Making Room

For the last several years, Carly and I made a decision that we were not going to buy additional book shelves for our ever growing collection of books. Instead, we made a decision that when we buy new books (unless they are digital books) we would have to make room for the books on the shelves we already own. As you can imagine for two pastors who have come from families that value books, this has not been an easy transition. In order to fit the new book or books on our shelves, we find ourselves asking questions such as, “Is this a book that will have some lasting value?” Will we use this book more than just a couple of times?” “Do we really need to buy this book or can we borrow it from the library?” “For what reasons are we attracted to this book?” If we purchase the book and we have to make room for the new ones, we take a look at our old collection and see which ones we have not looked at in a long time or perhaps the topic or material  is outdated, then we remove it from our collection. We might sell it on half.com, pass it on to another person that would appreciate the book, or we donate it to the library. Regardless we make room for something new.

Recently,  I wanted to reduce my file cabinet collection of twelve full drawers to one four drawer file cabinet. You can imagine what a task that was, but I was able to do it. As I began cleaning files, I had material from my college years, Seminary notes and papers. I found material that dated back to my first Confirmation class. I found material that I prepared for some of my very first Bible studies.  I found my Ordination paper I wrote twenty-five years ago,  and countless other resources that I've collected and used at one time or another. In a day and age when there is so much information stored digitally, it makes sense to lighten the load and find new ways to accumulate, store, and use the plethora of material that is now available to the average American. Change makes all of this possible.

Deciding on books, storing books, going through years and years of files and deciding which ones to keep and which resources have served their purpose and which ones are no longer helpful is what I've been up to lately. When I find  resources that no longer serve my ministry, I might flip through pages, re-read some of the material, bathing in the special memories for a moment and celebrate what, at one time, was what I needed, but like so much in life, I've moved beyond that resource and need to find new resources that will serve me better today.

It seems to me the task of living and loving every day is about making room for something new; learn new ways to relate to one another. We need to take time to bathe in special memories, and move forward into the future with a different set of tools, expectations, hopes and dreams that are needed to embrace our new experiences.  I wonder if God gets bored with the sameness of life and I think that’s why God puts a lot of value in creating and renewing. God endowed all of us with creativity and has given us the skills to do some amazing things. God calls us to keep our eyes on the new possibilities and to live into this exciting new day. When making room for this new day, we’ll quickly learn is that this new time requires a different set of tools, skills and new ways to live and love together. 

 Is it time to go through book shelves of once helpful quotes, "how to do" books, or  insights that served us well at one time, but are no longer usable?  Is it time to go through the  file cabinets of past grudges, old behaviors that served us well, but now it is time to leave behind and find new tools and skills that will be more helpful and relevant? As you sort through your books to make room for something new and as you sort through the files that you will soon leave in another place, bathe in the memories for a moment, bless them as a part of who you are today,  move to the new place where God is calling you, and rejoice in the new creation you are becoming.