Every year between Christmas and New Years, I have time off to relax. December is a busy month for our business and this year I was looking forward to working on my cross stitch of Michael, maybe doing a sketch, some writing and enjoying my relaxation time. A couple of days before Christmas, a post on facebook caught my attention. It was about a book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying. Why I clicked on the post I have no idea. (Well actually, I do have an idea, but I didn't at the time.)
This is the background to my story. My mother was a VERY tidy housekeeper. It seemed to me that she was much more concerned about STUFF than she was about People (like her daughters for example) and I decided very seriously that I would not be that way when I grew up. Well, I certainly kept my word. I did not EVER care about STUFF, and I didn't care about having a spotless house. In fact, I thought those kind of people were superficial. Needless to say my house has always been a cluttered mess, and I have not been concerned about it. Yes, it's sometimes hard to find things. Luckily, since I don't care about stuff, I am not a shopper, and I don't collect a lot. This fact has probably helped to keep the clutter fairly manageable so that it never really had to be dealt with. Whenever I would try to put things away, I wouldn't know where to start. The closets and drawers and cupboards were full, so there was no where to put anything. I am 57 years old, so there did not seem to be much chance that anything would change as far as my housekeeping habits were concerned.
The words Life Changing Magic really attracted me, and I decided to buy the kindle version of the book. The woman who wrote the book was PASSIONATE about tidying. To her, a tidy house was the answer to all problems in life! The basis of the plan is to take everything you own, pick it up, and decide if it sparks joy. If not, don't keep it. That way, everything around us is what we love.
So, that is what I spent my holiday doing. It has been a month now, and I have almost finished every nook and cranny of my house. My husband and daughter have quietly watched our house transform, and my daughter even joined in by doing her own room.
The whole process has been a Joy. It has been easy, and transformative in ways I did not expect. In the back of my mind I have known that a cluttered house means a cluttered mind. Our life and our surroundings are a reflection of our soul. I have been able to hide that thought in the clutter of my mind and never look at it until now.
Over the last six and a half years I have been following Michael, learning and listening to his wisdom and his example. My mind has gradually become less cluttered and now it is time for my house to reflect that. Having my home be peaceful and serene is an indication to me that I have become a more peaceful and serene person on the inside. For that, I have Michael to thank. Thank you Michael, my King, for always knowing what I need, and knowing what I can become. Everything I do, I do for You.
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