How was your weekend? I managed to enjoy a little down time Friday night, but Saturday morning arrived bright and early … and this stared me in the face.
 |
| ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! |
The must-do, couldn’t put it off any longer, closet cleaning day had arrived … and I didn’t wanna! At all. I knew what I’d find in there. I’d been trying to ignore it.
Jumbles of jewelry never put away after my last out-of-town trip … or the one before that … or the one before …
Purses tossed on top of each other. Some really needed to be donated … Others flat out pitched. I mostly only use a couple of them anyway.
And shoes … Once neatly organized, many boxes now held footwear not even remotely recognizable from the picture. So much for being organized … once.
I don’t know about you, but “stuff” somehow migrates to my closet. Right beside a hat worn to a wedding in England I’d find original manuscripts for books Renaissance Man wrote … and I edited … and Thomas Nelson published. The memories are good, but will somebody tell me how they ended up in my closet … and why I’m keeping them anyway? The books aren’t even in print anymore.
I knew there would be other memories, too. A few of the handmade vases that adorned the reception tables at that same English wedding found their way to my closet. Friends and family gathered at a quaint old hotel located a short walk from Windsor Castle … where royalty and fairy tales intermingle … and shared the joy. And now five years later my heart breaks just a little or a lot when I remember the day because the shared joy stopped, and the precious couple lives with an ocean between them … and every story doesn’t end with happily ever after.
I knew I’d see a pair of beautifully-mounted Texas longhorns wrapped in a throw for safekeeping until Daughter the Older has a place for them. They belonged to her long-deceased father. She left home years ago, but they’re in my closet right next to the wedding vases … the vases that aren’t my style. They’ll go in my sale on Saturday.
But the big thing I knew … the “800 lb. gorilla” … was just how many clothes I’d have to get rid of. Not because I no longer liked them … but because they no longer fit.
What is it going to take to get control of my love-hate relationship with sugar? Why do I let 35 extra pounds have such power over my self-image? Will there be anything left to wear once the closet … and the mirror … speak?
I’m happy to say that the task is now behind me. I was mentally prepared to tackle the closet and not let it tackle me. There are three full-to-overflowing bags headed to Goodwill first thing in the morning … and another large plastic storage bin making its way to someone else. My closet is clean and organized … and I’m sure relieved that I still have some clothes to wear! There are some significant challenges, but it’s a new day of accepting reality … and meeting it head-on.
The whole process brought to mind a Bible study I did with a friend three summers ago: Me, Myself & Lies… a thought-closet makeover by Jennifer Rothschild. In the same way that our physical closets can get out of control, our thought-closets … the secret closets in our minds … can do the same. The shelves are jam-packed with bins full of hidden thoughts, secret insecurities, lies, and reminders of past failures. The boxes have labels like: I’m too fat. I’m not good enough. I’ll never learn. I can’t do it; it’s impossible. I’ll always be this way. I’m such an idiot.
(Any of those sound familiar?)
Notice the focus on Self? My needs … my problems … ME.
On those days, the thought-closet resembles a junk yard.
But there’s good news …
The Bible speaks Truth to all who will listen …
When I choose to change my focus … acknowledging and accepting God’s desire to have a relationship with me … my thought-closet becomes a treasure chest. God’s thoughts about me (rather than my own sin-based put-downs) start to clothe my life. I become hopeful, encouraged, compassionate … God-focused. I lose the thoughts that dwell on superficial things and instead focus on things that matter. Eternal things.
Today my physical closet is clean, but I’ll have to maintain it daily so it stays that way.
My thought-closet requires daily maintenance, too. God already knows every thought and word in it even better than I do. Fortunately, He’s in the divine makeover business!
What’s the soundtrack in your thought closet saying about you? Is it uplifting and encouraging … or does it have the strong beat of defeat … affecting you, everything you do, and everyone around you? Is it time for a thought-closet makeover? Only you … and God … know the answer.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. (Proverbs 16:3)
Closet cleaning was on my Sally List. How’s your list coming, by the way? (Read about the Sally List HERE. It’ll change your life …)
I’ll be linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
and Blue Monday at Smiling Sally.
i love the baby-blue painted hotel–so beautiful! i need those plastic boxes for my shoes, too! have a great week!
Susan — a very thought provoking post — my closet is a catch-all it seems. Since my weightloss journey began 2+ years ago, I have kept the cycling of clothes somewhat under control — as a I’ve gone down each size, I do a clean-out. That said, it is the *other* stuff that tends to land there that is my problem….living in an old, small house doesn’t help 🙂
Blessings!
Gail
Beautiful blue!
Good Monday to you!
Mask on a Blue Wall
I see organization in your closet, and I admire you for it! I love the metaphor of our internal closet. Mine needs some work. Now, about the extra weight and the love of sugar . . . well, I can’t be perfect, can I? Thanks for sharing your blues.
Happy Blue Monday, Susan.
I love this entire post, Susan. You have written so many that I loved, and God knows how many table type posts I’ve enjoyed here, but I honestly think this is my favorite of all.
I relate well to this.
My physical closet needs regular purging, and that MENTAL one of mine is one big old cluttered mess.
Dropping be from BNOTP. I just wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful post! I love your practical application of scripture.
Wow your shoes are organize, awesome! Like those accessories of yours ^_^
Kim,USA
So neat and organize! I am now following your blog.
PS. Would you mind following my new blog, where my BLUE post is? Thank you in advance!
Rose
Susan- That is such a good job to have done. I have a FEW closets that I need to get cleaned out! Soon! I hope you have a great garage sale. xo Diana
Up high in the sky!
A little bit of blue, have a great week ahead!
Oh my, what an analogy for the clutterd closet. I love this and I sure do need help in the closet of my thoughts. My literal closet isn’t much better. The door to your closet I must say is really beautiful.
Good luck going forward.
Ann
Good for you…but this spoke to me in so many ways. The disappointments of life, the cleaning up of our life, the holding on to things both physically and spiritually we need to toss…and yes, His grace and all the good stored items.
Oh the Longhorns, well that rung a bell. My husband had earned his longhorns from being in Longhorn band, our son wanted to use them in his apartment, but some how he forgot about them and they got hidden out of sight. When he moved he didn’t see them and they were somehow left behind…my husband still gets upset…but we move forward and extend grace.
Great post….hugs, because this mother walked this path with you through your closet.
Beautiful Blues and you are so organized..
Visiting for Blue Monday- hope you can stop by..
http://www.cassandrasminicorner.com/2012/06/flamingo-balloon-blues.html