Clutter

Today, Gina, Susan and I, put away the Christmas decorations. We supercleaned the bookshelf. I put about half the things back on it. It looks great. But now, with that one area so clean and shiny, the rest of the house looks cluttered and dusty. I keep telling myself, "One corner at a time."

My dad was an antique collector and an auctioneer. The basement was full of treasure that he had discovered at one time or another. My mother likes simple things. She decorates with crystal and whites and beautiful wooden furniture passed down from generations. She likes her home to be clean and organized because she is creative and can think better in a tidy environment.

I've got a problem. I am like my dad. I like to collect things. I like antiques. I see beauty in unusual items. And I am like my mother. I like simple things. I want to have time to read and write. I am tired of moving my things around. I am tired of dusting the things I like. So, half of the time, I am like my dad, and half of the time, I am like my mother. I am in a dilemma. Do I keep my collections in the old house and keep the house we live in clutter-free? I wish. But, the collections from the old house spill into the new. Hmm..one could preach on that.

Not only have I cluttered the house without realizing it, I have cluttered my body. I've gained six pounds this month from all the holiday eating. Today, I got back on track. I ate just whole foods; one's without ingredients. I've been experiencing almost flu-like symptoms as my body detoxes. I need to hang in there because in a few days I will feel so much better.

We might have clutter in our spirits as well. Fear of man takes up alot of room. It's like setting up little idols all over the place...little figurines of people that we don't even like. And we fear that they won't like us if we don't do things a certain way. Gossip clutters. Pride is a real mess. It prevents the closets from being cleaned out.

One corner at a time...that's all we can handle. Each enlightened corner of our house, body, and spirit, reveals the filth in the other parts of the same. There is a time to keep and a time to throw away. "Is this a treasure to keep?," we must ask. "Or can I live without it? Should I live without it? Will it give me room for the really important things?"

Have a blessed and clutter-freeing, 2009.