We have been in this home 13 years.  We’re thinking we’d like another home with a few more acres.  Not right now, but soon.  Looking towards a future sale, I thought, “Why wait?” Let’s get started now on clearing the house of things not worth packing up for a move.   I challenged myself to fill a certain number of bags and boxes for donation or trash each week.  It seemed like the more I decluttered the house, the more clutter surfaced.  It became a frustrating never-ending battle.  The Lord put it on my heart to stop and give this problem some deliberate thought.   How could a seemingly frugal household constantly produce so many bags of clutter?   I’m not a shopper. I don’t go to very many stores, especially the home goods type stores.  I’m not even a good window shopper.  Where was all this stuff coming from?

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.  Song of Solomon 2:15

The answer came one afternoon as I picked up a sweet little fall decor item.  So pretty!  Only $1!  It will look nice on the mantel!  There is your problem, the Lord told me.  You don’t buy big ticket items, but you think nothing of throwing a few $1 items in your basket each week.  They add up.  You don’t notice it at first, however slowly but surely, you are building a collection of clutter.  Then suddenly you are overwhelmed .   

Then the Lord said to me, This goes way beyond knick-knacks, Ann.

Ouch.

“It is the little things of life that develop the spirit in men and women and determine the character…. In words, in tones, in gestures, in looks, you can represent the spirit of Jesus. He who neglects these little things, and yet flatters himself that he is ready to do wonderful things for the Master, will be in danger of failing altogether. Life is not made up of great sacrifices and wonderful achievements, but of little things.”  -My Life Today, p.172