First World Problems

Joel put me on to www.first-world-problems.com  where people can complain in ways that only 1st worlders can.  2 examples: "It really irritates me when the turn signal of the car in front of me is out of sync with the music from my ipod." or "I went to the bathroom and forgot to take my iphone with me".  One from today: "when I had my Swedish massage today my makeup got totally messed up".

So here's my first world problem: I love my house, but it takes so much upkeep I can't travel as much as I want to.  Every corner is renovated and decorated (mostly).  Every nook and cranny is filled with wonderful things that up to now have been worth keeping; pictures from the last 100 years, china from 4 generations, 3 boxes of hymnals in case I ever teach Church Music History again....and oh so much more.

I find myself wondering: if I moved into a 600 square foot condo, what would be worth keeping?  If I packed everything else away in a storage space, what would I miss?  anything?  everything?

If I gave up my front lawn and my extra kitchen in the basement, where would my grandchildren play when they come over? If I go from 4 bedrooms to 2 bedrooms, where do my families sleep when they come?  If they only come every year or two, is it worth it?  If I give up this space, would they ever come?

Do I become one of those old ladies that can't be bribed to leave all their stuff?  Or do I become one of those old ladies that is so busy jetting off to one country or another that I no longer have time, room or inclination to open my heart and home to others, including my family?

These are my first world problems, or at the very least my first world questions.