What are you holding on to?
A Time to Clean: Day 1
You can read all of the posts in this series here.
Look around you.
What do you see? No, really, what do you see?
When I see clutter in my house I see Failure. Regret. Discouragement. Shame.
I see wishes that have not come true and fears I have not let go. I see my life in it’s often overwhelmed state and wish that I wasn’t frozen, unable to make things really change.
I see bad habits and unmade decisions and wrong choices and mistakes I wish I hadn’t made.
This is my life.
I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky sort of gal. I see the glass half full. Like almost all the time. And yet, there are so many days when I wake up to clutter and a busy schedule and I just wish I could escape reality. The last few years added up to a lot of chaos. And even though my burnout has healed, I’m still left with the aftermath.
Okay, so for instance, I can have the main part of my house pretty much neat – and all it takes is a few busy days to ruin everything. Like, the house is a disaster within 24 hours. I was gone from home nearly everyday for the last two weeks…. 14 times 24 hours… Ugh.
Can anyone else relate? Tell me I’m not alone in this!
The problem is, the house may appear to be clean or neat when someone drops by or comes for dinner… but the truth is, I’m probably hoping no one looks in my closets, goes into the laundry room, or opens my bedroom door or pays attention to the stacks and stacks of books lying around… everywhere.
The truth is – I just have too much stuff. Stuff I don’t really even want.
So, why have I been holding onto all this stuff that doesn’t add one bit of joy to my life?
As I hold onto shame, I also hold onto stuff – stuff that tells me I’m not worthy of more than a cluttered, messy life.
As I hold onto regrets, I also hold onto stuff – stuff that tells me I routinely make bad choices – like that pair of jeans that just doesn’t fit right.
As I hold onto bitterness, I also hold onto stuff – stuff that keeps my bedroom from being a sanctuary for my marriage.
As I hold onto bad habits, I also hold onto stuff – stuff that tells me I’ll never be more than my present reality.
Repeat after me.
Today, I choose to let go of past regrets.
Today, I choose to let go of those things in my life that are trapping me under their weight.
Today, I choose to find joy and let go of clutter.
Today, I choose to let go of this world and hang onto God.
I am convinced that having less stuff will mean more joy. I am convinced that simplifying my life will mean less stress. I am convinced that getting rid of the clutter in my heart will lead to less clutter in my house.
Change isn’t easy, but it is possible. And with God ALL things are possible.
Today’s Goal
- Ask God to show you what things you are holding onto that are holding you back from your best life.
- Pick up a journal and write down your thoughts about what He has shown you or print my free prayer journal.
- Choose an area in your home you want to tackle. I suggest beginning with one of the main living areas of your home.
- Fill at least one bag or box full of stuff to give away.
- Take a picture of your bag. Share it on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram – use hashtag #atimetoclean {optional}
- Leave a comment below about what you chose to get rid of.
- Do your best to wake up early tomorrow and spend time in prayer. Use your prayer journal. I’ll be waking up around 6:30 am.
On Friday I’ll have a Link Up here, and we’ll be sharing our stories for week #1 on A Virtuous Woman’s Facebook page.
Today I’ll be working on my Sun Room. {Okay, to be honest, I’m gone from home for 14 hours every Monday so my daughter Hannah can ice skate. So I’ll be doing Monday’s challenge on Sunday.}
So, in my Sun Room… well, see, my 23 year old son moved back home a few weeks ago. His bedroom has been changed into a space {sort of} for my husband so, James hasn’t had a bedroom of his own while he’s staying here. Personally, I would love to be able to just give him his room back, but my husband – well, it’s a long story.
Suffice to say, he’s been living in the family room downstairs, but all of his stuff got put into my pretty sun room when he moved back in. It’s been a disaster for about 2 months now. I keep the doors closed. Yeah. That’s one of my bad habits. I see a problem, feel overwhelmed, and just ignore it indefinitely.
So, today, my sun room was cleaned and decluttered. Here’s the finished result: {sorry, I didn’t think to take a before picture!} I’ll try to remember that for later in the week.
It’s not perfect. James’ stuff is still in the room. But instead of being strewn from one end of the room to the other, it’s now in a mostly neat pile in the corner.
Could it be better? Definitely. I’m not going to stress over it right now.
This pile of magazines? Gone.
Today my day started off good. By mid morning, we got a phone call from Mr. Cooper {a.k.a The Mountain Man} who keeps our horses telling us that the horses had gotten out and were missing. Threw a total wrench in my day. I spent two hours over the mountain finding horses and mending fences in the frosty {icy} cold and in the melting snow.
Just know that when you make a decision to change for the better… Satan will let the horses out. He doesn’t want you to be encouraged. Just the opposite. He wants you to feel defeated before you even get really started. SO, if this happens to you, be encouraged. Say, {aloud even} “Satan, get thee behind me. You have no place here. Jesus will have the victory over my life.”
P.S. My husband is a pastor and we live in a very poverty stricken area – in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, in one of the poorest counties in the country. We run a community center where we give away food, clothes, and household items to people in need twice a week. We don’t require proof of income. We simply give stuff away.
If you would like to donate, you can send boxes to:
Appalachian Community Center
C/O Melissa Ringstaff
P.O. Box 1020, Harlan, KY 40831
Or, if you’d like to donate and ship through UPS:
Appalachian Community Center
C/o Melissa Ringstaff
594 Ivy Hill, Harlan, KY 40831
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