I Love My Stuff

There are some mornings like today, when I’m heading down to Jacksonville for work, that I wake up and have Steppenwolf’s song Born to Be Wild bouncing around in my head. I guess it’s my brain’s way of waking up and getting ready to hit the highway.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror first thing after I woke up, which is a pretty scary thing, actually, hair going every which way and all. Gorgeous reminds me that any day I still have hair is one I should consider a good hair day.

But I also saw the old ratty t-shirt that I slept in. I’ve had it for over 20 years now. Gorgeous has tried to get rid of it, more than once I think. But I won’t let her even though it all stretched out, has more than a few holes, and the places where there are no holes are threadbare.

My grandmother gave it to me and it has this Far Side cartoon on it. Grandma was into Far Side when Gary Larson was drawing the cartoon. She gave me the coffee mug too. I still have it along with a few others. Good stuff.

Grandma’s a cool lady.

But it got me to thinking. Why are we often so attached to stuff?

I mean I won’t let my wife throw out a very worn out old t-shirt. I say its because my grandmother gave it to me. But I haven’t seen her in years. Why is it I haven’t prioritized her enough to make the trek to New York to see her more often?

Why do we have a tendency to value stuff more than people?

Talk about having messed up priorities! We have this natural bent to treasure our things and treat people around us like trash. Do I really love my t-shirt more than my Grandma?

Sheesh!

The Bible has a bunch to say to folks like me who may fixate on stuff. Paul said this:

I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple--in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things--your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

Peter also points out that our stuff is temporary:

But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.

Don’t get too attached to your stuff. Life is too short and you’ll enjoy it more if you hold your stuff in an open hand.

Gotta hit the road.

Enjoy!

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Tags: Stuff, Life, Born to Be Wild, CREEations, Chris Cree