Where is Your Oasis?

 

I sat down this morning with not much enthusiasm.  I've been slacking on my devotionals, and I didn't really feel the Lord tugging at me today.  I read anyway.  I'm going to copy and paste my reading below in the hopes it might spur someone one.

I read today's message, and it immediately resonated with me.  In fact, as I sat at my desk last night working on some things, I was actually (simultaneously) cleaning out the seven drawers of the desk (while listening to my meeting partners) and thinking, "Well, small steps here but at least one thing is cleaned out a little bit."

Did I make any great strides in cleaning, organizing, and purging?  No.  Is there more to tackle in those seven drawers?  Yes.  But it was a baby step, and wow, it felt good throwing that pile of stuff away!

Spring Break is just five days away for me, and as in past years, I traditionally do not travel during this particular week.  I stay at home and tackle things that a single person needs the time to do, usually one big project each Spring.  This year, I'll be waking the yard up (mowing, trimming, tidying), cleaning the garage out (or starting), and my big project for the week will be cleaning and painting the front porch.  A lot to tackle and I may not even put a dent in my mental To Do list, but just having all that on my mind the past few days really coincided unbelievably with today's reading.

I hope the people that need to read this see it.  I can think of 2-3 people right off the top of my head, in my circle of life, that came to mind immediately when I read it.  Remember, life often seems so insurmountable, but it's the baby steps that make a difference!  What a lesson I needed to read this morning!

Happy Monday!  

Home: Our Oasis

Do you have a junk drawer? Maybe it's an entire room. Some of us even need a storage unit for the things we don't use.

If you have clutter, it is a sign that you have delayed making decisions about some things. No judgment--you're not alone. Life gets busy. The mail stacks up, the laundry overflows, or the garage is where you park the extra stuff instead of the car.

This doesn't happen overnight, so clearing out all the extra will take time. And grace.

Most of us want to be able to do this over a weekend. That might work in some instances, but for most of us, we need to do this piece by piece, drawer by drawer, stack by stack.

Our homes are supposed to be an oasis from the world's worries. So our living spaces require stewardship and simplifying, too. If you have rooms, places, nooks, and crannies in your home that could benefit from a bit of clearing, start small, so you don't get overwhelmed.

Where is Your Treasure?

Matthew 6:21 is very clear: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Starting to simplify our homes means untangling our ideas of need versus want. This process can help us discover that we have more than we need or use.

When our treasure is Kingdom-minded, earthly treasures start to lose their luster.

If you run out of room or your living space is crowded with too much, consider trying less on for size. Simplifying our homes means we have less stuff to take care of, so we can focus on what is important.

Fifteen Minute Rule

How do we clear out our house clutter? One step at a time.

A great way to start is to set a fifteen-minute timer and tackle something small. A drawer or a shelf in a closet is a good starting point. You don't have to get it all done this second! Just focus on one tiny section at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed.

You can do this! Think of the Oasis for your family you are creating. You will have more breathing room. Less stuff equals more time to enjoy the things you love. Less clutter equals more peace.

The important part is to start. Don't wait. Don't put off more decisions until tomorrow. Instead, start somewhere small today and reap the rewards of an Oasis in the making!

Prayer: Father God, I need less: less to care for, less to worry about, less to clog up my mind and my home. Will you show me how to start simplifying and decluttering my space? Please show me how to steward my home well so that I honor you. Thank you for everything you have blessed me with! I need your help caring for it. In Jesus' name, amen.