The Path we leave behind us

“He leads me in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3

My husband and I have reached the age where we need to look carefully at what to save and what to purge from our lives. Even though we downsized from a larger home to a smaller one several years ago, there is still a lot that could, and probably should be eliminated. Complicating the task, in the time frame from when we moved to the smaller living space, we have also acquired things from family members who have gone to their eternal resting place. Going through our own items is difficult enough. Having to sort through the emotional attachment to theirs as well as ours often makes the task seem insurmountable.

But procrastination only makes things more difficult.

Tackling the task isn’t easy. There are a lot of memories attached to so many things, but if we don’t make some effort to let go of what is behind, we become weighed down with too much stuff. Not only that, but we will create a heavier burden for the children and grandchildren to bear. Making the right choices on what to save for them and what to get rid of isn't much fun. Although I am making a genuine effort to remove that which is no longer beneficial, I know there are many items that I won’t get rid of yet. Some of the things, like my grandmother’s 20-piece glass punch bowl set, are simply too precious. Old photos of people who I have no idea who they are, are not.

Little by little, piece by piece, I choose to leave a less cluttered path for those who come behind me to walk on. There are certainly times when I simply want to give up, but I won’t. Instead I will press forward and ask myself these questions as I do so:

• Is it useful/helpful?

• What is its value? (Emotional or financial)

• Is it worth saving?

I can’t see into the future, but I can do my best each day to make today count. Choosing to be productive in some positive way has immense benefits. Not just in the day to day feeling of accomplishing something, but more importantly, to do my very best with the time the Lord has given me. The thing I desire most to leave my children and grandchildren, is a path that leads them into a deep and meaningful relationship to Jesus Christ.

I will do everything I can while I am living to make sure that path as uncluttered as possible.