Have you ever stopped to consider how much of your stuff you actually use? Take a moment to consider what items you have used so far today…only personal items, not things that belong to your office or your family…but your own stuff. I’m someone that really does appreciate a minimalist lifestyle. I try to be paperless as much as circumstances allow and I am constantly getting rid of stuff. Dave Bruno decided enough was enough in the consumerism challenge and he decided to take a year and live with only 100 personal items. He chronicles his journey in the book The 100 Thing Challenge. This book is a quick read and definitely gives you a chance to assess what you really need and what you should get rid of. Is your stuff controlling you or is your stuff simply a resource to help you become all that God created you to be for His glory and the good of others?
I highlighted a few key thoughts while reading and have posted those below…
- We’re so distracted, we’re missing our own lives.
- Things so often don’t enhance our lives, but are barriers to fully living our lives.
- “We are impoverishing ourselves in pursuit of a consumption goal that is inherently unachievable.” Juliet Schor, sociologist
- The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
- The truth is that our material possessions, rather than helping us understand our limits and our place in the world, regularly distort our perspective.