I am an admitted packrat.  I can't stand to get rid of anything.  I mean nothing, unless it's true pure garbage.

 I have things I used in high school (&*^% years ago) that I will never use again.

  I have all of my books from college that haven't been opened since my last class. 

 Enough Tupperware and Pampered Chef and the like to fill 3 kitchens.  And of that I have about 12 utensils I use regularly, about 8 containers I use regularly (I do use all of the pantry containers), and only about 6 pots/pans/baking dishes I use regularly.  A few extra pieces I use around the holidays.

I can't even describe how many serving bowls, platters, and the like I have.  We used to have huge parties (50-70 family members) but rarely do anymore.  And if we do, everybody brings something now.

Clothes, clothes and more clothes for the kids.  I never know what to keep and what not to keep for hand me downs for my kids.  I have every pair of blue jeans that 2 of mine and 2 of my sisters have ever worn.  I am going to someday make a quilt out of these.  50 plus of their t-shirts I have kept to someday make them quilts with.

Sheets and blankets like you can't imagine.  I only use 2 sets per bed.  But, I may have overnight company and need to make 4,289 sleeping spots.

And then there's the toys.  Oh my, I could make Toys'R'Us cringe if I ever opened a store.  That is undoubtedly the hardest of all for me to get rid of, with their clothes coming in second.

I have been weeding out things like mad.  We are building a new church building, so most of the kitchenware has gone there.  I've found homes for most of the clothing and tons of the toys that I have been able to part with. 

This morning I was planning to go in the toy room and finish clearing out.  I just can't do it.  It will be almost empty when I carry out the last few boxes that we already packed up to get rid of.  They don't play with hardly any of what they have.  I have my one box that I allowed myself to keep for sentimental purposes.  They are going to want new things at Christmas.  So, it isn't like they are going to be toyless children.  But it makes my heart hurt.  It makes my throat tighten.  It almost brings tears to my eyes. 

Why do I have such a hard time letting go of these material things?  They won't remember them in 20 years.  I won't either.

These material things are so minute in the broad scheme of things.  I have a happy loving family and home, so it isn't like they are filling a void.  The mess they create drives me crazy.  So what is it that makes it so difficult to let them go?

I have prayed relentlessly about this.  God has given me the courage and strength to go ahead and toss things.  But, I can't seem to get past the heartache of it.