We spring clean our houses, dusting out the cobwebs and organizing the closets, but how often do we spring clean the “rooms” of our lives? If we “examine our ways and test them” (Lam. 3:40), we can see what needs to be cleaned, organized, and thrown out. Let’s take a look.
Yourself – The Closet
What’s the state of your “closet?” Do you feel cluttered and disorganized? Are the important things easily reachable and often used, or are they stuck behind other stuff? Are there items you’ve stashed away to hide and keep secret? Often, taking care of ourselves gets pushed farther and farther back on the shelf. Maybe we need to dust off our Bibles and recharge with God. Maybe we need to tighten up that exercise bike and focus on our health. Maybe we need to cut out certain activities that clutter our time. And maybe we need to seek help to remove those skeletons that are hiding. What do you want your closet to look like? What’s getting in the way of that? What steps can you take to clean out and organize your “closet?”
Your Friendships – The Deck
The deck is where we have friends over and, if we’re not careful, is one of the first places we can let fall by the wayside. What’s your “deck” look like? Is it barren and faded? Is it so overgrown with weeds and debris that it is no longer useful? The responsibilities of work and other activities can choke out our time for friendships. Or sometimes certain friendships can be like weeds, sucking all the nutrients of our time and energy and creating an unhealthy atmosphere in which to grow. What competes on your deck for friendships? Who could you invite onto your deck? What “weeds” need to be pulled? How can you restore your “deck” to enable you and others to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess. 5:11)?
Your Marriage – The Bedroom
What’s the atmosphere like in your “bedroom?” Is it cozy and inviting or closed off and outdated? Has your sitting nook been cluttered more with dirty laundry than with intimate conversation? What things have been swept under the rug? Marriages, just like bedrooms, need routine freshening up and renewing to keep them from going stale and becoming boring. What needs to be spruced up in your marriage so that you can “rejoice in the [spouse] of your youth” (Prov. 5:18)? What “décor” can you change to enhance the fun and intimacy of your relationship? What things need to be swept out to make room for greater connection?
Your Family – The Living Room
Living rooms can turn into cluttered catastrophes or deserted wastelands. What’s in your “living room?” Is it so full with activities that you can’t see each other over the piles of stuff? Or is it so disconnected that you haven’t engaged a soul in there for days? Busyness of schedules and differences in interests can create a lot of “stuff” in families without providing a lot of connection. What “bins” can you create in your family to organize the clutter? How can you rearrange the space to allow for more meaningful interaction? What fun activities can you add to the family’s “entertainment center?”
Happy Spring Cleaning!