You may remember Life - One Big Project #1 and then there was Life - One Big Project #1, Take Two…Well, I didn’t accomplish either project the first time around and the second time around was another bust. So, I thought I would try it again, only forget about the first and start all over again with an entirely new project. Okay, I will definitely accomplish this project. I’m certain of it because there is no room for failure. Basically, if I’m not done by March 2, then whatever is left will be left. We’re moving and I have less than 25 days to finish packing up my home. The moving truck is coming and I don’t think they will have any mercy if I’m not done. It isn’t as bad as it sounds, but it is as bad as it looks.

The only thing I’m sure of is that we’re going to reduce the amount of “stuff” we have. The problem is determining what to give away and what to throw away. As time becomes next to nothing, I can hear the local landfill whispering in my ear to trash it, forget it, and move on. I’m tempted, but I am so sure that someone can use these…

and these…

oh, I’ve got plenty more magazines.

How about these gift bags? None of them are made out of recycled materials, but if someone would take them off of my hands and reuse them as gift bags, or for an arts & crafts project, or something, then they could become “green.”

Why do I still have these?

I am happy to say that this project satisfies respecting myself as well as respecting my environment. Now, let’s see how well I do this time around.

Respect Myself – Bring the family back together.
I am learning the true value of “things.” They are just things and I am better able to put value on things that really matter; my family and the time we spend together. This move is providing us that opportunity. We knew it all along, but God moved in the way he does and now we are finely doing what we should have done years ago. We’ve been praying for all of us to be able to spend more time together and for Daddy to be able to work closer to home if not from home. Seeing him eight days out of the month just wasn’t working for us. Well, it looks like that is happening. It wasn’t the script I provided, but the result is what we want.

Respect My Environment – Reduce the amount of clutter that seems to be taking over our home.
We are downsizing and there is no need for a lot of the things we now have. Fortunately, there isn’t a lot, but it feels liberating going through and being able to release so many items I held onto years before because I just couldn’t part with them. I believe that every time you move, you should give away or throw something away. If you don’t move as frequently as we do, then you should do this every few years or even once a year. It gives you more room to start hoarding things again.