For those of you who both read my page and attend book group, yes my blog theme changed. I may still post the “rating” blog at some point, but only when I can make it honest, not whiney, and God-focused. Without all three of those, it will sit in my virtual files.

In the meantime, life gave me both a theme and a direction for today’s blog. After I finished my devotions and coffee, I looked around the room. Then I peered in the giveaway closet and at a few of the nearby piles. Next thing I knew, I was on my hands and knees pulling things out of drawers with a container of cleaning wipes in hand. The cats thought it great fun to explore the spaces I emptied!

Periodically, like this morning, I get driven to clean, to clear away stuff and dust that has accumulated. I became so intently focused on removing a layer of junk from the house that I totally forgot to eat breakfast.

It’s like things enter the house and enter the house until my nervous system says, “Overload alert!” Then, I have to go through drawers and closets and shelves and find things to throw out or giveaway. This morning, I filled a trunk-full for the local Green Drop. I’ll probably conduct another stuff purge as I decorate for Christmas. It doesn’t yet feel like I’ve reached equilibrium.

I don’t know why I react like this from time to time, but any of my guys could tell you that it’s a thing. Sometimes I get so zealous that I need to put the brakes on a little and ask myself, “will I regret it if this thing is gone forever?” Usually, the answer is no, but there have been occasions where I nearly tossed something precious to me in the frenzy for less. And I have been corrected, on occasion, for giving away something that belonged to one of the guys.

When I look around, I see precious little that is precious. Most of the things within eyesight are serving a purpose, but I could care less if they remain beyond that. Whenever we get to move from this house, I do believe the antique book table next to me and the oil paintings on the wall behind me are the only things from the living room that would move with us.

Maybe it’s because Gracie, my mother-in-law, just returned from the hospital after a recent health scare that I needed clear away a layer. After all, people who we love and who love God are the only treasures we will see forever. The things that accumulate (and seem to breed like rabbits!) are merely tidbits to make our life on earth more beautiful, easier, or productive. In and of themselves they only have the value we assign to them in a given moment.

Jesus did say in Matthew that we should keep our eyes on the kingdom, on eternity. 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6, NKJV)

The pieces of stuff that I got rid of today were all once earthly treasures. Some things as I set them to give away, I remembered how much effort I had put in to find them. And for a while, they served their purpose and beautified my life. But all things of this earth decay—whether in purpose or actuality.

I pray that I see the reasons God puts things in my life and gives me the wisdom as to when to bid them farewell.