May 30, 2007

Clearing out the clutter~


It is still dark and I'm up already! I woke just a little before 4am, staggered out of bed and started the coffee pot. Felt that I needed to pray for protection for my family..which I did. Alot of times the Lord wakes me in the wee hours to pray and intercede for loved ones. Once done this feeling or impression lifts and I go about the days routines.

We had a very restful Memorial Day holiday! I caught up on some reading,and also looked at the new Country Living issue for June! What a delight that was!

Yesterday I did some detailed cleaning in the family room.....windows, baseboards, crown molding, and valances. I also received my new rug from QVC too! It is beautiful and adds such a elegant touch to the room. I have taken some new pictures of the current projects around our hoe that are done or in progress and will perhaps post them later today!

I rearranged the furniture in the living room yesterday too! Had an extra spurt of energy and thought to take advantage of it! I am very pleased with the results and hubby liked it too!

My thoughts these past few weeks have been that of simplicity and getting back to the basics. I look at my linen closet for example and see lots of linens that we do not even use. Why am I saving them? A garage full of items that I'm saving for this project or that project.

On Memorial Day, my husband was working in the garage. He went to open the garage door and a piece of pipe was in the way and caused the door to come off its track in a few areas and it was "tweaked"! I heard a horrible noise from inside the house, and truly didn't want to open the door leading out to the garage..fearing what I would find! When I did open the door, I saw the garage door...one side up and one side down! Uh oh...this is not good at all! Hubby was frustrated and angry that this happened and well as myself! The reason why I say all of this is if the garage had been clear of unwanted clutter and actually had things properly put away...this would not have happened! It was an expensive lesson for certain....we called the gentleman who installed the door for us...he came right out within the hour and fixed the door...$120.00 later and a lesson learned, the problem wasn't fixed..for the problem is the clutter, all the stuff that we both thought we should hold on to! Thus this goes back to what the Lord has been showing me that past few weeks concerning simplicity and basics! Obviously hubby has power tools for certain home improvement projects, but I'm speaking on those things that really aren't needed: antique table and chairs, old vintage 30's stove just to name a few things. When it is so cl;uttered that you cannot move, it also becomes a safety issue as well. So I'm being very purposeful in working a little each day to free ourselves from all this stuff! Somethings I have bagged up and in my car for donation drop off already! It didn't get this way overnight, and it will take time to clear it away...but I'm being diligent to the task.

I speak of this because it is such an important lesson, spiritually speaking as well. We all have clutter clogging up our lives and minds. We need to clear away the cobwebs to be effective in this life. Thoughts of the past, hurt, pain and rejection at times. We can only move forward when we acknowledge we have need of help and cannot do it on our own strength and wisdom! We are all in need of a Savior~ Jesus Christ! We can clear out the past "stuff and clutter" that we carry around unknowingly... like luggage...only with His help and guidance. He will show you what needs to go...what needs to be purged out and sorted through. I am in process....and that is fine by me...I'm not alone in this, I have my Savior teaching and guiding me in this progression of letting go of the clutter in EVERY area of my life.

May your day be filled with His peace and joy!!!!

8 comments:

DonnaB said...

I'm sorry to hear about the expensive lesson. But if it leads to simplicity and peace then it will have been worth it. My husband and I have been feeling the same way...the stuff must go!

Susan P. said...

Dearest Mindy, your words are always so wise, my friend. You are a true inspiration to me and many others, as well. I love your honesty, your precious spirit, and especially the love you have for Jesus! I need to get off here now and start some "decluttering" in more ways than one;o)

TO BECOME said...

Excellent post and very encouraging. Thank to you, connie from Texas

CONNIE W said...

A great lesson to be learned...thanks for taking time to share.

savvycityfarmer said...

O, this waking up early happend quite alot here..I, too get up and pray....the world is small

Maggie Ann said...

Dear Mindy, I enjoyed your post...sorry about the garage door! Our garage was a disaster and we cleaned it ALL out and made it into a family room. Love it now. 'Stuff' does accumulate though...I'm still working on our closets. Trouble is I come bringing bags of things in every week...more than the outgoing pile...alas! Plus my ongoing interests...grin. Thankfully, life is full of blessings...anyway! Loved your spiritial application too! Have a lovely evening Mindy...we are going to go get our flowers...at last..=)

The Tiquehunters Wife said...

When you are in the Antique business there is always some sort of clutter no matter how often we clean it out. We go through unpacking, and repacking stuff often. Thankfully we have a special place to do this. In the past it was tempting to keep something, thinking we might use it sometime, but I have learned to get rid of things. They don't mean as much to me as they once did.
I pray everyday that the Lord would help me to be heavenly minded-building up treasures in heaven rather than here on earth.
Thank you for this very fine post Mindy! Blessings to You-Claudia O

Mrs. Darling said...

Sorry about your garage. i agree with you on clutter. My hosue is open and airy because I just cant tolerate clutter. Now my linen closet? Well its all organized but ti definitely boasts linens that are rarely used. I must do something about that.