Christmas in July…many people start shopping for their Christmas presents in the warm summer months. So why not do your spring cleaning during the last week of the year?
An apartment makeover during this holiday season was hardly on my To Do list, yet it all started with purchasing a TV wall mount. This was an idea I had a few years ago but never moved forward with it. All of a sudden, my brain was shouting, “Do it and Do it Now!”
Much like most home improvement projects, this one project led to another. My mind began furniture mapping and rearranging. Thankfully, the rearrangements led to purging nonessential furniture and the nonessential stuff where it lived.
This all occurred at the same time when I was diligently setting goals for 2023. To be clear…goals are NOT New Year’s resolutions! Many decades ago, I learned well-intentioned resolutions do not work, at least for me. But studies show goals written down can mean 80% success. Early in 2022, I did just that and can happily report at least 80% of my goals were achieved as 2022 comes to a close.
Studies also show how clutter can seriously affect your mental health. Clutter creates stress which opens the door to that potentially destructive hormone called cortisol. And you don’t want cortisol flowing during sleep hours. Try Googling “clutter and mental health” and you will discover many things you probably already knew.
Many dust rags were needed to clean the cobwebs on and behind the furniture. What I didn’t expect was that through this process, I would clean the cobwebs out of my mind and make space for more productive endeavors.
The best part of this bigger-than-intended task was that I didn’t do it alone. My neighbor kindly provided strong arms to move furniture from one level to another. But every step of the way it was clear who was directing my steps. Emmanuel…God with me! Yes, I know He’s always with me, don’t you? And I do know the difference between me doing stuff in my own strength and stepping aside for Him to take over. But His sweet presence with me, seeing the end from the beginning, encouraging me to make adjustments here and there brought so much joy. The blessings continue as I look around, knowing He was behind this project to restore hope, clarity and purpose. Thank you, Lord!
Isn’t this journey so much about moving from the cluttered tight spaces into the uncluttered spacious place where He is and His limitless possibilities are?