I love this message so much. It’s an excellent real-life example of how understanding the Container Concept is so helpful for those of us who see the value in cool stuff!
Dear Dana,
A friend from church just offered me a “moving box size tote” of crochet cotton (the tiny thread used to make doilies and lace table cloths).
I do crochet. I make things like afghans, scarfs, and hats. I’ve never done doilies and the like. Also, I am learning to knit. Even so, I don’t spend a lot of time doing either at this point in my life.
I desperately wanted to accept this large tote of fascinating yarn that would help me learn a new way to make beautiful things.
But I have one moving box size tote of yarn already. It fits nicely under the nightstand beside my bed.
Because I’ve been reading, watching, and listening to you for the last 8 months or so, I knew some things:
- The tote I have is my container.
- The space in my house that I can devote to yarn (under the nightstand) won’t accommodate another large tote.
- In my “right now life,” I don’t have time to learn a new style of crochet (no matter how desperately my “fantasy self” would love to try).
So, I turned down the nice lady’s generous offer (which was most likely part of her own decluttering efforts).
I did say I’d take a few rolls of yarn that I could experiment and learn with sometime (because my current container has room for it).
My house is a work in progress, as you can see from the top surface of my nightstand in the photo. But I’m learning how to make it better, and how not to make it worse, from your content.
I know you’ve been at this slob-blog business for a long time. I just wanted to let you know you’re still reaching new minds and hearts.
I read your book Giving God the Worst of Me. In fact it’s one of the books on the nightstand. I love it so much. Your message–about decluttering, and about finding God’s strength in your weakness–is so moving and relevant. Sometimes I wish we could have coffee and chat for real. Thank you for putting yourself out there. You are an immense blessing.
I love this message SO MUCH!!! Embracing limits is freeing and makes decisions so much easier. It’s not that she doesn’t see the beauty and value of the crochet thread, and it’s not even that she can’t take some of it, but she knows that bringing it ALL home isn’t an option if she wants to maintain the progress she’s made. There simply isn’t room for all of it.