When Stuff Hinders

Stuff.

I have a lot of stuff.

To truly understand how much stuff I have, I need to go back about 15 years. You see, when I walked through my divorce, I was living about 15 miles from where I am now. My parents lived about 100 miles away with my then 98-year-old grandpa. My parents decided to move closer to help me with the kids, and they brought my grandpa with them. Grandpa bought a brand-new house, and my parents built next door.

Did I mention my grandpa was 98 years old? And he bought a brand-new house? He was so cute that way! Obviously, at 98 years old, Grandpa wasn’t going to live a whole lot longer. Shortly after moving, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer. It wasn’t long before he passed away.

Leaving a brand-new house, fully furnished and unoccupied.

It only made sense for the kids and me to move into his house. It was easier on my parents who were helping with the kids. It gave me back up when I was at work. And there was a brand-new house that they couldn’t sell at that time.

So I packed up my earthly belongings (what I didn’t sell or trash) and moved into Grandpa’s fully furnished house. While I tossed a lot of stuff I had collected over the previous 18 years, What I brought meant I basically had enough to furnish two homes (especially the kitchen).

That’s a lot of stuff.

Fast forward a few years. The kids and I collected more stuff as we inevitably do during our lifetime. Kids grow and change and collect toys and clothes and belongings. Instead of tossing clothes, we just buy more and add to the collection. We find things we simply can’t live without and bring that stuff into an already full house.

Stuff.

And then comes Roy. Yes, a few years later, Roy and I decide to combine our two families into one. Combining families also means combining…stuff. So here comes Roy and his kids and all of their stuff into a house that already contained stuff from two families.

Our stuff overflows.

For the last few years, I have longed for order and organization. I have desired to purge the unused and unwanted stuff in our home. But, I have always said I would wait until the kids moved out. I knew that trying to purge and organize was a losing battle as long as there were five or more of us living under the roof together.

I vowed that when they all moved out, I would have an uncluttered and organized home.

What does an uncluttered and organized home mean?

For me, it means peace.

I do not function well in chaos. In disorganization. In clutter. I need orderly to be my best self.

Ironically (or more likely in a God-wink), I started this year with the word “simplify” on my mind. It is actually posted on my bathroom mirror where I see it every single day. I also started 2023 with only one child still living under my roof, knowing he was looking to move out in the near future.

As of April, we are empty nesters.

And the day has come for me to have the neat, orderly, peaceful home I long for.

Friday, Roy came home from work and was shocked to see my office! I work from home, so I spend many hours in that office. I had purchased an extra file cabinet, cleaned off my desk, moved furniture, and finally felt like I could breathe–and function at my highest level–in my organized office.

Then I began laying out my plan for Roy. Room by room. Rearranging and cleaning. Donating and tossing. Painting and organizing. Creating the space in which I can live and breathe and rest and enjoy.

Just the idea–while somewhat overwhelming–is also unbelievably exciting! Exciting to have a home that provides the sense of peace I need. Exciting to know things are in order. Exciting to know things have been dramatically simplified.

Exciting to know I can function at my highest level.

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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

This verse has been ringing through my mind in recent days. You see, God has been working on me to simplify and organize, not just my physical environment but my spiritual life as well. I’ve been listening to a podcast about hustle and hurry, and I’ve realized how much I’ve let distractions slip into my spiritual life.

Pretty much God-ordained that I chose words such as simplify, intentional, and freedom as my words for the year.

I’ve really had to take stock of my life to figure out what is hindering me, what sin is so easily entangling me. I’ve come to realize I am simply distracted. You see, I pick up my phone in the morning because I use my Bible app on my phone. But, how often do I first check my email, look at my Facebook memories, see what my daughter has posted on Instagram, check Linked In and the NextDoor app to get rid of those pesky numbers, look at the News app, check my bank account…and on and on and on.

Then, I eventually get back to my Bible app.

As I’ve listened to this podcast on hustle and hurry, thought about organizing my house, and listened to the Holy Spirit, I’ve come to see how distracted I am by my phone.

And I am choosing to throw off everything that hinders.

I printed off a physical copy of my Bible reading plan.

I found my physical copy of the Word.

And I am choosing not to pick up my phone until after I spend time with God.

I am choosing to eliminate the distractions that would prevent me from knowing God better, from experiencing the freedom and peace that comes from a simplified and organized life. I am choosing to create a space in which I can function at an optimal level. I am choosing to eliminate those things that distract me from my relationship with God so I can experience His work in my life.

What is hindering your relationship with God? Is there something distracting you? Entangling you? Is it time for you to do some purging of your own?

Let’s throw off everything that hinders so we can be fully His.