Things and Stuff (Sorry its a long one)

Since our acceptance into Peace Corps Guyana, we have been doing our fair share of research; reading numerous books, internet searches and blog reading have absolutely consumed our lives. While reading all of the different blogs from people who are in or are going to so many different places I became aware of a common trend that each blog had. Each one always contained at least one post in which our societies over-abundance of stuff was mentioned. While I am not one to follow trends this is one subject I feel that I can't avoid discussing.
       It came to me this morning while I was in the shower. I was looking around and realized (not the first time I have had this realization) that we have way too much stuff in our shower and bathroom. From shampoo and conditioner, to shaving cream, soap, nail clippers, Q-tips, feminine products, I could honestly fill pages with just the things we have in our bathroom; and that is just the bathroom.
        Overnight our apartment has been run through by an extremely rare feat, the southern California tornado. After spending the better part of the last month selling or giving away most of our life it still amazes me that we have anything left, let alone an overabundance. All of this makes me wonder what the people in our soon to be new country would think of all of our "stuff"? It also makes you wonder, what, if anything is really worth keeping? Im not saying that none of the stuff has value. We have gifts from our wedding, sentimental photos, things for our hobbies (surf boards and scrapbooks), practical household items, but do we really need all of it?
         Peace Corps poses a unique opportunity for the Quinlivans. We have the ability to strip our lives of our things and stuff. We are keeping a few things, of course, mostly the things that are too expensive to re-purchase (if we come back) or the things that just are irreplaceable. But this purging of our life is an extremely freeing endeavor. Sort of reminds me of a quote from the book Fight Club, "It's only after we have lost everything that we are free to do anything." This quote is of course referring to a complete philosophical nihilism, which I in no way endorse, but it still relates to our stuff. Christ asked a man to give up all of his possessions and give his life to the Lord, but he couldn't so Jesus said "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18;24-25)." Its a long process but I think by getting rid of our things we are helping the camel lose weight (or creating a bigger needle, which ever way you want to look at it).
       I pray that this purging process of our things and stuff will ultimately simplify our lives to the point where we can be free to do anything God asks of us without restrictions. 
PaulQ