Well it looks like the heat and humidity is creeping back again. I am sweating as I write this. I know, more information than you needed to hear! :) As long as we are able to, we take a break from using the air conditioner whenever we can. The humidity is up today so it is much warmer in the house and there is very little breeze coming through the windows.
My legs are hurting at the moment. I went walking in the later afternoon earlier this week to meet my husband as he was walking home from work. He left later than I realized, so I ended up walking quite a bit. Needless to say I got the back of my legs burnt in the process. Since then I have been walking in the early morning before the sun is too intense, until today. I did get my walk in early, but when I stopped at a friend's house to drop off my son for the afternoon, I decided to walk around her neighborhood and look since they were having a bunch of yard sales. I didn't think about it being noon, and probably not a good time to walk. I feel it now! Ouch!
I have started the slow process of working in each room of our home, sorting through everything and getting rid of things we no longer need. Believe me it has been a very slow process. So far I have gotten the entrance hall completed. I just recently started work on the dining room. This week I was working on sorting through a huge dish cupboard that we got when we were stationed in Germany. It has lots of drawers and doors. I came up with a whole bag of things to throw away and an entire box of things to donate in some sort.
This morning there happened to be several yard sales in our neighborhood as well, which meant more traffic. So before I started walking I put the box out by the street and wrote free on it. Do you know that in less than an hour's time, someone had taken the entire box! What a weight of relief I felt. I managed to get rid of things that I no longer need and hopefully it blessed someone else.
As I was walking around near my friend's house I almost felt sick as I thought about all the extra "things" we have as Americans. Our lives are often so full of "stuff" to maintain and clean. We think it is something that we "have" to have so we purchase it, only to soon discover that it doesn't bring us satisfaction. Then we put it out for a yard sale and charge a small amount. Someone else buys it and the process begins again. I'm not saying that we need to sell all that we have and live the simple life. But the Lord showed me today how often I let "junk" rule my life instead of Him.
So next week as my boys head off to help at camp, you will find me diligently going through drawers, cupboards and shelves and getting rid of things I no longer need. I know it will be a freeing experience. I will let you know the process I am making.
I can't help but think of Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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." Do you have some throwing off to do this summer?
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3 comments:
Oh my! I could have written this post myself. From the "sitting here sweating as I write".....cause we do the same thing with our A/C and don't use it unless we're melting!....to the needing to get rid of so many things I have accumulated! I have good intentions when I start cleaning but get bogged down when I can't decide what to do with what! Do you have that problem too? I'm excited that you are getting lots of things done. I'm hoping I will soon!
God bless you...
Marilyn
Don't forget to check if you have a FREECYCLE group in your area. Then there's Paperback Swap too... I've been having a blast emptying out this way instead of throwing things in the trash!
I, too, think about all the "stuff" that we have. I read Senior Living and here is a wonderful story that she gave and I will share it with you.
"In the 1800s, an American tourist stopped by the home of Polish rabbi Chofetz Chaim. The tourist was surprised to find a simple dwelling place filled only with books, a table, and a bench.
The tourist asked the rabbi, "Where is all your furniture?" To which the rabbi replied, "Where is yours?"
The puzzled American said, "Mine? But I'm only a visitor here. I'm only passing through."
To which the wise Chaim replied, "And I am simply a visitor here on this earth. I'm only passing through."
What a difference it would make if we would think in terms of eternal value in every area of our lives.
I have a lot of "stuff", too. And, I like Marilyn get bogged down because I "can't decide what do do with what".
mary
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