I Wish I Lived A Naturally Clutter-Free Existence

But I don't.  I have to work at it.  Really work on it.  Make de-cluttering and organizing a main focus.

And that's exactly what I've been doing the past couple weeks - I've been in full on fall cleaning mode!  I shared with you that I had taken everything out of the playroom, gotten rid of a ton of stuff, and rearranged everything in it.  The kids have been loving playing in there...and at least two times since then in Madi's nightly prayers she has included a praise that Mommy finally cleaned the playroom.  (Nice.)

I also told you I had done the task of going through every article of clothing the kids owned and giving away what doesn't fit anymore, keeping only what fits, as well as going through hand-me-downs I had been saving for them to grow into, washing them, and packing them into their drawers.  This week I was finally able to do some de-cluttering and both their rooms are in much better shape - everything seems so roomy and fresh!  Madi in particular is enjoying the extra space to play.

As I mentioned, sadly one of the most cluttered spots in our home was our bedroom, where the miscellaneous lands and the things I can't get to yet sometimes get shoved so that our main living spaces remain clean.  I finally got in there and dealt with the paperwork and all the other random items I needed to deal with...and it looks and feels so much better.  And I am pleased to announce that my surface areas (which I am ashamed to admit were very cluttered) are finally organized!  Jimmy did the same type of de-cluttering to his surface areas, and it seems like a new room.  I hope to keep it this way, even amidst life's hustle and rush.  It takes focus for me; but I'm trying super hard to do it!  Because when I don't have the task of dealing with clutter hanging over my head, I can breathe a little deeper, relax a little more.

I've also been going through other corners of the house, throwing lots away and giving everything I keep a place.  This process makes me want to rearrange - if you haven't noticed I sort of thrive on change -  so I did a little more rearranging in our main living space.  I moved an old storage box my husband made years ago to the window so it appears more like a window seat, and brought a table he gave me as a wedding present to my green chair corner so it is now more of a focal point.  My corner feels cozy and clean and I love it even more than before!

I've even been doing smaller projects like putting photos in albums and cleaning out my email inbox from over 3000 (yes I'm one of those people) to less than 20!! I still have some more spots around the house to organize, but since most of my cleaning/organizing projects are done, I even let myself do a little bit of fall decorating...hopefully someday soon I'll be able to pull my boxes out of the attic to set out the rest!

With each project, I have uncovered areas that have not been uncovered for awhile, and have dusted surfaces and vacummed corners whose dust had been hidden until I pulled everything out.  It reminded me of a lyric from a song I wrote back when I was 21 and engaged, preparing to start life in marriage and ministry.  The song was really a prayer called Make Me A Vessel, and one of the lines went...

Clean out the dusty corners of my soul.

I've been thinking how sometimes we need to do some spiritual de-cluttering and reorganizing.  Sometimes there are dusty corners of our soul that we need to ask God to clean out, certain sins that we need to throw away, and certain other aspects of our character that need to be rearranged to be brought to the forefront of our life instead of hiding underneath the clutter.  Makes me think of these verses...

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults.

Just like a fall cleaning spree, when we take inventory and care of our spiritual lives, we truly will feel fresh, clean, and new.  It will take work, but it will be worth it.  We will be able to breathe a little more deeply.  Rest more sweetly.  And we will be free from life's clutter and the sin that threatens to bog us down and overtake the corners of our soul.  We will be pure and clean, just as my heart longed for through these lyrics all those years ago...

A vessel that will be

Used in Your perfect time

A vessel shaped and formed

By Your intricate design.

A vessel that is clean

A vessel that is pure

A vessel that is empty

Waiting to be filled with You, Lord...

Make me a vessel.