If you know me, you know I collect things. Books, music, dollhouse miniatures, gourds, family tree information, and writing articles – just to name a few. When I was teaching, it gave me a chance to “decorate” my room at school, without cluttering my home any more than I already had.
In 2010, I retired. Now I had a bigger problem. Where could I put all my props, music, games and other “important” stuff from my classroom? I had a couple of garage sales, but it barely made a dent in the collection. Some things I couldn’t part with, though; who knows when I might use that Santa hat or “Tooty Ta” CD or that animated reindeer head again?
My husband came up with a solution. We live on a farm and a few years ago, my guys switched to a more modern grain system. That left a little building (20’ x 24’) where the grain had previously been stored. He suggested that I use that building for the overflow, and for a workshop/office/study. He evicted the resident mice (to the cat’s chagrin) and remodeled the granary for me. He did a wonderful job and I love my granary.
I like to think of my granary as still being used for a collection place, but this time, instead of grain, it holds the seeds of the things that mean a lot to me. A place where I can write, or paint my gourds , or even play the old upright piano I bought at an estate sale. I even have my treadmill for an exercise break. A place where I can gather my thoughts and commune with God and ask His help for my writing or anything He wants me to do.
I don’t want my granary to turn into a hoarding station; I want it to be a J-O-Y storehouse. Whatever I do, I want to please Jesus, and I want to make (write, paint, play piano…whatever) others happy, to encourage them with the lessons I’ve gleaned from my life, to give them a smile or chuckle, to help them to grow in Christ. Everything I own, everything I have collected, every gift and talent I possess really belongs to Him and as 1 Peter 4:10 tells us, we are to use these gifts to honor Christ and to serve others.
Come back often-we’ll share. We’ll have a good time sharing the Lord’s blessings. After all, what good is all that stuff we have collected if we don’t share?