Downsizing?

I own a lot of stuff. Merely living in the U.S. drops me into that category. I'm 24 and I own a house. It amazes me how much stuff I have when I really stop and look around at all of it. I must have hundreds of dollars worth of stuff in every room of the house. I've got a garage with several thousand dollars worth of stuff in it. I've got stuff that I use all the time and I've got stuff that I almost never use. Wow, I've got a lot of stuff.

So maybe I over-used the word stuff a little?

But seriously, its accurate. And, I've got a thought.

My stuff requires attention. I've got to clean, heat, and cool the house; I wash, refuel, and maintain the car. I pay the utilities, cable, and internet bill. I mow the lawn, shovel the driveway, feed the dog, and the list goes on. And, its not going to slow down. With two kids en route, the amount of stuff in my house will only increase.

My thought is this.

Maintaining, cleaning, fixing, and using my stuff can consume my life if I let it. It can consume my resources, time, and energy. Jesus tells us not to set our desires on the things of this world, but on heavenly things. By having so much stuff, I think it becomes difficult to not be consumed by it.

In my mind, less stuff = more resources, time, and energy with which to serve Jesus. Stuff takes away from things that are really important.

Unfortunately, it seems impossible to achieve "less stuff" without drastic lifestyle changes. For example, I must have a house if I plan on having children (which I do). Secondly, I must have a vehicle. It's literally impossible to function without one. Its inconvenient not to have internet. Cell phones are a must. The list goes on and on. The resources, time, and energy saved is minimal with downsizing. In some cases, downsizing isn't even worth it.

The crazy part is, my wife and I work full time in career related jobs. We make more money than I would've guessed we'd make at this point in our lives. AND, we probably spend at least 70% of it on bills/expenses. Granted, we're saving for an adoption. But, with no kids, I can't believe its already necessary for both of us to work full time to survive. It seems ridiculous when the average person makes much less than we do.

Maybe my standards are too high? Maybe I just need to say 'thanks' to God for all he's blessed me with and be ok with it? Maybe I'm rambling and none of this actually holds water at all.

What do you think?