First the confession. Reading Kendra’s words on her blog, set my words in motion. Thank you, Kendra. I appreciate Kendra’s heart and her practical ideas.

The spring equinox was this week. Looking out my window, it sure doesn’t look like spring! So far 9″ of new snow are covering the 2′ of snow that came a week ago.

Since the last spring equinox, we all have been living with the reality of Covid-19 keeping many of us home with the opportunity to spring clean. There was time to look around and notice — notice the many things that no longer served the way I wanted our home to look or the practical purposes of every-day life. In some cases I wondered, what is this gadget for? I began to sort. I was  on a mission …

a mission to Keep, Share, or Toss.

There were many things I did want to keep. They were still serving our family well. Like the box of baby toys. Leah is only 11 months old.

There were things that went into a share box. Like the set of demitasse cups that are being sent to a niece. And the large cardboard box in our garage is on its third filling for Goodwill.

There were things that needed to be tossed. They no longer served their purpose for me and I was pretty sure that applied to others as well.

Beyond the practicals, God was whispering a message to me about keeping, sharing, or tossing. This was also a good time to sort spiritually.

KEEP – I asked myself, what does it look like to keep my friendship with God fresh and inviting?

“… ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Matthew 4:4

As I daily review the scriptures that remind me of the gospel, I pray more than the words, I also pray the principles the verse shares. I ask the Lord, what does it look like to trust this verse today? His answer is different each time; the circumstances of my life are different each time too. “For the word of God is living and active …” Hebrews 4:12.

I’m definitely keeping this practice.

SHARE – A new sharing door has opened and I’m loving it. Once a month, I’m sharing with ourteen-aged GRANDS.  We meet by zoom and concentrate on one verse per month. It’s a combination of Bible memory, Bible study, and Quiet time. Our verse for March is John 1:12. In April it will be Psalm 119:105.

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children.”
Psalm 103:17

TOSS – Some of those things I’ve tossed in the past, sneak back in. I need to practice tossing again. John 8:44 says that satan is the father of lies. There are old lies he whispers to me again with new circumstances. One example, ministry is activity. John 15:5 tells me truth, ministry is abiding.

“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil:
my cup overflows.”
Psalm 23:5

God has prepared a wonderful table designed with my nourishment needs in mind — right in the presence of my biggest enemy, satan. I toss out those lies to feast on the truth of the Word. Once again I experience the anointing of God and my cup overflows with contentment and joy.

What about you — what spiritual spring cleaning do you need to do?

 

Copyright, Sue Tell, March 2021