It’s been awhile since I blogged. Sometimes life’s circumstances require silence. Sometimes you feel the need to crawl in a hole, bandage your heart and just sit with God.
He sees.
He heals.
He knows.
Even writers struggle to put words to some things. At least words that can be posted to a blog. I still don’t have all of the words to explain the past 197 days. My life has turned upside down. Brain fog seems to be my constant companion. “Good” days have been few and far between. And feeling normal seems to be a thing of the past.
Embracing a new normal
Having grace with myself
Being patient in the process
And now I am beginning to write again. To process and learn and grow. I have been encouraged by many people to journal during this season. To write out the questions that I have. To jot down what I am thankful for. Putting pen to paper just has a calming effect. The click clack of a keyboard can be rather rhythmic.
There is a time for silence. But there is also time for words. Words to bless. Words to encourage. Words to heal.
So here we are on Fat Tuesday. The day before Lent starts. Many people associate Lent with fasting. Perhaps fasting from certain foods or drinks, or even for certain time periods. Fasting from social media is also popular. I suppose for many, the goal is to abstain from something and then focus more on God. I love the idea of an intentional focus for 40 days. After all, that’s not a long time. And the benefits can be huge.
This year, I have decided to join a challenge for a different kind of Lent. It’s called 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge and it’s hosted by White House Black Shutters. It’s about “decrapifying” your life. Decluttering one area at a time. It could be one area of your house, but they also suggest working on “non-stuff” too, like clearing out your email, organizing your photos and sorting files into folders. With my house on the market, there is a lot of decrapifying and clearing out that needs to happen. It’s time to simplify and reduce stuff. I’ve already dealt with a lot of the big furniture, but now it’s time to go through the stuff that seems to be EVERYWHERE. And in addition to decluttering my house, it’s also time to declutter my heart.
I came across this graphic on Facebook today about fasting during Lent. And I love it. It’s time. Decluttering my heart is about not listening to the lies but focusing in on God’s Truth. It’s about looking forward through the windshield of life instead of obsessing about what is in the rearview mirror. And it’s about choosing to be thankful even when life feels unsteady. I can’t ignore or diminish what has happened, but I can choose to grow from this. I can choose to forgive, to let go of what I can’t change and to look to God for His peace and presence.
So consider joining me for this 40 day challenge to decrapify and simplify life. It’s going to be a good challenge with lots of fun photos and probably some tears along the way. But in the end, whether you get to 4 bags or 40 bags, you’ll feel better about your space. It really works.
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