“I have to have those new tennis shoes!”
“I have to have a new car!”
“I have to have that new outfit!”
If you are a parent, you have heard these statements. I admit that I’ve said the same thing even in my adult years! Sad but true.
We throw the word have around quite a bit. It just sounds so dramatic. It’s like, ” I will die if I don’t have ….!” You fill in the blank.
Yes, there are those things that we have to have! Water, air, food, and protection (clothing/dwelling) But, what do we need?
I just finished moving out of the home I had lived in for the past 20 years. Needless to say, it was quite the eye opener. It is so easy to hide all the things we have. We can put it in the attic, basement, shed, or even a storage container. We can hide it away never to be seen for 20 years. Bottom line….I HAVE WAY TOO MUCH STUFF!!
It really got me to thinking. Some of those things I have used and they are helpful. But, other things I could have done without. I could have taken the money and helped someone else. It sure would have made my move a lot easier.
The apostle Paul understood this! He realized and understood the secret to contentment. Philippians 4 says in the Message, “Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little…Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
I have to remember this! Life will be so much more peaceful and joyous!
(This post was written for The Five Minute Friday writing group.)
Psalm 71 Blog 
Learning that contentment is sometimes a hard thing because so often we give something away just to discover a need for it…. but still… like you, we have too much stuff. FMF13
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I know! I am a retired teacher and thought I needed things for my classroom.
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❤️❤️
Sent from my iPhone
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I recently moved as well, and it was definitely a reminder that we have way too much stuff. Good word today – we sure do need to learn contentment. Visiting from FMF#11
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I completely identify with you. I too have just moved out of my house of twenty years and downsized to a granny flat, and I too had way too much stuff. So, well written!
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So true, I have a basement storage room full of my family’s haves. And no one wants to deal with it!
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Yes – so true! I have a basement storage room full of our family’s haves! And no one wants to deal with it!
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Wise words and much I can identify with.
Thanks for sharing.
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I just HAD to reread Psalm 71 – and love that you derive your blogger name through that psalm. Thank you for the great reminder concerning godly contentment. I oftentimes find myself inwardly saying, “Better Hebrews 13:5 it!”
~ Cindie@ FMF #29
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Thank you. I have to be reminded all the time. I appreciate your comment. I didn’t know if you saw it, but I am preparing my first book to be published. It is a children’s book based on my mother, who died of Alzheimer’s last year.
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Sure, I have a lot of stuff,
some I may not use again,
but tossing it is kinda rough,
and so I just let it remain,
’cause cancer brings finality
and ‘death cleaning’ underscores
that grim and hard reality
that there will be no open doors
waiting for me round the bend,
and my best days are behind.
Saying otherwise, I’d just pretend,
trying to keep me blind,
but I don’t have to emphasize
that which I wish were otherwise.
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I wish it were otherwise too, my friend. Thank you for adding your always poignant thoughts via your God-given talent of putting your thoughts to verse.
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