(July 29, 2024) Mama Lava admits an issue, sharing a challenging thought…

I am a stuffer, how about you? Do you have stuffed stuff?

Let’s talk about craft supplies. Feel free to substitute whatever it is you tend to stuff out of sight and out of mind.

Stuffing Stuff!
My issue is that I threw away some craft supplies when I moved a few years ago. And since then, I’ve needed them. That’s the way it works, right?

So now, I hesitate to throw them away. When I finish a project, I store the remnants. I put them in a box, labelled with the project name, and stuff them in my closet.

And now my closet is full… stuff is spilling out into my room. And I need to do something about it.

I was thinking about this on my walk this morning (A mountain sunrise such as the above is a wonderful reward for getting out of bed early!) I was trying to decide if it is beneficial to be a stuffer. It does save me money, but does it hurt my sanity?

Stuffing Emotions!
As I took my walk, the Holy Spirit had another question for me… what about my emotions? Is it good for me to stuff those?

This is certainly another area where I’m guilty of stuffing. When something difficult happens, I immediately look for the positive. I hold onto a silver lining and stuff the rest out of sight.

On the surface, it seems healthy. I’m optimistic and pleasant to be around—until I’m not! So I answered His question: No, it is not good for me to stuff my emotions. They, like craft supplies, end up spilling into shared areas of my life and causing disruption.

Some people give free rein to their emotions. I think that is just as dangerous as what I do. But somewhere, in the middle, is God’s perfect plan.

Stuffing Assistance
‘Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace’ (Romans 8:5-6).

As I gain control of my stuffed craft supplies, I’m going to pray about sorting through my emotions too. I need to—

• Inspect them.
• Weigh their value.
• Keep only what is useful.

It is the same process, but I think the craft supplies will be easier to let go off!

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is faithful. He helps me obey the Lord. He makes God’s plans successful in me.

‘If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth’ (John 14:15-17a).

Are you a stuffer? Do you have stuffed stuff piling up and spilling over?What do you need to eliminate?

Stuffing Essentials
Well, today, on yet another morning walk, I thought more about stuffed stuff. I let my mind wander to times when it is good to stuff lots of stuff away. I thought about things I stuff without remorse.

Some examples, I decided, are winter clothes during the summer, and Christmas decorations after the holiday. I don’t want to repurchase those things, so they are reasonable to store while not in use. What else?

It can be wise to stuff a few dollars aside. And I keep a file stuffed with ideas for future DIY projects. But— there is one thing that came to mind as essential to stuff. Do you know what it is? God’s word!

Psalm 119:11 is good advice about stuffing God’s word: ‘I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you’ as is Psalm 37:31,‘The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.’

Yes! God’s word is something we can, and should, gather and guard! We should stuff so much of it into our hearts and minds that it overflows and pours out everywhere! Proverbs 4:7,13 encourages ‘The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.’

Some things are acceptable, even commendable, to collect and save. We can certainly never have too much wisdom from God’s word!

Now that we’ve talked more about stuffed stuff, what things would you say are appropriate to keep?

________________________________________________
Mama Lava delights to share openly and honestly from her heart. She sincerely believes in making the big world a bit smaller through caringly connecting, that Jesus wants to remove our anxieties and give us His joy. In her encouragements, Mama Lava regularly tells of life experiences from an unapologetically Christian viewpoint. Link: Mama Lava’s Back Porch (Doses of Maternal Love).
_________________________________________________