Possessions...

I was up late last night after getting off from work and had some thoughts running through my mind that I had thought about recently, but didn't focus much on before. For some reason, since they popped up in my mind again last night, I thought it might make a good post.

I'm writing about the topic of possessions...ya' know, those things we all hold dear and love to think about, purchase, hold onto, and even plan for in the future? A few weeks ago, my family and I was over at my late grandmother's condo trying to sort through her many belongings and decide which family member would inherit various items that had belonged to my grandmother. I remember saying to my mom that old adage, "When you die, you sure can't take these things with you". There were so many collectibles and items that my grandmother had accumulated over her 83 years of living on this earth! I actually didn't realize until a few weeks ago exactly how much my grandmother had an obvious passion for collecting interesting pieces of glass, crystal and china, among other collectibles. My cousins and I were all fortunate enough to have been able to inherit some wonderful pieces of antique furniture and jewelry from my grandmother, after my mom and aunt sorted through their respective inherited items. Since Scott & I clearly have not been able to purchase a larger home as we had hoped a few years ago, we've been trying to make room for some of these newly inherited items at our current home. My grandmother's condo was officially sold and the deal was closed just yesterday.

"Out with the old, in with the new", is a phrase that comes to mind. We've managed to make room for the new furniture and I am happy to see the positive changes that some rearranging and creativity have brought to our home since adding Nanny's furniture. I was going through a mental list in my mind the other day of some of the items that we ended up with and how, coincidentally...or maybe NOT so coincidentally, we've managed to inherit the very items we've had on our wish list for quite some time now. We've been needing a new toaster oven, since ours has been with us since the first year we were married (12 years ago) and was on the fritz...voila! We inherited Nanny's excellent toaster oven which was only a couple of years old since it was purchased brand new for her after having her condo remodeled due to damage from Hurricane Charley in 2004. I've been wanting a nice smooth-top oven range for several years since the one we bought with our house has the older style burners on it...voila! My mom gave us her smooth-top range that's in great shape since she recently purchased some new appliances for herself and no longer needed this particular oven. We've been wanting for quite some time to turn our living room into a cozier setting with some pieces of furniture and a coffee table that would create a more inviting atmosphere...voila! We inherited Nanny's beautiful Italian marble & wood coffee table, along with a great wingback chair that has a lazy-boy recliner in it! We also inherited a very comfortable brown, microfiber/suede-type fabric loveseat that was also a recent purchase of Nanny's to replace some damaged furniture in her condo after the hurricanes in 2004. The list goes on and on of the various items that I've been wanting for a while but have not had the money to justify making any new purchases of them. It is interesting to me that God has provided a way for us to acquire some of these items through my grandmother's passing away.

But, these are just things...possessions. I have always been the type of person who would rather have brand new items than something that's been passed down, mainly because I don't always share the same style or taste that someone else may have. Plus, I just love brand new and unused stuff. Since inherting some of these treasures, it has reminded me that these are all just things. They will not be traveling with me to Heaven in my final home with God. In fact, they can easily be destroyed by disasters and the elements down here on earth. Just think of the latest Hurricane Ike victims in Texas, parts of Louisiana, Ohio and Kentucky. I took a claim over the phone just last night from someone in Texas who literally lost everything in his home due to flooding. Sure, I love to shop for the newest trends and I have no problem spending money...after all, I am a female...LOL!! But, my point is that as humans, we spend so much of our time, thoughts, desires, and resources in pursuit of possessions! While they may seem temporarily gratifying to look at or to have, in the end, they really don't matter at all. I know that is something we already know in our minds. Things don't matter, but people and relationships matter. But, if you take an honest look at yourself, can you identify ways in which many of your everyday stresses, issues, goals and desires for your future revolve around possessions? It takes a lifetime to accumulate all the various, unique items and possessions one can leave to their loved ones once they have passed away. But, when the end of your life arrives and all is said and done, how much is too much? Will my life really be more fulfilled if I make that next bid and purchase on eBay or Craigslist? Sometimes, it is literally just stuff that fills up your house. Don't get me wrong, I love to look at pretty things and I am actually starting to enjoy the idea of acquiring my own collection of antique and vintage items that I find lovely and interesting. But, my heart is truly not at rest or satisfied unless I am pursuing the most precious possession of all...and that is a loving, trusting, peaceful relationship with the One who created me in the first place...my dear Lord, God! It seems that it takes many people an entire lifetime to realize that things don't ultimately satisfy. I admit that pursuing my relationship with God is not always the first priority on my list. But, I am continuing to strive to make it my top priority these days. Only in that will I find real peace and comfort in this ever-changing, unsecure world we live in right now.