So the Jolicoeurs are taking a road trip. It’s our first as a family of four and as we prepared to leave this morning, I was looking at the back of our suburban and thinking to myself, “What an overabundance of crap!”

Seriously though, how much of this stuff do we actually need??? I realize its been a while since I’ve had to pack for an infant, but this is kind of ridiculous. We have 2 adult size suitcases (only one of which is for adults), 3 duffle bags, 2 strollers, 2 back packs, 2 gallon jugs of water, a pack-n-play, a breast pump, a bouncer, a bumbo, a case of diapers, a diaper bag, and a sack of snacks. Did I mention we are a family of only 4??? Yet somehow I managed to pack for four families!!

I think the madness started when my husband got the idea that we should borrow his parents suburban instead of taking my cramped jeep compass. Once that decision was made I think I subconsciously figured, “Well we got more room…might as well take more stuff!!” But in the grand scheme of things, how much of this overabundance is necessity? And how much is just wasted excess?

I have an overabundance of stuff in my life…if you can’t tell from the back of our suburban, then just come visit our house and look in our closets! So much stuff is packed into our 1667 square foot house.. stuff I don’t even see most days. Am I the only one who groans at the thought of moving/traveling simply because there is SO much to box up/pack?

I knew a missionary one time who literally could pack up and move in a blink of eye because she owned so little in regards to “stuff.” She truly had just the necessities. Looking at her life, you would not think she had an overabundance of anything. But you know what? She did have an overabundance! Her excess was found in God’s love and His forgiveness! She had an overabundance of His mercy and grace! And because she freely accepted those, she also had an overabundance of faith.

You know the best part of that kind of overabundance? It doesn’t cost anything!! It’s also clutter-free and easy to carry with you!! Do you remember that old saying, “You can’t take it with you when you go!” Well, that kind of abundance is what we do get to take with us when we go! Thank goodness we can’t take material things with us when we die. Can you imagine? Heaven would be the most extreme episode of Hoarders!!

Now please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying its wrong to own a lot of stuff…as long as your stuff doesn’t own you. Here’s what I mean by that- If you lost everything you owned, could you still choose to be happy? Or would the destruction of your possessions destroy you? And lets be honest, if we have more than one change of clothes, a bed to sleep in and food in our stomaches, then we ALL have an overabundance…. especially when compared to the rest of the world.

At the end of the day, I want the suburban of my life to be packed more of Him and less of the things of this world. It has been my experience that’s the only kind of overabundance that will truly satisfy.

Stay tuned as our first family road trip unfolds…