Investing

January 23, 2017

WHAT AM I INVESTING IN?

I woke up this morning with the word invest on my mind. Last night I fell asleep on the couch after I watched an episode of a TV show I had recorded. I thought I'd just fall asleep for a little, but ended up spending the night because it was unusually comfortable. It has been years since I slept on the couch. 

How have I invested regarding my stuff? Lots of money and lots of time. How am I investing in my stuff now? Lots and lots of time and money as I'm taking off work. How can I invest different based upon God's principle of sowing and reaping and doing it His way? 

Yesterday I gathered some stuff and filled up half my front room, asked a friend who owns an exclusive second hand, collectible store in town to come and see if she wanted to buy anything. I had envisioned her buying $100 worth or double that. We had tea and a visit, which was nice, but left after spending $2. I was deflated. I had such high hopes of return on my investment. Now what? I give it away. I can still feel that urge to hold onto some stuff in hopes of selling and making a little, but is it worth it?

What if I do what I believe the Lord is telling me to do and trust in Him to provide for my need instead of trying to sell my stuff to make some money? Yes, I need money, more than what I make, but is what I've been doing making a difference and adding to my life or creating a burden? What if I repent for wasting my time and money and give it to the Lord. I'll ask the Lord what to do with my stuff and do it. if I change how I am investing and give to others, I will reap a harvest. What harvest do I want? I want to be productive, I want to be generous, and I want to sow God's way.

With investing on my mind, I woke up refreshed and ready to box this stuff up and give it away.

So I looked up invest in the 1828 dictionary and was surprised by the definition.

INVEST', v.t. [L. investio; in and vestio, to clothe. See Vest.] 1. To clothe; to dress; to put garments on; to array; usually and most correctly followed by with, before the thing put on; as, to invest one with a mantle or robe. In this sense, it is used chiefly in poetry and elevated prose, not in colloquial discourse. 2. To clothe with office or authority; to place in possession of an office, rank or dignity; as, to invest a person with a civil office, or with an ecclesiastical dignity. 3. To adorn; to grace; as, to invest with honor. 4. To clothe; to surround; as, to be invested with light, splendor or glory. 5. To confer; to give. [Little used.] 6. To inclose; to surround; to block up, so as to intercept succors of men and provisions and prevent escape; to lay siege to; as, to invest a town. 7. To clothe money in something permanent or less fleeting; as, to invest money in funded or bank stock; to invest it in lands or goods. In this application, it is always followed by in.

It's interesting that originally the word was mainly used in reference to cloth oneself or surround. But defining invest as to clothe money in something permanent or less fleeting caused much thought. This creates an interesting mental picture: to clothe money in something permanent or less fleeting.

I don't have anymore thoughts on this right now, it's just interesting.

So off to exercise then happily box and box and box so I can give and give and give. In the future, with God's help, I will never get into this spot again. Decluttering 40 years of accumulated stuff and being unorganized has been such a burden. Lost opportunities, forgotten ideas, wrong priorities, inordinate or misplaced values, wasteful expenditures, self-centered focus and actions...all I give to the Lord and I am forgiven. I know that as I obey now and work in cooperation with Him to move out the excess and unneeded stuff, I will be changed and be able to focus on what is of real value and reset my priorities. First in all I do is to love and get to know the Lord. To trust and lean on Him to provide for my every need. To receive His thoughts as my own and believe on Him for He is God and I am not. That is what I want to invest in, to be clothed in and surrounded in. And I want to invest in what I need to be doing to further my education to be able to provide for myself and have much to give. At the same time believing in God to give me seed so I can sow.

What Really Matters?

January 23, 2017

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

What really matters is what I'm beginning to learn. Time matters because it is nonrenewable. I cannot make it or buy it or trade for it. Once it is used it is gone. It doesn't stop, unless by a miracle when Joshua defeated the Amorites at Gibeon.

There was a need and a plea:
6 So the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not [a]abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all [five of] the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have assembled against us.”

Joshua answered that call for help:

 7 So Joshua [b]went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the men of valor.

God encouraged Joshua and promised him victory:8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, because I have given them into your hand; not [c]one of them shall stand before you.” 

Joshua obeyed the Lord (sowed in faith):

9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, [surprising them] by marching [uphill] all night from Gilgal. 10 And the Lord caused them to panic and be confused before Israel, and He struck them dead in a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones [of hail] from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. More [Amorites] died because of the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

Joshua reaped a harvest:

12-13 The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening:

“Stop, Sun, over Gibeon;
Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley.”
And Sun stopped,
Moon stood stock still
Until he defeated his enemies.

13-14 (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since—God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel.

That was a wonderful detour. But back to time matters.

Time matters. How am I spending my time? Am I considering it valuable, more valuable than my stuff? Am I being wise and decluttering as the Lord leads or am I trying to make my own way and redeem what I lost in money and time? What if I spent a little more time and boxed up what I don't want or can't use and give them away. I can posted a few more expensive items online? I would have more time to spend on what I value more. Only God can redeem what was lost and even then I must come to peace with what cannot be changed or undone.

"What is clutter? Clutter is anything you’re keeping around your house that doesn’t add value to your life. Decluttering is all about making room in your home for the things that matter."

