Can we just take a moment to acknowledge how difficult it is to shop for clothing for children who are smack-dab in the middle of random growth spurts? Yes, this size fits now, but will it fit 2 months from now when it is actually needed? This kid goes through pants like he goes through toilet paper (...okay so maybe that's not the BEST comparison) so I know I need a bigger size, but how far in advance shall I plan? Why is it that a pair of jeans can increase only one size, but roughly double in price? Is this fad going to last until Christmas break, or am I wasting precious money and closet space on something that won't be worn after the first round of school photos?
Ah, the closet space... That's where my mind was buzzing as I was organizing all the new shirts and pants we "needed" for this school year. Jack had come to me announcing that since he ran out of hangers, he couldn't finish cleaning his room, which included the task of putting away clean laundry. Bless his heart. I quickly solved his problem by handing him a bunch of hangers from my own closet and gently shoving him back to the direction of his room. That left me, however, with a scarcity of my own ability to finish hanging up my clothes. For a moment I thought, "Hmm... Looks like I need to buy more hangers."
But then something caught in my spirit... What if what I need is not to buy more hangers, but instead to have less clothing to put away?
I looked around the state of my bedroom. I would definitely not allow my children to have friends over if their rooms looked like mine. Why is it that my bedroom is always the last one to be cleaned? Stacks of jewelry, books, papers, personal items, and yes, clothing sat around waiting to be dealt with. It was a bit depressing! Where does this clutter come from? To be honest, this is not the stuff I'm focusing on when I'm checking the daily sales at Zulily, or the Target app for free shipping deals. Whenever I'm shopping, I'm focused on what I feel I need and don't have; not the piles of stuff taking up space in my house. It goes beyond the state of my house to the state of my heart. What unending void am I trying to fill with stuff?
Have you heard of the Japanese art of decluttering by getting rid of objects that don't "spark joy"? It's a real thing: read more here. The idea is that when you pick up an item you own, you will either immediately feel joy because of its presence, or you will not. Items that don't immediately invoke a sense of happiness should be discarded. According to Marie Kondo, author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Cleaning Up: The Japanese art of decluttering and organizing”, this is the key to living a joy-filled life. Though I don 't agree with the entirety of this philosophy, Kondo may be on to something. What if our contentment lies not in what we obtain, but in what we give away?
As the old saying goes, "Money can't buy happiness." According to psychological studies it's true. There is a direct correlation between generosity and the feeling of happiness or joy. In my brief research, I found that this truth is consistent across the board. For example, take this super awesome and nerdy scientific data for those with giant brains. According to scientific studies, even the decision to be generous to others, let alone the act of being generous in and of itself, actually stimulates the joy centers of the brain. I find that absolutely fascinating, but not shocking.
The Bible illustrates again and again the concept of denying oneself and elevating others as a source of true joy. In the account given in the book of Acts, we see the building of the very first Church. I don't mean a brick building with a cross on the roof. The first churches (as in where it was held: lower case "c") existed in the homes of faithful followers of Jesus. By building the Church (God's followers: capital "C") I mean setting forth the foundational principles by which these gatherings should be conducted. These people literally shared everything they had with one another. Generosity and giving was absolutely fundamental to the creation of God's Church. They were commissioned to take care of orphans, widows, and generally the poor (James 1:27). Further, Luke states in Acts 20:35 that Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
So now we circle back around to my closet and the hanger dilemma. I'm going to call it the "Hanger Challenge." Instead of buying more hangers to accommodate an ever-growing wardrobe, I hereby challenge myself to get rid of some of the clothing items I no longer use and give them away to the less fortunate, thereby creating empty hangers I can reuse. (Side note: when something is truly worn out, don't just give it away, THROW it away. Clothing charities don't need our trash.) Furthermore, I will continue to challenge myself that for every new clothing item I purchase, I will give an article away.
Buying more things can never fill the need for joy in my life, but maybe giving some away will. It may not only bring happiness in the moment, but also make room (in my heart) for more joy to come. There is much more I could say on the topic of giving and generosity, but that is for another blogpost on another day. Today is about letting go of what I don't need and blessing others by sharing that with which God has already blessed me. Will you join me in a "Hanger Challenge" of your own?
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