For whatever reason, maybe because Gary retired in January, my need to declutter and get rid of things has not subsided.

Usually, as in most previous years, I would get the urge to purge for about a week or so after Christmas and then a week or so in the spring. This year, it hasn’t faded. I’ve also been reading books on the subject, including the devotional Uncluttered by Liana George and Angie Hyche, that I’m going through for the third time.

On the plus, I’ve been finding things I didn’t remember I had.

One of those “things” was a storage drawer filled with copies of the plays and monologs I wrote, including one set that had a certificate for production rights. (Not that the cert matters much because the publisher no longer exists!) Because of that discovery, the giveaways will begin again!

I’ve also found things that made me grimace like a lengthy letter to Gary and me written by the now ex of a good friend. Because of hindsight, the happy pretense of those words screamed of lies and betrayal. I threw it away so fast you might have thought it was on fire. I found letters, magazine articles, and notes that I’d saved for unknown reasons. I’m sure, at the time I put them aside, I thought, this will be useful. It will contribute to idea x or y. But since I didn’t make a note of said idea, it has disappeared into the ether. I tossed those, too.

But I found other things that made me go, “Oh, that’s where I stored it!” and I have been grateful to retrieve notes on some projects I wanted to pursue as well as some trinkets that are sentimental to me and will now be displayed. In addition, I found some things I had saved for the Christmas shoeboxes during a previous year, but put them in the wrong place so they never made it into a box. That will now be remedied. In addition, I found a few items I had bought as presents or for special occasions. And there are still at least a dozen drawers or cupboards I haven’t touched yet, plus the attic. Who knows what might be discovered in those spaces?

It seems to have moved past decluttering and onto a bizarre treasure hunt at this point.

It’s amazing that the busyness of life buries so much. When life has you running, the home can become a storage facility of things you plan to address later. Things get quickly put away, somewhere. Sometimes out of logic; sometimes strictly out of necessity.

Do we do that on our faith walk as well? God teaches us a lesson that is meaningful and impactful, and while we revel in it and savor its blessings for a while, there are other things to learn and trials to cope with, so we put a joy to the side. And we forget about it, and how close we felt to our Lord during that season until we find a note in our Bible or God teaches us that same lesson all over again.

By wisdom a house is built,

    and through understanding it is established;

through knowledge its rooms are filled

    with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4, NIV)

I don’t know how much wisdom built my house, either real or spiritual. Both are quirky and have rooms where the corners aren’t quite plumb or the remodel did something silly like glue tile to drywall. But that doesn’t mean wisdom can’t rebuild my house. Through prayer and the search for treasure, perhaps both will be, in time, places that let me grow.

While I’m still looking for blog ideas, the perimeters have changed because of my find. One commenter per week will receive anywhere from one to five books or booklets. Then, at the end of the summer, one commenter from any of the blogs between now and August 26th, will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. Each comment earns you one chance.

May you be blessed in the treasure hunt!