Lent Day 24

( Can you tell that I've ditched the book I was using?  :-)  Didnt feel inspired by it any more. )

Clearing out the Rubbish


We have lived in this house for fifteen years now.  Over that time we have had three kids and amassed the most incredible amount of stuff.   STUFF has a life of its own - it breeds in the night time.  It invites its friends round when you are not looking.  It especially likes under sink cupboards and attic spaces.  Added to which, Im a bit of a hoarder.  And a compulsive bargain buyer.  So as you can imagine there is not much space in our larger than average five bedroom home any more.

For a few years now Ive been working on Keith - drip feeding him with the idea that in a couple of years time when Ben goes up to high school it will be time to move house.   Keith isnt much of a moving person.  I think he would be happy to stay put in one place till the day he dies.  But it makes no sense for us to live half an hours drive away from schools and an hour drive from his work ....... it just costs a fortune in petrol and adds an hour onto everyone's day travelling.   So we will be moving.  And Im excited about it already

Until I start contemplating the stuff  !!

So even though the move wont be for at least eighteen months Im starting now.   I've been through the bookshelves and taken bags and bags of books to the charity shop.   I've dumped a few bits of furniture which no longer serve a purpose and I've even been up into the roof and had a start on sorting out up there.  Im exhausted - but its rather satisfying.  And the charity shop thinks its great.
What I am learning is that a) we dont need half the stuff we actually have  and b) getting rid of stuff is easier than you think its going to be once you get started.

So whats the spiritual lesson?   Well, lots of lessons really.

1) we settle very easily and the longer we stay in one place the harder it is to move on.  Spiritually I have definitely ' settled' in the past fifteen years.  And it has not necessarily been a good thing.  I've replaced ' this is excellent' with ' this will do'.  I've settled for convenient and easy instead of challenging and dynamic.

2) I gather loads of spiritual 'stuff'  but then don't use it.... or don't use it as fully as I could.   I've had decades of excellent teaching, loads of wonderful experiences with God and shed loads of opportunities to lead worship and pray with people and even preach.... but I tend to put those books on the shelf and leave them there rather than using them every day.

3)In order to move forward you have to keep shedding the things of the past and leaving them behind.   Yes, there are lots of great things accumulated along the way, to be used and put into practice but you cant take all of it with you.  Most of it was for the moment anyway.   It has taken me years to stop trying to relive the ' good old days' and accept that where I am now is where God wants me to be.

Lent is a good time for taking stock.  And a good time for clearing out the junk.  I hope that by Easter I will be feeling more spiritually sharp, divested of some of the dust Ive accumulated recently and with a clearer vision of where Im going next.