Living the simple life in our 5th wheel doesn’t always work that way. I’ve been really proud of myself thinking I’ve learned to live without all the stuff. Thought I had it figured out, the wants versus the needs. And then came winter.
Have found two items that I just can’t control the overflow on. Shoes and coats! Didn’t realize until this point in my life that on any given day I wear at least four different pair of shoes. Whenever I try to tuck a pair away in the closet, out it comes again.
I have the black flip/flops (preferrably blinged out) that I wear 365 days a year. They’re my wear around the house shoes, and sometimes even out in the 8″ of snow to take the trash out. (cold, very cold!) My tennis shoes, (don’t ask me why, I’ve never been a tennis shoe person, this is something new, totally new for me, but good traction in the winter); my warm fuzzy boots I got for Christmas (just love them); and my cowboy boots (insert laughter here)(I’m nothing close to a cowgirl,other than I was born in KS, but have always been one of my favorites, just darn comfortable and cute).
I found a really cute coat hook last fall. Thought I had coats under control. But as I write this I have three coats laying on the kitchen table. Some might say, “why don’t you use the closet?”. Well, there are several coats hanging in it, and the coats I thought I could live without on a daily basis are in a tub in our cubby hole. I’m drowning in coats here. And who needs more than the good coat, the casual coat, and the jacket?
So now’s your chance to open your closet, look at the 24 pair of shoes you don’t wear, or 36, or 100 (Stephanie!). Open the coat closet, count the number of coats (10, 20, more?)…and take a moment to reflect, “I could be Michaela and have overflow at four.” And, “do I really need this much stuff?” With the coats, shoes, clothing, and stuff we all keep; well, there should just not be anyone that goes cold, hungry or thirsty.
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18
49andcounting 
Not so much coats and shoes, but books…..ya got me!