my closet: skeletons and wrapping paper

today marked the first day of real, true fall. last night the temperature dropped enough to warrant a real jacket, and this morning a light rain started, and has been petering on and off throughout the day. it's been cloudy and cold, and thanks to this first real rain, my jeep is lightly skidding over the newly wet, oil-slicked streets. we turned on the heat in the house, i'm drinking tea as i go to bed, and i'm wearing slippers.

most importantly, i traded my summer wardrobe out for my fall/winter wardrobe.

this means talking winter clothes out of the guest closet, into my room, and hanging them up. this also means going through my closet and pulling out all purely summer clothes and putting them away in a fashion in which they will not be a wrinkled, knotted mess in 6 months. it means taking things off hangers, organizing, folding and then re-hanging things on hangers. it means donations to goodwill.

it also means i become aware of how silly i am about hangers.

i am very particular about which hangers hang up which clothes, and which hangers i want to use for specific, certain shirts. in fact, as i was cleaning, i noticed how much i depend on hanger varieties:

and, as much as i do not want to admit it, i have discovered i am a hoarder. of weird, certain things... like, specifically purses, and gift wrapping material. see below for exhibit a and exhibit b:

exhibit a: (please note these are my purses, in between a goodwill pile and a 'to be folded/summer clothes' pile. there are about 20 purses):

 exhibit b: yes, everything you see between the two bookshelves is material to wrap presents... boxes, bags, paper, bows. oh, and party hats. how, and more importantly WHY, am i collecting this all?

 i have too much.

too many clothes (even though that seems like an oxymoron). too many boxes. too many bows. too many hangers. too many ribbons, and papers and bags and sweaterdresses and tshirts and skirts. i have too much, and i keep it all.

this has led me to focus, today, on my blessings. i am blessed, beyond measure, to live in a home, a city, a state, a country where i can have too much. i can hoard boxes and dresses and hangers, and in reality, i bet most people wouldn't tell you i have too much (well, maybe too many gift wrapping things. that's freakin' insane). but honestly, i live in a place where my comfort is achievable every single day. i never want for anything; if i really want something, i go buy it. if life is 'tough', i have to wait a few weeks, maybe even months, before i can save enough to buy it.

this is not just limited to my closets, clothes and otherwise. i have so much- so many friends, so many opportunities, so many people that love me, so much. again, i am blessed beyond measure, and i want for nothing. i not only have a house, but a home, filled with food, furniture, 2 dogs, a roommate and things i don't need. if this were to somehow disappear, i would have my parents' house, filled with food, furniture, 2 dogs (funny enough), family and love. there is little that i can truly say is missing in my life. 

i have so much. when i reflect on all these blessings, it makes me think of others who don't have. who want for something every day. for patrick the vampire from hell who is hungry and standing in the rain. for the women i've met in africa, who can barely provide for their 3 or 4 kids, let alone eat for themselves. for those in far away countries or nearby cities where it's not the norm to have your own car or a family that loves you.

we learned in church today about cheerful giving. giving because we are provided for, and we will be provided for more when we give away more. honestly, i missed most of the sermon cause i was late (running a race) but what i took away was this: give. God has given us so much. i may not feel like i have a million dollars (i don't), a fancy car (just a regular car) or an amazing, well paying job (a have three great, semi- well paying jobs), but i have so much more, and what i have is not counted in my possessions.

i give during the week, emotionally, physically and financially. but there is always room for more to give. i want to give cheerfully, and i want to give more, so that i can get more back, in order to give even more. it's a weird, never-ending cycle that will not only reap rewards for those i am giving to, but for me in seeing the benefits of my giving. that's why we are called to give. we must give away what we have- giving away, in order to be filled.

now that's an oxymoron i like better than having too many clothes.