Enough Already

Have you decided how much is enough?  This question is extremely practical.  The answer is extremely informative to your home, your life and your well-being.
A couple weeks ago, I was in the middle of sorting out my jars.  I didn't even realize it, but I had become a jar hoarder.

A friend stopped in while I was in the middle of this process.  Upon seeing my extensive counter top display, she asked incredulously, "What are you doing with all those jars?!!"  I replied helplessly, "I don't know."  You see, I didn't realize I had that many jars because I just kept jamming them into the nooks and crannies of cupboards willy-nilly, because I could never be sure that I would have the exact right jar for a particular jar need unless I kept all of them.

Now, you have to realize that I am big on not keeping unnecessary stuff.  I even like to help other people declutter.  I am always asking, "What are you going to use this for?  How many of these do you really need?"  So I asked myself the same question.  I decided I needed a little box of jars for paint odds and ends (you know-- that little bit of paint left in the can that you want to save for touch-ups).  And I figured three plastic shoe boxes full of jars for the kitchen should be sufficient for any storage situation that would come up.

 I relegated one of these three boxes to the basement for future paint needs.

 I kept two boxes of cleaned out peanut butter, mayo and jelly jars and one box of various sizes of canning jars.  The rest of the canning jars went to the attic to await future canning projects.  The remaining glass and plastic jars went into the recycling bin.

Now the best thing is that I have enough jars, but not too many.  When I need a jar to store some cafe mocha mix that I just made out of instant coffee, instant milk and Nesquick, I know where to find it.   When I empty out a salsa jar, I immediately know whether I need to keep it (to replace my cafe mocha jar) or recycle it immediately.  Easy!  And now my lazy susan isn't running over with unnecessary jars.  By the way, don't you just wonder why lazy susans are called lazy susans?  If my name were Susan, I would be offended.  None of my friends named Susan have ever commented on this matter, as far as I can recollect.  If you want to read some nifty info about these revolving wonders, check out this article:  Who was Susan, and was she truly lazy?.  

Now THIS is some Lazy Susan!

Anyway, back to "enough."  I used to have too many shoes.  I got rid of some and now I have enough.  I currently don't have enough chocolate.  I never have enough time.  Although, I really do have enough time, I just have too many activities or obligations or desires for my 24 hours each day.  The question is how many hours of work are enough?  How many social dates are enough?  How many meetings and clubs and sports and TV shows and books and facebook and emails... are enough?  God told Moses to tell the people to gather enough manna for one day.   Listen to this from Exodus 16: 
 ¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Each one had gathered just as much as they needed.
 ¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
 ²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

How embarrassing.  Lazy Susan or Samson or whoever was trying to get out of gathering manna the next day, or was afraid the provision wouldn't be there.  I want to learn my lesson.  I'm not going to hoard jars, because as I use them up, I betcha more will appear (like manna!).  Let's keep asking asking ourselves, how much is enough?  The answer might surprise you.

This picture has nothing to do with jars or enough or anything.  It's just a cool plastic container called a cup-a-cake with the specific purpose of transporting a single cupcake in your lunchbox.  After all even jars can't be used for everything!