Purging

What is the purpose behind a purge?


Purge:  To make free of something unwanted; to get rid of


Simplicity.
It sounds simple.
Often it is not.


We often get together and lament to our friends how cluttered our homes are.
How chaotic our lives are.
How we just wish things would slow down a bit.


Friends, this is within our control.


I've been called.  By a need.


A need to simplify.
A need to clarify.
A need for purpose.


And when I am surrounded by 'stuff' I am easily distracted.


But, this is not just about the physical.
Not just about the material.


Think about what is necessary.
That begs the question: What is UNnecessary?


I am detoxing.  Many of you know this.
This is across the board.
Reaching all aspects of my life.


My home:  ridding of the unnecessary.  Cleaning out.  Getting rid of.
Abandoning hoarder tendencies of the past.
The goal: a much simpler life.


My body: ridding of the useless.  Eliminate the junk.  Fuel my body with God-created foods.
More energy.  More focus.  More stamina for what I am on this earth to do.


My spirit: ridding of the negative.  Eliminate useless talk.  Useless focus. Selfish motives.
More love.  More patience.  More gentleness.  More joy.  More peace.


This is wide-sweeping.
The physical mirrors the soul.


And if you were to walk in my house, or see what I consumed last week, you would see an ugly, malnourished, cluttered, messy soul.


That saddens my heart.


But, it doesn't have to stay that way.


So, when we spring clean and plan garage sales and load trucks to donation centers, let's ask ourselves:


What is the purpose?
And how can I let this transform my entire life?


'Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.' ~Rom 12:2MSG

The Greatest Story

I am a sucker for a good story.


Narnia:  Children, prophesied to save a kingdom in a world not their own.  And as you follow each book, as Lucy grows from a very young girl into young adulthood, the reader is consistently reminded of her crucial role in the entire story.  If it were not for her, Narnia would never have been found.  And saved.  A little girl.  Saved the world.


A Little Princess:  A young orphaned girl melts the heart of her cold, dark uncle.  Had it not been for her mischievous relationship with her cousin, lives would not have intertwined and relationships been restored.  A little girl brought life back into a cold, dark castle.


Hugo: An orphaned boy left to fend for himself in a train station in France.  Had it not been for his father's influence and gifts to this boy, he would never have happened upon, and changed the life of, an elderly, sad, shop owner.  Loneliness chased away by new friendships and restoration are the themes of this masterpiece.  All because of this boy.


And, my personal favorite, Rocky:  a lonely, troubled club boxer with a crush on the shy pet shop worker.  Lonely, dead-end lives intertwine to reveal a story of love, hope, and the will to overcome the odds.


Like I said, I am a sucker for a good story.


Disclaimer:  This is where my inner-Pisces comes out.  This is where my mind and heart drift into the nebula for a while.  


I place myself in the story.  I imagine what it would be like to be this character or that one.
And I long to be IN the story.


I long to be ... 
'The One'. 


The 'had it not been for...' character who changes the world.


Because, when I am chin deep in work and bills and housework and child-raising and dog chasing and meetings and church activities and ... and ... and ...


it's hard to see my life as a captivating adventure in which I am the key character.


Yes, many women do bear the weight of feeling that the world would cave in on their families if they were to simply stop for even one day.  


But, this is different.
Even greater still, I desire to feel like I am making a difference.
And, let's face it.  That's hard to do when you are simply one-day-after-another in the grind of life.


So, where is my focus?
Truth?
It's on me.


When, if I would simply step back, even for a few minutes each day, I would see my life the way my Creator sees it:
As One Big Adventurous Love Story.


No, I am not saving the world, turning families inside out, healing years of broken hearts or winning National titles.


But, I could be.


If I am seeking His face and His will daily;
If I am surrendering my plans to His;
If I am trusting in His design;
Then I am where He called me to be.  Right now.
And right now, truthfully, if I am to believe what I claim I believe, I am in the Greatest Adventure I could ever imagine.


The Greatest Story I've Ever Known.


I'm a sucker for a good story.
My own.