Organizing my way to goals...

If you remember, I said I do not make New Year's resolutions but use this time of year to do mid-course corrections to my journey.  Instead of making a new goal for the coming twelve months, I ponder on the process and the journey by asking for wisdom on how I'm doing and what needs changing.

For I have found, just making a goal doesn't mean anything if you have clutter in your soul... fog which keeps one from finding their way to the Light.  Hmmm... does that sound too New Agey?  That's okay, we know of Whom we speak.  Anyway... I use the beginning of the year to ponder changes (those under my control) needed towards any goal of living that journey as He would be pleased.

As I pondered, I told you the word which kept coming back to me for this year was... create.  It was time to knock down walls of fear and doubt to begin bringing new life to the journey.  I want to create this year and in the next weeks (and months, God willing and the creek don't rise)... I will further explore just what this means to the day-to-day gotta do's of living.

The other realization He brought to me was the need to... declutter.  Not that the house looked terrible (we will not even talk about the garage) but I knew deep within my very soul that I could not create until I decluttered... my closets, drawers, cabinets, and yes... my shelves in the garage... and more importantly.. myself.

So, I have been sorting and throwing and e-mailing my friend to ask if she wants dishes and I even began to tackle my garage shelves yesterday.  Stephanie and I were texting each other, she was laundering linens which had been thrown up on by a sick little girl and I was cleaning Rubbermaid containers from the garage containing mouse turds.  I think we both decided hers was the more icky job...  how wonderful technology allows mother and daughter to commiserate.

I cannot begin to tell you the freedom this project has brought.  It's not that I had so much to get RID of (it will end up being five or six small boxes and the china going to my friend) but in the process of decluttering, I found stuff.  Like the Christmas shortbread mold I was looking for at... ummm... Christmas.  Sorting through the large, deep green Rubbermaid box in the garage labeled "Crafts" inspired me with its' collection of past projects.

The process is providing clean space on the shelves and making them (like my closets and drawers and cabinets) a pleasant place for which my eyes to rest.. no more thinking of what I MUST DO but instead knowing what is within each box and feeling... rest and contentment.

Yesterday evening, after dinner was finished and the gotta do's of the day were behind, I started re-reading the chapter on Sarah Edwards in Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God.  I have decided I want to learn more about Johnathan Edwards this year... the man who helped spark a revival and a revolution... and in the process, also learning more about Sarah.  In much the same way one cannot separate John Adams from Abigail, I am learning Sarah is the important central influence to Johnathan.

Soooo... all this to say I am continuing on the path to clearing out the clutter from house and soul.  I still have letters to write (for I want to give them the thought they deserve) and some promised baking to accomplish.  But I must admit my brain has been fixated with this need to purge out the unimportant and what remains will be all that is necessary to stay on that Journey.

Picture:  Blue Stove; allposters.com