OurLifeUncommon: Cleaning out some junk

Have you ever invited someone to go through your junk drawer? How awkward and uncomfortable, right? Having them pick up every random receipt folded and jammed in there, examine every stick of Chapstick that no longer has the cap, trying every ink-less pen to see if it writes...questioning why are you keeping such junk? Such clutter?

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When I gave my life to Christ, I didn’t realize what it would entail. I knew the gist of what it meant, but there was so much I didn’t know...

I mean, I checked in on him every once and a while and thanked him when things were going great.

But, God kept presenting himself and I would feel that pull to get closer to him and so I did. Then He put a friend or relative in my life that brought me closer to Him still, and little by little I began to follow Him more.

But then he asked to go in my junk drawer. See, I didn’t want anyone to see that much ugly, not even God.

thereaderomaha-film.blogspot.com

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With preparing for our two new additions, I began cleaning out the two extra bedrooms. I started opening closets. I started to be face to face with the ugly.
AND Oh boy, it was a-whole-lot-of ugly. Embarrassing clutter that is still hidden in closets, drawers and shelves.

My friend and I decided to clear everything out of our houses for Lent.
Clear out the things that clutter our homes and our hearts. Clear out the things that we do not need. Things that block our focus on what our life is suppose to be about.
This Lent idea totally fit in with having to prepare for Yana and Alex, as well as spring cleaning. Win-Win

We are doing 40 bags in 40 days. Well, I was gonna do that, until I realized I could really fill up 40 bags with my garage alone.

So I modified and adjusted, and now for lent I am de-cluttering 40 zones in 40 days. (I haven't reached the garage yet, that's gonna be a scary day/weekend).

Things upon the mantle,

Things on the shelf,

Things that others gave me,

Things I gave myself.

Things I’ve stored in boxes

That don’t mean much anymore,

Old magazines and memories

Behind the attic door.

Things on hooks and hangers,

Things on ropes and rings,

Things I guard that blind me

To the pettiness of things.

Am I like the rich young ruler,

Ruled by all I own?

If Jesus came and asked me,

Could I leave them all alone?

Oh Lord, I look to heaven,

Beyond the veil of time,

To gain eternal insight

That nothings really mine-

And to only ask for daily bread

And all that contentment brings,

To find freedom as your servant-

In the midst of all these things.

For discarded in the junk yards,

Rusting in the rain,

Lie things that took the finest years-

Of lifetime to obtain.

And whistling through these tombstone

The hollow breezes sing

A song of dreams surrendered

To the tyranny of things.

~Scott Wesley Brown

They are only things? So why am I holding on to them? The stuff has no value. And there is a bigger treasure.

Just junk in a drawer or a closet or a garage or a shelf.

There is so much freedom in not feeling as though I need to keep a box of old pictures and a movie stub from an ex boyfriend. I don’t need to keep 9 rolls (?!?!) of holiday wrapping paper. So much stuff, I didn't even know I still had.

Goodwill here I come.

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When we began the adoption process 3 years ago with San Diego County, we were pretty clear about the child we wanted.

The boxes checked were as follows: 0-3, and girl. Period.

But then God stretched us. He came in and he cleared out some junk.

Ok God we will take an older girl but no boys. I mean we have little girls. We can’t have a boy in the house, especially an older boy.

But then God stretched us. Cleaned out a little more of our junk, and some of our fears.

Ok God but only for 8 short weeks. Then we did our duty and lived for you. 8 weeks and we are done.

But then he stretched us some more...
Ok God we miss them, but adoption is forever. I know there futures are bleak, but we could never travel across the world and leave Lily and Elliot at home.

And he keeps stretching us.

As soon as I start feeling comfortable,

that’s when God asks to look inside my junk drawer.

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God is so good, His plan is so perfect.

Even if it means cleaning out a little junk.