Month: July 2014

Closet Cleaning

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As I looked at the pile of clothes on the chest of drawers and the bag of new clothes I just got for my birthday in my room; neither which could fit into my closet, I realized I needed to clean out my closet. Confession time: I love clothes. I love buying clothes, but hate shopping for clothes, or making room for them in my closet. In our old house, I had my closet and the closet in the spare bedroom (plus 2 chest of drawers) to keep my clothes so downsizing was never really necessary. However, now that we are in a new home, the closet space is limited and unless I wanted to continue looking at the piles of clothes in my room, I needed to do some serious purging.

So, yesterday, I decided to tackle my closet and make room for the new clothes I had purchased and the excess clothes that had been in a pile for weeks. With trepidation, I went through the closet. I found myself making excuses for not getting rid of something. Some no longer fitted, but were too cute to get rid of and others which I hadn’t thought cute enough to wear, but someday might be cute enough. I also remembered the last time I cleaned out my closet. I left a suitcase full of clothes in Guatemala, and later was disappointed when I went looking for something I had given away. The reasons were pretty convincing, but ultimately, I had to do it. I needed to make room for the new items and the clothes that I actually do wear. Another reason for purging was because a lot of the clothes were from when I was younger and now that I am much closer to 40 than I want to admit, I need to dress more appropriate to my age.

This event directly coincided with a new devotion I began yesterday (after the purging); Me, Myself & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild. In the study, Jennifer refers to our “thought closet” and the need to clean it out in order to make room for the things God has for us. Yesterday, the theme was “Who I am and what I struggle with are not the same thing.” An amazing eye opening thought in itself, but it continued today by jotting down the thoughts in my own “closet”, the thoughts in the “human closet”, and the thoughts in “God’s closet”.

I was asked to list the main thoughts  use when beating myself up, examine the human thoughts described in Scripture, and finally meditate on God’s thoughts towards me, also mentioned in Scripture (and listed below). I realized that in order for room to be made for God’s thoughts, my thoughts and the thoughts we all normally have as humans needed to come out. Now, not all need to come out, but those which don’t fit me anymore or those that were given to me by other people that just don’t flatter me. As much as I believed those thoughts to still “fit”, in reality, I needed to begin to dress as the woman of God that I am and becoming.

Like I said, I am just on day 2 of this study, so I still have lot more purging to do. I’m pretty sure cleaning out my clothes closet will be much easier than cleaning and maintaining my thought closet. But it is a task I will certainly need to commit and rely on my Savior to guide me through for He promises that if I “commit to Him in whatever I do, my plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).

Human Thought Closet

Psalm 10:4 – In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Psalm 56:5 – All day long they twist my words;
    all their schemes are for my ruin.

Isaiah 59:7 – Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.
They pursue evil schemes;
    acts of violence mark their ways.

Isaiah 65:2 – All day long I have held out my hands
    to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
    pursuing their own imaginations—

Romans 1:21 – For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

God’s Thought Closet

Psalm 40:5 – Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 92:5 – O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.

Psalm 139:17 – How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!

Isaiah 55:9 – “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

 

Static

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In early June, Jake and I went to Boston to see my family for a much-needed vacation. In later June/early July, I went to Guatemala on a mission trip. In between those two significant events, Jake and I moved from Thomasville, AL to Jackson, AL (depending on where you are, it can be a distance of 30 to 40 miles). I kept my job at Pineview Baptist and Jake will continue going to Thomasville High when school starts up again, so not much has changed besides a longer commute. I used to be able to roll out of bed 20 minutes before I needed to be at work and still make it on time. Now, I drive longer than it takes me to get ready.

The only problem with the commute is the sporadic radio station signal. I listen to K-Love Christian Radio and although there are two dial stations in the area, the signal is pretty bad which often causes more static than music.  Trying to recognize a song in midst of the static can get quite frustrating especially if it is a good song. When I can recognize the song, the static doesn’t bother me as much. However, when I can’t recognize what song is playing that is when the static became more annoying and distracting. At one point the static was so loud, I turned the radio off. That is when I heard Him.

We are in a patch of static, Jen. You haven’t spent nearly as much time with Me as you once did and our relationship is being affected. During our time together, your strength is renewed. Knowing a few, even several Scripture verses, isn’t enough. To minimize the static and ensure a clear connection, you need to be in constant prayer and studying of My Word.

Of course, He was right. My quiet times are the antenna that allow for a clear connection with my Savior, and not having quality quiet times was causing lots of static which translated in physical and emotional exhaustion. Instead of addressing the connection issue, I was trying to listen to His song around the static. Although I heard Him loud and clear, I have yet to get back to where I need to be  in my quiet times. But I praise God that He continues to send me messages through the static.