Cleaning Out the Garage

One of the greatest challenges of coming home from a place like Cuba is re-adjusting to the lifestyle and pace of life here in America. Don't get me wrong: the freedom and blessings of living in the US is wonderful. But it's also really hard to step back into our overwhelmingly materialistic lifestyle.

It is just that, you know. We are consumed with things here at home. Today is my day off and I really need to spend the afternoon cleaning out and organizing my garage. Why? Because over the past year, we have piled things in there that we no longer need or want. Things like clothes and games and decorative items and tools and furniture. Most of the stuff is still good and someone could use it. But for some reason not to us. I guess it's because somewhere along the way we got tired of what we had and replaced those things with new things. We can very easily do that here in America.

I was standing in my closet this morning trying to pick out a shirt to put on. You know, one of the probably 50 that are hanging there. Sounds like a lot doesn't it? But between short and long sleeves, that's probably a low number. It's not that I'm a big shopper --- they've just piled up over time. I probably saw most of them on sale and bought because it was a good deal. And it probably was --- relatively speaking.

But when is enough enough?

To be honest, I look around at what we have and compared to the people of Cuba whom I so dearly love, my family and I live like royalty. I would be embarrassed for my Cuban friends to come into our home. We're not rich compared to a lot of the people in Anderson. But we are so incredibly rich compared to the vast majority of our world.

Yvonne's car broke down while I was gone. $888 to repair it. Paying for that will be a stretch for us but we will do it. But let me give you some perspective. $888 is about FIVE YEARS of wages for the average Cuban. Yes, I said FIVE YEARS and that figure is accurate. The average wage is around $15 a month.

I spent more than that at Cracker Barrel on Saturday.

There are days that I just want to sell everything I own, move into a small place with a small payment, and use every penny I get to help someone else. I know our economy here is different. I know we need cars to get around and clothes on our backs and I know that we can honor God with the riches that He gives us and be the good stewards He calls us to be.

But how can we free ourselves from the mire of materialism that most of us are drowning in?

I'll let you know what I come up with after I finish cleaning out my garage.