January 14, 2017

I took off work this week to concentrate my efforts to declutter. Now and then I read articles that come across my Facebook feed. I like 'Becoming Minimalist' by Joshua Becker. But the following quote comes from another site:

http://www.budgetdumpster.com/resources/how-to-declutter-your-home.php

"What is clutter? Clutter is anything you’re keeping around your house that doesn’t add value to your life. Decluttering is all about making room in your home for the things that matter."

I like that definition. I have so much stuff. I bought some of it thinking I'd be able to do a project, great ideas, but didn't follow through. I'm learning a lot about my thinking and doing. I've found it hard to let go of stuff, but it's getting easier.

I look so forward to having a house that is organized and filled with 'things that matter' rather than having stuff that doesn't add value to my life and actually takes too much of my life and time. It keeps me from being productive. I got a little discouraged today just going through backed up paperwork and cleaning out little areas. I had to pause and refocus. I want it to be done, I want to just get rid of it all real fast, but I can't as I have to sort it out. It's getting easier to get rid of things that are just clutter even though I like it.

Just watched a Ted Ed video, "Why are We so Attached to Our Things?"

*Endowment Effect - we value things much more highly just as soon as we own them.

*Many of us are attached to celebrity items or as if they were somehow imbued with the essence of their former celebrity owner.

*For similar reasons, many of us are reluctant to part with family heirlooms which help us feel connected to lost loved ones.

*We feel attached to our things, but it can go too far. Part of the cause of hoarding disorder is an exaggerated sense of responsibility and protectiveness towards one's belongings. That's why people with this condition find it so difficult to throw anything away.

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My week has come to an end as today is Monday, January 23, 2017. I have learned a lot about what really matters...but that is for the next blog. So until then.........

Down to One Shelf!

I took over 6 shelves and saved a little over 1 shelf. I posted the books on the Community Facebook Page and several friends wanted a couple books. Now I'll post on a Buy/Sell group.

This is what is left:

Books, Books and More Books

I'm leaving the clothes and am inspired to go through the books. The realtor I met with about 2 months ago suggested the bookcases in the hallway be gone to create a more open feeling when I asked her what she would address. I will sell the house as is, but I want it to look appealing.

Today, Micah helped me blow (compressor) the books so I could sort and separate the books. I started to organize them by author. I realized that so many are on knowing God, abiding in Him and prayer. I cried when I realized my lifelong search for God and not getting to know Him as He is, but making Him into what I thought He should be and my heart was grieved. I am different now and look forward as I get to know Him as He wants to be know, to love Him as He really is and to serve Him because He is God and I want to express my love to Him by giving all that I am and have to Him.

This article was helpful.

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/breaking-the-sentimental-attachment-to-books/

I used to think that I wanted a library, how fun it would be to have a library where my family could come and borrow books or sit and read. Could it be that I also wanted to impress others? Did I think that having a lot of books and growing in knowledge made me a better and more spiritual person?

Now back to the books. I want to press in until it's done because this will be the first big purge that I actually finish. I don't have much time to dawdle and need to learn to work faster. 

Lord, help me to know myself and why I do what I do so I can live in reality knowing my need and cooperating with You to become free and be in control instead of the stuff and my emotions controlling me.

First step is organize by author, thumb through books for bookmarks, note papers and TP/Kleenex (haha). I wonder if others use TP/Kleenex as bookmarks. I remember talking to a librarian about some of the unusual ones they find.

I am really shocked to see how many books I have. They were double stacked and two layers. Oh my. And these are just the books about growing as a Christian and pursuing God. There are still several other categories. Now I'll see which ones to keep.

It's 1:30 am and I've been at it all night for many hours. I'm tired and my neck/shoulders hurt, but I really want to keep going as it's been a productive day. I need to sleep, wake up refreshed and go for it again. Nighty, night!

Finished Clothes...No!

Well, I didn't finish my clothes. Legitimate things came up and it is unfinished and unorganized. I'm also loosing weight so I feel hesitant. I know there is a bigger issue of just liking lots of variety, but ever coming to the surface is the thought of becoming free of stuff and the emotional hold it has on me.

Oh my gosh, several things happened that I needed to deal with and weren't easy. I hadn't eaten breakfast so I was feeling the effects of blood sugar changes. I looked around and got overwhelmed with the mess I'd left after working outside at a garden job most of the day and in the hot sun so I was worn out. And I sold the Merc yesterday and did a few things around here and wiped out early. I could feel my brain overloaded and starting to shut down, GABA always helps and I got my protein shake and Ezekiel toast ready.

But I'm not going to let that stop me. I'll finish dealing with what's left to do, clean up and get started even though I feel the effects of the overwhelmed stressful feeling of my body shutting down and wanting to sleep. I'll push past through it. Help me Lord.

I have a kink in my right shoulder, but I won't let that pull me away from my goal and do a few stretches and deep breathing.

2:30 Update
So I got the house straightened up, made some phone calls, did laundry, exercised a little and did deep breathing. I got the room ready and am working on the clothes with resolve. Everytime I begin to think about what I'm going to do with 'such and such' and I haven't even taken it out of the closet, I grab that thought and let it go since I'm not there yet. I'll just deal with one thing at a time. I'm looking forward to less because less is more.

Goal: go through my clothes in the closet and separate into groups...

-to keep currently in my closet so items are neat and organized

-to store for a future use (I'll be very careful about this one) and how to store it

-to give away

-to sell

That sounds simple and I hope it is simpler than I feel it's going to be, but I want to be free.