Making do with what you have.

    Last time I checked having possessions was still a luxury afforded to those who earned them.  Okay, that's not quite accurate.  We all have possessions that we haven't earned.  Grandma's gift of underwear, hand me downs from older brothers, or maybe a good book given by a friend before they moved away.  What do all these things have in common?  They are all memories that we possess.  We all have memories.  Some are good, some are bad and some are neutral.  I wish for you and I that all our memories would only be good.  But we possess bad ones too.  Remember that bully at school?  His name was Charles but he demanded that everyone call him "Chucky".  Everyone did except Ms. Fritz in 8th grade who put him in his place.  That is a good memory.  Remember your first kiss?  You didn't know how, she didn't know how and somehow you both completed the kiss.  Then you never stopped!  I'm still making memories.
     There is a memory of a kiss in the Bible that isn't very good.  Judas came to the garden and betrayed Jesus with a kiss on the cheek.  The kind your boyfriend/girlfriend gives you just after they said they didn't want to see you again because they found someone else.  Only worse.  Judas, just like us, had the free choice to make a good memory or a bad memory.  He couldn't very well have stayed out of the event though.  None of us could.  We betray our love of Jesus every time we choose to not listen to him, live with his grace, and pass that grace onto others.  Yet, we continue to do this more frequently than not.  Jesus, in his grace, takes our repentance and turns the tables creating a good memory of forgiven.  That is a real possession.
     People love status.  That status may be in a family, social circle, work setting, or in their own minds.  The status can be a good possession or a bad possession.  Take for instance a couple whom I knew long ago.  He and she had been together for over 50 years.  I met them through our church and called them Mom and Pop like everyone else.  They were practically invisible but had the greatest of possessions.  They came to me when I became a police officer and told me that they were going to be praying for me everyday.  Then they did just that!  What a gift!  I possessed the protection of God through the prayers of a couple who loved God as their primary possession.  Sometimes the gift we give to others is intangible and sometimes it's tangible.  Regardless, the possession is still something you have been given.  
     Through the years I've received, given away, lost and threw away possessions both in selfishness and unselfishness ways.  I've learned through may repeated lessons how precious that which is given and received is to the recipient.  Blessing people should be considered a possession you have received only to give away.  That could mean a listening ear, a loaf of zucchini bread, an extra car given to someone in need, and more.  It could also mean just being silent while holding someone who is bereaved and crying.  Wisdom is a possession.  Sometimes I think it's a superpower as so few seem to use it in a positive way.  Morals are possessions.  Kindness is a possession.  Humility is a possession.  Peace is a possession. 
     I don't know what possessions you have.  You do.  Give them away.