Cleaning Out the Closets

*originally posted by me at calvarycommunitymops.blogspot.com

It's summertime. I find that my schedule changes during this time of year. It relaxes and becomes far more flexible, but also fills up with more play dates and fun activities. I don't have to rush my son off to preschool or get out the door for regularly schedules activities. My days are more open, mostly.

I love spending the time at parks and zoos, plugging into MOPS planned play dates and in general soaking up the sun.

Summertime also brings with it a desire to do projects, at least for me it does. There are so many randomly stacked things that appeared over the winter in the garage that we can barely get the cars in. And when we can get the cars in, we are stuck because we can't open the doors!

My closets are overflowing with clothes that are out of style, don't fit or are just plain worn out. My linen closet is unspeakable.

My goal this summer is to clean out. Clean out the things that I don't use, don't want or don't need. Pass things on to other moms, thrift stores or the dump.

Declutter.

My relationship with God has much to declutter as well. How many things have I taken on board that are not benefiting me? Beliefs that have come, not from God, but from "that's how it has always been" or "that's what my parents believed." I have beliefs that cause me to feel guilty for not being perfect. Does that come from God? I don't think so.

I would be the first one to say that learning from others is a valuable thing. Passing on faith from parents to children is one of my top priorities with my son and daughter. But, old stale beliefs need to be tested and tried. Held up to see if they still fit. Are they a product, not of the teachings of God, but of a fad that came through the church (or society)? Do I have a tie-dye faith? Or do I have a classic, never-goes-out-of-style A-line faith? Where do my beliefs come from? The Bible? Society? Movies?

I loved the book The Shack. There were parts that challenged me and my prejudices. Do I believe that it was Biblical? No. But did I inadvertently take on beliefs that are contrary to the Bible?

How much of what I believe have I taken on board by random things in our culture?

The only way to distill my beliefs is to spend time with God and his Word. Letting Him talk to me and asking Him to show me the truths that can be mined only from Him and His Word and to possibly find a mentor in a more mature Christian woman.

Just like I need to spend time going through my closets this summer, I need to spend time with God. Going through my beliefs.