Solve Your
NO. 1
CLUTTER
PROBLEM
I'm normally not a big magazine buyer unless we are going to be in the car for an extended period, but this time they got me, hook, line, and sinker! You see, although my husband is a neat freak, we have this clutter problem. The problem resides on our bar and it DRIVES ME CRAZY! I feel like my whole house is a wreck if that bar is cluttered, so the thought of solving my NO.1 CLUTTER PROBLEM was quite appealing to me.
I scrambled through the pages to find the article that caused me to fall victim to their marketing schemes and there it was on page 95 of the August issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine
You've Got (Too Much)
Mail
The number one decluttering tip: Empty that box!
In this article the author gave some practical tips on controlling that little metal "in box" that stands at the end of our driveways. One of the catch phrases highlighted within the article was this:
Chuck junk with confidence: Sort your mail standing up - right next to the recycling can.
When I sort next to the trash can, the mail can't make it inside my house, cluttering up my bar!
While the US Postal Services processes 563 million pieces of mail each day, our minds process over 70,000 thoughts a day. When there are 70,000 thoughts floating around in our minds, there's a huge potential for our minds to become cluttered. Given the number of thoughts we have, a huge number of those thoughts that can be classified as "junk mail" to our brains and to our hearts. Thoughts that can do damage to us. Thoughts that can change our countenance. Thoughts that can affect our decisions in ways that are not God-honoring.
What can we do about those thoughts?
Stand up! No, I don't mean you have to physically stand up, but stand up within your spirit so that you are ready to take action. Stop those thoughts at the door with this scripture:
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
If the thought doesn't line up with one that would be obedient to Jesus and what He calls you to, then take it captive in your mind and reject it.
Then - Recycle! Recycle with Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Ask God to change the way you think when it comes to thoughts that aren't honoring to him. When that "person" that rubs you the wrong way, starts actually rubbing you the wrong way, as your blood begins to boil, ask yourself, "Do the thoughts I am having about this jerk obey Christ?" (Obviously not, or I wouldn't be using words like jerk!) If the answer is no, then the thought has to go. Don't entertain it. Take it captive and lead it away from your heart. Then ask Him to show you something, some trait about this person that He loves about them. The last time I did this, He whispered to my heart, "I died for her.", and immediately my perspective changed. I was able to forgive, and that felt much better than the bitter root that was begging to be planted.
The more we renew our minds and allow Him to change the way we think, the more we can discern His will for us, and isn't that what we are all after anyway?
Royal Princess Daughter Of The King
I guess my mind has been on idle wondering where God is in my life lately. I think that sometimes after you go through a major life crises and get through it all (not that I would want to go through it again) you sometimes get in that mode in life wondering where I am supposed to go from here....what next God? When He doesn't seem to be answering fast enough you get idle.....that's me. I got a message from God Friday night, letting me know that just because He hasn't answered doesn't mean He is not listening and definitely I shouldn't be just waiting!!!! My mother-in-law and father-in-law's house was hit by a pick up truck. What is such a blessing is that my grandmother(in-law) was in the bed right across the room from a love seat that was a direct hit from the pick up truck. The love seat should have gone flying across the room and landed directly on her but instead ended up at the foot of her bed (somehow) not touching her at all. The driver of the vehicle (who was not under any influence whatsoever) didn't have a scratch on him either and that was amazing from the sight of his truck. What a miracle! I think sometimes God reminds us that He is on the throne........maybe that was my eye opener that God is always there if we just look and keep our minds focused above! Guess I had some clutter too!
ReplyDeleteJulia Meyer