Day Thirty Two – Removing Clutter

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Proverbs 13:4

I wrote this post four days ago and it was painful to throw good food away today.

Yesterday, I waited to hear from a friend concerning items she said she wanted. I have 10 family size boxes of Cheerios that expired in the month of August. I don’t want to throw them away because they could be food for chickens.

A week or so ago my friend told me she struggles financially to buy feed for the chickens and the turkey in her backyard. I was shocked she even had them! Especially since she has 11 dogs, not sure how many just born puppies and lord only knows how many cats and kittens. Given she’s the only person that works in the household I felt somewhat sorry for her on many levels.

I’m guessing the chickens and the turkey belong to her son-in-law that lives with her and doesn’t have a job. Well, any-who, the son-in-law said he would take the expired cereal off my hands. You would think since he doesn’t have a job and his livestock need food HE WOULD HAVE MADE THE EFFORT TO STOP BY MY HOME TO PICK THE CEREAL UP SINCE THEY WERE IN DENVER! I live minutes away from the highway! It would have taken him just a few minutes of his time to come to my home and pick up FREE food for his livestock! OMG! Some people really do come with special instructions! Really!

I started to take the food to them! Then I remembered my nasty habit of always trying to rescue people that have much more time than me. Later finding myself trying to pour and drink from an empty cup! Today, I will send my friend a text to see if she wants the food and give her one day to pick it up. If she tells me she doesn’t want the boxes of cereal I will post them in a community page as “FREE” with hours only for pick-up. If I still have the boxes of cereal by the time trash day comes around I will throw them away and move on with removing clutter from my home.

Well it’s four days later and they never showed up! Let’s pray!

PRAYER:

Father God, I pray for the lazy person that sits around waiting for things to fall in their lap. I pray that you stir up their spirit and show them the error of their ways. Let the slothful mindset they have end with them and not become a family legacy. Amen

Day Thirty One – Removing Clutter

A couple of days ago as I wrapped up my post I quickly changed my mind on what I would share today after reading Proverbs 13. Yet, Proverbs 13:4 is my scripture for today. Have a great day living your best life! Blessings to you and yours from me and mine! ~Annette

A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
    but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

²From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
    but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

³Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

⁴A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
    but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵The righteous hate what is false,
    but the wicked make themselves a stench
    and bring shame on themselves.

⁶Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
    but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

⁸A person’s riches may ransom their life,
    but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly,
    but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰Where there is strife, there is pride,
    but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

¹¹Dishonest money dwindles away,
    but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
    but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    turning a person from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good judgment wins favor,
    but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.

¹⁶All who are prudent act with knowledge,
    but fools expose their folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
    but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

¹⁸Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
    but whoever heeds correction is honored.

¹⁹A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
    but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹Trouble pursues the sinner,
    but the righteous are rewarded with good things.

²²A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
    but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

²³An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

²⁵The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
    but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Day Thirty – Removing Clutter

Today, I came on just to read something inspirational. Ask and it shall be given! I found a very profound blog post, simply written about knowledge being power. It’s thought provoking and moving! So, today I won’t be writing a post but sharing one and encouraging my visitors to read it. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, your word say’s “we have not because we ask not.” Well today Lord I’m asking that you give people an appetite to seek knowledge to make wiser choices. Amen

Knowledge is power-Francis Bacon

Day Twenty Nine – Removing Clutter

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:11-20 NIV

UGH! Smash! Smash! Bang! Bang! Kick the metal trash can! Seven days ago was one of those kind of moment! Really! Where you want to hit something, brake something and most of all kick an object! But! You shouldn’t! And in my case I didn’t! But! Because of some people procrastinating I went from one spectrum to the other emotionally and mentally. One thing I hate is when people waste time [and I learned this from a dentist]. DON’T WASTE TIME! Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for another day on this side of Glory. Lord, I pray for those that waste time, their time and the time of others. Lord, I ask you to speak softly to their hearts making your word ever present about the importance of time. Amen

Day Twenty Seven – Removing Clutter

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

When I was a young woman my dad would always say, “My home is my sanctuary.” Meaning his home was his sanctuary. He was so at peace with apartment life that he kept his door slightly opened as he sat at his kitchen table in nothing but his whitety tighties! It’s clear to see he disregarded how his behavior could have made his neighbors uncomfortable. But! My son’s who were used to wearing bed/street clothing in our home quickly suggested to their grandfather to put clothing on during one of their visits. My dad told them, “This is my house.” So, as young men who wanted to spend time with their grandfather they overlooked what temporarily made them uncomfortable.

