Clutter Confusion

Walking into my home office this morning, it was back . . . and with a vengeance.  Last month I worked hard to eradicate it. Yes, I am talking about clutter.  Books I have pulled off shelves for research, coupons and mail I have yet to browse, printouts of articles I want to read, and owner manuals of appliances in need of maintenance are all encroaching my work space. Not to mention the stack of pics and letters on the floor left behind by my mother needing to be scanned. (Yes, my oldest daughter, scanned pictures and letters are sentimental clutter in a non-cluttering kind of way!) I would love to either chuck it all or get in my car and head to the beach.  Alas, neither choice is an option today. So, why do we hang on to so much "stuff?"  Probably because we don't want to let go of what was or what could be.  Old letters and pictures are treasures from the past reminding us of a deceased loved one or good times we cherished. And you never know what good deals or important information may be in the stack of junkmail. Do we hang on to "things" because we're afraid we'll forget or miss out? Just like food overeaten can lead to obesity, too much clutter can impede our focal point . . . Christ. Practice striving for quality rather than quantity.  It's going to be heart-wrenching to throw out the original poems and letters handwritten by my mother. And yes, there are some things I won't be able to part with.  Ultimately, clinging to material things adheres us to the world. Practice letting go little by little.  After all, you can't take it with you! 


In todays Gospel (Matthew 6:19-23) Jesus is asking us to de-clutter:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

In Volume One, Jesus shows us the key to happiness:

“If you view the world from a worldly perspective, you will feel fear quite often. But a heavenly perspective grants peace and emotional security. Trust in God, and in His purpose and will moving in your life, grants you a detachment that liberates your spirit and frees you to do many things. You can relinquish the rush to acquire that has consumed much of the world. Dear children, who have been blessed with great wealth, let go of the material now. It is cluttering your outlook and progress. Remember, you are not bringing these things to heaven, nor will you need these things. They are nothings and should be assigned no value. And if you assign no value to the material things, you will not need to acquire them. It is very simple. The happiest people require little and the more pulled into the quest for things without heavenly value, the more difficult for you to be happy.”

Lay apostles, I am no different than anyone else.  I love my home and the memories provided being in the same place for so long. I can't imagine living anywhere else the rest of my life.   But if it all was to disappear tomorrow, I will not have lost the most important thing which can never be taken away from me . . . the love of Jesus in my heart.  Home is where the heart is. And the day will come when He welcomes us into His Kingdom with open arms. For it is there we will finally be clutter-free!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to slowly detach from worldly possessions.  Please give me the energy and fortitude needed to persevere in de-cluttering my life!

God bless,

Bonnie