Our TRASHY family

Well, we have lived through the first week of unemployment. I have to say is isn't all that bad -- except for the no money thing. I like having Hubby around the house, and we are really getting some projects completed in anticipation of a move. I figure that we have the time to get organized now, so we won't be moving stuff we no longer want or need.

One thing we have discovered is that our family has a serious trash problem. I would love to blame this on the kids, or even on the husband, but the truth is that our whole family has trouble throwing stuff away. I'm not talking about purging out the stuff you are saving for a rainy day. I'm talking trash. We had to have a family discussion at the dinner table the other night about throwing away your trash. I cannot tell you how many times I walk through the kitchen only to find the counters covered with drink cups, candy wrappers, empty chip bags, etc. We do not have a large house, so the trashcan is only steps away. Why can't the items make it to the proper receptacle? When we cleaned out the garage, we filled up 4 black trash bags of garbage. Some of it was broken toys, some was old magazines and receipts, but some was also drink cups, boxes from Christmas toys, etc. Why have we kept on to this stuff?

Now, before you judge me and my family, I must clarify that I am a self-proclaimed neat freak. I love for EVERYTHING to have its home and be in its place. So, that is why the garage was such a source of depression and angst to me. I would pass through all the junk in the garage into my nice, mostly orderly (I do have 2 kids, you know) home and close the door on the ugliness. Only when I forced myself to face the clutter and clear the way, did I realize that there is an issue that needed to be addressed. Not only did the trash need to be thrown out, but the old, useless stuff needed to be disposed of, too.

How often are we like that with our spiritual lives? How often do we have so much that is neat and in proper order, but then have one area of clutter that we keep behind a facade? It is hard work to clean out the dirty places. It is sometimes difficult to throw away those old "treasures." But the reward is far greater than we can imagine. In both the physical and the spiritual sense, getting rid of the clutter allows us to move on with greater ease.

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1