Sneaky Cleaning

“When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.” Matthew 12:44


Ok, so I missed yesterday. I enjoyed adult conversation and lunch with a friend. I’ll try to make up for it on Saturday.

Anyway, today I’m being a bad mother for like the million-bazillionth time. The church is having a garage sale this weekend for the youth to raise money to go to the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this Summer. And since my children are without want (except for everything Lego Star Wars ever made) and in a state of excess, I thought this might be a good time to get rid – uh, donate – some of the excess. I’ve waited, conveniently, until they were both at school to go through the booty.

We have a closet in our kitchen area that is a black hole of childhood. My children, much like myself, have a penchant for arts and craft supplies. Not so much the actual process of making something, just having the supplies. My vice is yarn. Today, it appears theirs is coloring books and paper items.

So I’m making stacks - Keep, Trash, and It’s Outta Here! I’m sure the last one will receive some negotiation when the children return, but they’ll never miss what goes out in pile #2. Ha ha!!

Or so I would like to think.

It probably will be just my luck that some obscure piece of scribbling that I find today will be one of their best works that they wanted to be buried with. We’ll have to lament its missing status for weeks before I’ll finally fess up. Then there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Why do we hold on to all this stuff like it is a near and dear part of us? Why do we have such grief over getting rid of certain items? Why do we let our stuff define us?

The Bible tells us our treasures are not of this world, but tell that to me when I find fancy yarn on sale at Big Lots. We’ve all heard that cleanliness is next to godliness, but in the housekeeping competition, I wouldn’t even make Miss Congeniality!

If you look up the verse I started with, know that my children aren’t quite the evil spirits mentioned there, and I certainly hope I’m not seven-fold worse off for my efforts in their absence. I don’t really expect to be closer to God just because my closet is cleaner, but the process of “letting go” is a religious one.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7