Now! I totally disagree with my dad’s actions when it came to him sitting around in his undies with the door open and in the presence of others. But! I wholeheartedly agreed with him that our homes are our sanctuaries! And! With each new day we need to protect its tranquility. As why I’m on this clutter removing journey because I DO NOT function well in chaos, never have and never will! Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, give those that seek peace your peace. Amen

The Hem of His Garment

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3

I have a really weak stomach! And! The only baby diapers I could change without gagging belonged to my children. Yet, love will help you endure things for others beyond what your stomach can handle.

When I was a little girl and my mom was a young woman, the first thing she taught me when using public restrooms was to squat over the toilet. Later, I learned to line public toilets with toilet paper if I had to rid my body of soiled waste. Well-any-who! Age and my mom’s illness robbed her of being able to do either; therefore, during her Oncology visits she would say, “Annette, I gotta go to the bathroom.”

Her soft and gentle request would prompt me to grab my bag that I had packed full of cleaning products, her medicine pole as she closely followed me to the nearest bathroom. Sometimes all I would have to do is wipe the toilet seat with a Clorox Wet Wipe; but, there would be times I would have to clean the toilet because feces and or urine would be very visible. It was those days my poor mom would say, “Hurry up!” She had no clue I was hurrying and I had no clue how her bladder was screaming to her that it wanted to be relieved. But! The one thing she knew during our bathroom breaks was she was loved. She truly understood I was going beyond my ability to help her when she could no longer squat and or make public toilets safe for her to use.

Those bathroom cleaning days are gone but I would gladly return to them if it meant I could have my mom back. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. And, I’d forgotten the bathroom moments until my son shared how his friend is bravely fighting cancer.

I wrote the above to write this: Sometimes people lose control over their body functions as their illnesses rob them of feeling alive, truly alive. It’s during those times when they need small favors without strings attached to remind them to hang in there and continue fighting for their life because they are loved. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, you know the secret places of everyone. You know how to reach us as communities, groups and as individuals. Today, I humbly ask that you put on the hearts of many to visit the sick and shut in. Inspire them to give life and meaning to your words by allowing their kind actions to comfort those that are sick. Amen

Day Twenty Six – Removing Clutter

October 22, 2023

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

As I continue on this journey of decluttering my home, I find myself with little to no support. And in turn without thought I’d made those that read my post the someone’s whom I was accountable to. For only God knew how the years of being involved in stressful situations depleted me of a natural resource of being a self-starter. So, therefore, to accomplish tasks that I would never need help doing, I’ve unconsciously made people of the Universe forces that hold me liable for removing the clutter from my home. This revelation explains why I try to write about my actions daily. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, I call on you this morning. Life happens, bad days are a given and depression is always lurking and looking for victims, but you are ever present! You sit patiently and quietly waiting for God’s children to seek your help in matters that go beyond their ability to solve. Today, Holy Spirit, I ask for your infinite wisdom to give aid to those that don’t know how to seek your help when it appears they are totally alone. Amen

Day Twenty Five – Removing Clutter

October 21 2023

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Well! Several days ago, I made it to the Salvation Army with my donations! When I opened the sliding door to the middle cavity of my van the guy said, “Wow! You got this car filled!.” Oh! Yes! I did have my car filled! And, I plan on filling it again until my home no longer has clutter. And, yes, I even donated those really nice storage bins because I’m not playing. I gotta get my home cleared, clean and remodeled.

Today I’m packing the car with items that can hopefully benefit Habitat For Humanity. All the items I’ve purchased within the last 20 years to upgrade the upstairs and or finished the basement of my home are outdated and taking up prime real estate in my garage. So! They gotta go! Including those 2 cases of red Christmas lights [tire screech]! I might want to rethink giving away the red Christmas lights! Especially since things are so expensive now! Ok! I’ll keep the cases of Christmas lights but I gotta give up something else to make space for them on a shelf. This is a Winnie the Pooh moment, think think think. I know! I can donate those ceiling fans I couldn’t sell on Facebook MarketPlace years ago. Clutter problem solved!

