A new home for my books - Thankful Thursday

Feeling thankful.

After being discouraged and even a bit scared about all of the stuff in storage, I feel like I am finally turning a corner in the sorting and pitching. For probably the first time, I have a teeny glimmer of hope. Hope that this might actually be doable.

One of the things that hinders me from getting rid of stuff is not knowing what to do with it. With my frugal upbringing, I cannot stand the idea of throwing away perfectly good things. My grandma was a recycler - nearly a century before it became a trend. I can still hear her say:

     Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.

Therefore a huge part of this downsizing process is searching for new homes for the stuff. If I can find someone who would really be able to use this item that has been so special to me or to find joy inn it, it becomes much easier for me to let go of it. Maybe it feels like part of my legacy with which I can bless someone behind me.

Yes, I am well aware that this "need" to find homes for my stuff can really hinder my progress - because it takes a lot of time and just the right connections which can be nearly impossible to find.

And yes, I am learning that the thrift store is a great place for my no-longer-needed kitchen utensils to meet up with a new owner; therefore I can usually feel good about that route - at least with ordinary stuff.

However, there are some things that are unique to me and my situation. The most looming example is my missions library. I have boxes and boxes full of missions resources. This huge collection of the best missions material out there is tightly braided with my identity as a missions mobilizer. I worked hard to carve out a place for myself in this field, this global world. Gradually I began to realize the value of my contribution to the equipping of many, many people who have served cross-culturally. A huge part of what I had to offer came in the form of making these resources available to people who had no other access to them.

So what do I do with it all? This is not the stuff you take to the local thrift store. The "market" for a library with this unique focus is pretty slim. You might call it a narrow niche. For four years I have been watching for people who would like/need any of these items and have been giving them away like crazy, but there are still piles of boxes.

Fast forward to this week...

Suddenly a young woman who may benefit from this collection. Fresh out of college and recently back from living in Africa, she has just been hired to build a missions team at an urban church. And yes, she is pleased to get my library. There is even a sweet fun connection to this place. During her formative years, she attended several retreats each year right here at our tree farm. As we connected through those years, our common bond was her heart for missions. So now as the tree farm retreat center is transitioning to its next purpose, so my missions library can be moved to her new office.

...

Oh, yah, I'm also making some really good progress with more of the "stuff" this week. Yep, I'm feeling thankful. Thankful for strength and energy. Thankful for encouragement from good friends and especially for some strategic reminders that are terrible helpful.

Thankful indeed.