FlyLady.net: Your personal online coach to help you gain control of your house and home
Ugh! Barry and I have decided that CLUTTER IS EVIL! And I can tell you, we speak from experience because we have done plenty of living with clutter. A problem that we have is that both he and I are by nature pack-rats. This is good in one respect because although we get irritated with clutter, we don't tend to take it out on one another because we both can empathize with the other about how difficult it is to get rid of stuff. This is very bad in the other respect because we can find ourselves being strangled by our stuff. It also doesn't help that we live in a modest 84 year old farm house with four children that are creative and crafty (with equals stuff) and we homeschool (more stuff!).
It is kind of amazing that most of our difficulties stem from being blessed with TOO much. God truly has blessed us, but we don't manage what he has given us very well. :( I have been thinking about this issue from a spiritual perspective lately. WHY am I a pack-rat? Why does it literally pain me and exhaust me to get rid of stuff? Recently I have heard testimonies of women who give away stuff on a regular basis because they are trusting that God will provide no matter how their circumstances may change. One mom, for example always gets rid of her maternity clothes after a pregnancy even though she is hoping that she will again became pregnant. She gives them away to someone who needs them (does not just lend them) because otherwise she feels like she is not fully trusting God. She does the same with her kids' outgrown clothing with the exception of a few special items. She will never know what a witness she was to me because my eyes were opened to the fact that perhaps my difficulty with giving things away was a symptom of not truly trusting in God's provision.
Perhaps I am trying to take care of my family BY MYSELF by hoarding anything that we MIGHT need some day, instead of keeping only what we truly use NOW and trusting that God will provide anything that we may need in the future as our circumstances change. In my head I trust God completely, but perhaps I don't fully trust Him in my heart.
Lord, please guide me. My desire is to FULLY trust you in ALL THINGS. I commit my life to living in your will no matter what that means for me or my family. Help me to let go of worldly clutter that distracts from your will for me and the rest of my family. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Ps 3:5-6
So, why is the title of this article Flylady.net? Because she is a wonderful resource for anyone who is living in C.H.A.O.S. (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) due to a messy cluttered house and life. She has a great system for decluttering your home and becoming more disciplined with your household duties. I have partially followed her plan in the past and I felt more organized and on the ball than I ever have before. I mostly followed her routines but didn't do so hot on the decluttering. I am trying to turn over a new leaf and recently started utilizing the flylady website for inspiration. After having routines in place for years, lately I have been feeling undisciplined and rebellious towards them. I am not sure why and have examining my heart. But I suppose that is another issue to write about another day. Ü
Anyway, if you are anything like me, I highly recommend the flylady site!
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