The church where I attend BSF has a “clothes closet”. On certain days they open their doors to the community that they serve. I’m told that the “shoppers” each get a paper grocery bag to fill.
A friend from BSF, who told me about this program, volunteered there for community service. A requirement for some of her masters classes. She said the people who came were truly needy. I believe her word was pitiful.
I was very happy to hear about this ministry that the church has. I had been wondering what to do with the bags and bags of clothing that we seem to accumulate at the end of every season. I usually just gave them away to people that I know, but who wants bags of stuff? They probably have their own “bag” problem.
I occasionally go through our children’s clothing, and they do too, removing the too small, unloved items and placing them in the designated places in their closets or their bathroom closet. The same goes for Honey and I.
Since The Ab-Cat and Mousey are 5 years apart, I had been saving all of the hand me downs in Rubbermaid totes. For YEARS. There was always stuff that didn’t fit right, was already out of style, or they just didn’t share the same tastes about. Thankfully, it has been whittled down to one small pile of pants left that are still too big for Mousey, but other than that, she has finally caught up with her big sister. Culling through that was always at least a bag in itself.
I also try and donate clothes only for the upcoming season. Because their space is limited and they have no room for both winter AND summer apparel.
Twice a year, as the kids grow and change, I take it in. Invariably though, lots of stuff in our bags is the result of poor planning and waste. We buy things that we like or think we can’t live without. We buy more than we really need, or discard something on the flimsiest of excuses. Bodies, styles, and tastes change. Sometimes, I hate to admit, I have bought us darn near duplicates, and wasn’t even aware of it until I was cleaning them out.
On one hand, I see 12 bags of too small, unneeded, gently used goods, waiting to bless someone else. Someone with a genuine need. And I am more than happy to donate.
On the other hand, I see 12 bags of wasteful spending, sinful, poor management of what God has given us and indulgent buying. And I am ashamed of us. I’m going to ponder now.
kristen said,
April 27, 2009 at 3:14 AM
good title, got my attention! I have a book about urban ministry that tells of a story of a church starting the clothes closet ministry… neat!!
Janna Qualman said,
April 27, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Well now I see both your points, and wonder about my own guilt.
We get lots of hand-me-down bags from friends at church, because they like to pass on their girls’ clothes for my girls. And when I get old stuff, from the 1980s? Do I pass that on to Good Will, honestly? Don’t the thrift stores have enough “junk” like that, that no one buys? And I truly consider throwing it away. I don’t need to add to the endless supplies of junk in those stores, do I? I’m trying to be efficient. And then I feel guilty…
Marlene said,
April 28, 2009 at 6:12 PM
So true. I need to ponder this too as I have been thinking my closet has too many clothes. What a great ministry.
thedomesticfringe said,
April 28, 2009 at 11:07 PM
That’s a great ministry!
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Some of that stuff was just outgrown. Can’t be helped.
-FringeGirl