Sticking with the theme of Ecclesiastes 3 from last week, today I'm looking ahead to spring cleaning. I think I'm probably just looking forward to spring all the way around being that I almost got the van stuck in the snow a few days back...ah but that's another story. Ecclesiastes 3:6 says there is "a time to keep and a time to throw away" (NIV). I think there are a lot of things in this house that I need to purge. Winter has a way of causing clutter to accumulate in my home. I'm looking forward to the warm breezes of spring to blow in through open windows breathing fresh inspiration through the house. There's something about spring that causes a new outlook to burst forth for me. Winter's icy chill makes me want to snuggle up on the couch with hot tea and read to the kids all day but the warmer days of spring always inspire me to cleanliness and creativity. This week has been very cold. I woke up to 10 degree weather this morning and although the roads are clear, my van is still stuck in the driveway. What a better time to start working on some much needed purging this week. When I get the spring cleaning fever I have a tendency to want it all done immediately so I'm constantly reminding myself that I need to take my time and not get overwhelmed. This is the week I've planned for the kitchen. I've been sticking to my strategy of taking it slow by choosing a different area of the kitchen each day to focus on. When it comes to purging I don't do anything new or inventive. I stick to the traditional keep it, give it away or throw it away approach. When tackling a specific area I pull everything out and only put back the things I need to keep, everything else is thrown away or given away. After that area is cleared of all clutter, purged of all unnecessary effects and corners cleaned, I move on to other chores around the house. This purging is moving me towards my goal of getting the house ready for a deep spring cleaning as soon as warmer weather moves in allowing me to open the windows and air out the house. Part of my planning towards spring cleaning includes getting things prepared so the kids will be able to easily know what is expected of them during spring cleaning week. I'm putting together baskets for specific tasks. The baskets will have everything in them for a specified area with an instruction card attached. I'm very excited about this project, pics and details will be in a future post! To me, that's where the fun is but this week I'm in the not-so-exciting purging state and I suppose that's okay because after all "there is a time for everything" and I'm learning the importance of embracing all the moments in time, not just the ones I enjoy. I wonder if God ever feels that way about me. To get me to the place where he can do something useful with me sometimes requires a little purging. Getting the human side of me out of the way, cleaning out areas I have left untended for too long and purging any cares of this world from my heart. Max Lucado said "God loves you just the way you are but he refuses to leave you that way." I love my home. It's little, the kids share bedrooms and we only have one bathroom for six people but I love it. It's our first home, the place we brought our last two babies home from the hospital to, where we've marked the kids' height on the kitchen doorframe, where we've laughed and cried together, painted and transformed it from a house we bought to what it is now. Our home. As much as I love my home and am content with it, I refuse to allow it to become dirty and cluttered with things that just don't need to be here. Thankfully God feels the same about my heart, his home. He loves it because it belongs to him but he won't live in a space cluttered with thoughts that do not glorify Him so occasionally he has to do a little spring cleaning and get my heart back to where it needs to be, putting focus back on what is most important. Himself! So perhaps as we hope for the much anticipated arrival of spring and look ahead to spring cleaning we should take a moment to pause and ask God if there's anything in our hearts that need to be purged as well. He takes pleasure in "making things new" (Revelations 21:5) And not only at spring time.
1 Comment
5/31/2016 11:29:05 pm
Sticking with the theme of Ecclesiastes 3 from last week, today I'm looking ahead to spring cleaning.
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About MeI'm Becca, a former chocolate junkie, herbal enthusiast, curriculum writer, homeschool mom to four active kids, wife to my jack of all trades hubby, blessed child of God. Archives
November 2018
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The Essential Blog
Essential homeschooling is not about trying to mimic a classroom setting at home, expensive curriculum and stressful learning. It's setting our eyes on Christ and offering up our lives for His service. It's finding simplicity in daily living and loving each other, embracing the challenges and cherishing the moment because we know these years won't last and what we instill in our children today will determine who they will be tomorrow.