to bivouac a whole platoon of Boy Scouts, and more extension cords and old electronic “plug thingies” to fill trash cans to the max and then some.
Simple answer: Don’t need. Period. End of story. Moving on.
As of this week, I have been poking along at tortoise speed in an attempt to divide and conquer all the ridiculous “gobbledygook” that does not matter one dot or tittle in the scheme of genuinely important spiritual reasons for being on earth.
As I watch the horrendous news of the unbelievable sweeping West Coast fire, there is no doubt that life can dramatically change at warp speed.
It’s surreal. Too horrible to grasp. Sadder than sad. For me, it’s an alarm that’s clanging with furious intent—a wake-up call.
I cry. I pray. My eyes are opened. My heart is ready.
I refuse to be shackled anymore and will try to move a bit quicker now, like the hare, in preparation for a final, unencumbered exodus when life here is over, and like my dear friend, I am someone’s fond memory and happily at rest.
Please forgive me, Lord, for being blind on so many levels. Thank you for shining a penetrating light on much-needed discernment. I wholeheartedly embrace this important reminder about the relative unimportance of worldly possessions when there are so many spiritual matters to study and share as time grows short. Your patience and grace are truly a blessing! Amen.
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*non-fiction
1 John 2:16 NLT
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.
Matthew 6:19 NLT
Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
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