Clean Sweep

As January is winding down, the inevitable has happened. I am on my purge-the-house-from-clutter kick. It always happens. At the beginning of each year (and sporadically throughout the year) I have this obsessive need to get rid of stuff.

The pretty space fillers that collect dust no longer hold the appeal they once did.
The shirt I was so certain I would wear ends up in the pile because honestly, I never liked it in the first place.
The shoes that were funky cool are gone because I am more simple than funky when it comes to fashion.
The craft supplies I bought last year for a project I never got around to are also headed to the pile.

Clutter drives me crazy, yet my home seems to always be filled with such. This year, though, I decided to take my purge one step further. I cleaned out closets. I mean all of the closets. And kitchen cabinets. And all of the little places clutter likes to hide. I wanted it all to be clutter free.

When someone visits my home, they are always (well, mostly) welcomed to a neat and tidy home. I just always prayed no one opened a closet or my laundry room to see where I stashed my junk to make sure that the outward appearance looked nice. As long as no one was looking past the surface of my home, I was good. My home is two stories and I may or may not have been know to make the downstairs presentable and neglect upstairs if I knew for a fact I could keep my guest from venturing up.

As I was on my quest to declutter my closets, I giggled a bit. I realized that I was living a metaphor for my spiritual life. So often, I made sure that I presented myself as good church girl who loved the Lord and that I had all my ducks in a row. When, in all actuality, what was inside was a big jumbled mess that I hid from others. As long as no one looked too deep, they would never know.

This year, I have committed to grow closer to God. With His help, I can clean out my mess. And I see progress, just like I have seen progress in my home. It is slow, and just when I think I'm almost done, there's always one more drawer to clean out. And, I am ever thankful that this is something I do not have to do on my own.

So, if  you're ever in my home, I hope that when you open the closets, you will see less clutter and mess. Next time we have a conversation, I hope that you see me for me and understand that while I'm messy, I'm in the process of getting declutterd. That, my friend, is a good thing.