Treasuring Things

Once again, I sit surrounded by clothing. I’ve been dreading this task for months, and continued to put it off. As I pick up each shirt or dress, I can picture the girls wearing it. For some clothes, its easy to decide whether to keep them or not, because they are badly stained, horribly worn, or stretched beyond repair. Yet others, I’ve found, hold more sentiment than I had imagined. A sweet pair of pink sweatpants and purple bunny shirt that Emma wore on our move to Fort Worth, a pink romper Clara wore when we moved into our home only weeks after she was born.
The reality is, with 4 girls, the amount of clothing we have stored for them is incredible! We have a closet overflowing with clothes that no one can wear at the moment, but will one day fit someone. It can’t all make the move with us! So here I sit, trying to decide which of the 3 Christmas dresses I have for Aleza should stick around for Lucy, reminding myself that what I hold in my hands is merely material and holds no eternal value.
Coming off of Christmas and reading through the story of the birth of Christ, I am reminded of Mary and when the shepherds came to her after Jesus was born proclaiming him as Messiah. Scripture says “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) The Greek word communicates a sense of retaining the memories. Just as Mary chose to cherish those memories into her mind, I am learning to keep the memories the girl’s clothes hold and let loose of the items. I feel this is the first of many times the Lord will have to remind me to let go of the things I once held dear as we continue to downsize our home as we prepare to serve Him in Rome.