Side note: I haven’t posted in a couple of days because I fell off the wagon when it came to removing clutter from my home. Life happens! However, this morning I’ve dusted myself off from the fall and I’m back in the saddle! I have a house to clean and remodeling projects to complete! Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, sometimes we fall and our hurt determines how long we stay down. Today, Lord, I ask that you whisper in the ears of those that feel defeated they are loved. Loved by you, your son, the Holy Spirit and people like me that believe in you. Amen

Day Twenty-Four: Removing Clutter

October 17, 2023

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Wow! Sometimes on my clutter removing journey I really do have funny moments. Yesterday was the 3rd day for me burning the left behind paperwork that belonged to my oldest son. Sadly, because life happens, I wasn’t able to burn all the documents consecutively but it did take three days of my life to attend to someone else’s responsibility. Any-who! I sent my son a text as I neared the end of the project. It had a photo of the cover of a family genealogy book. I asked him if the book was the one he was missing; because he claimed my mom had taken it and had gotten rid of it. He replied with a “yes.”

Well any-who, I sent the same photo to a paternal cousin. I told her how the book came to be in my possession. She said, “You should keep that book. He left it behind.” I told her I would make copies of the book for her and I and give the book to my son. The book means the world to him as it was given to him by my dad, his late grandfather. But here’s where the story gets hilarious!

After sending my son a photo of the cover I also sent him a photo of me reaching the end of burning his personal paperwork. So! When I called him he said, “MOMMA! You didn’t burn my book did you!” His question left me puzzled with my own question of “why would I burn his book.” Then I said, “No! Why would I burn your book!” He says, “Because the last picture you sent was of something burning!” I started laughing and assured him I didn’t burn his book. Afterwards, he told me how he got the book and how much it meant to him.

My son is extremely frugal! Extremely! He asked, “Mom, are you going to send that book to me when you send me my photos? If you do, I will send you the postage.” Now! He was willing to let me send him his photos/pictures/framed artwork on my dime, but that book means so much to him that he is now willing to pay postage for everything. Wow! And! The book is poorly put together and is stained with whatever! Yet, that small bundle of paper that’s clamped together with some type of closure means the world to him.

What I’ve learned from this moment is that sometimes we lose things of value and always find them when we clear clutter from our homes and our minds. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, help us to clear clutter from our homes and or our minds and afterwards help us to organize and prioritize both spaces so we can enjoy our divine purpose. Amen

Day Twenty-three: Removing Clutter

October 16, 2023

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
PSALM 32:8

I had a case of these small vases and I donated the entire case.

The car is loaded from the back to the middle! And! I did leave the driver’s seat unfilled though! Because had I not, I couldn’t get all the stuff I have to donate to the Salvation Army!

When I was a young single mom I always made a dollar too much to get food stamps for a family of three and later four, therefore, I was always struggling to make ends meet. Since buying food took a big chunk of what I made it was not unusual for me not to have money to pay my electric bill. I’m not even sure how I heard about the Salvation Army but I went to them for help. I remember sitting in an office and being extremely nervous as I was being asked questions concerning my finances. Honestly, I was ashamed! I couldn’t take care of myself and the children that depended on me! I had to go to strangers and ask for help! OMG! Telling this story ties into my feelings concerning my snaky ex! Let me move on quickly before I get myself upset!

Well! Each time I had to go there I felt so bad for asking for financial assistance. So for two years they paid my bill. Both visits meant I got my bill paid once a year through their organization. And glory be to God, their kindness allowed me to financially breath and sleep without worry for at least a month or two. It was then when I began to give what I could share to the person ringing a bell standing near a red pot in front of King Soopers grocery store every holiday. My donations were never over $20 dollars but I gave what I had.

My son’s are all grown and making it on their own without help from me, their dad’s and or stepdad. And every now and then when a melancholy moment returns and visits them about our past life of never having enough money they find strength in their journey and push themselves to be inspired for greater accomplishments.

Today, despite my emotional ties to never having enough so long ago has also helped me when it comes to releasing unused items to a worthy organization that has a great humanitarian cause. May the items always give joy to the new owners. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for keeping your eye on us and being an understanding teacher that lovingly instructs those that want to hear your wisdom. Bless all donations great and or small for the glory of God and for the good of humanity. Amen