The difficult part is done. The tree is taken down, decorations put away and furniture back in its place. Those three loads of laundry — sheets and towels from guests — are washed and sorted. All that is left really is to dust and clean floors, and yes, those ubiquitous bathrooms. Well, someone’s got to do it.
The first week of January is a strange week to begin resolutions, good intentions or goals, whatever is the trendy phrase these days. For some of us, and I dare say, most of us women anyway, it involves putting our lives (physically and emotionally) back into order. The family and guests have left and now we must re-order and rearrange to get back to some normalcy. For some, the day after New Years involves getting up and returning to work, the housework to come later when the weekend arrives.
If we were able to have that first peaceful hour in the morning to have our coffee and think about the New Year and setting some goals into place, it appears they must wait until the week plays out before jumping in with determination. As I sat with my journal this morning and wrote out some of my thoughts and scheduling my week(s) for 2018, it became clear I couldn’t even begin the discipline until next week. At least the full-on idea of what I want to achieve. And that is alright for me, for now. The reality of ‘my new year begins next Monday’ is okay. The date doesn’t matter - the heart, mind, and soul do. If I take the first seven days of the new year to ponder, pray and put it down on paper, then I’m better prepared to tackle the new year, next week. The last seven days of 2017 did not afford me the adequate time due to visiting family, guests and a bit of travel. I do not need to be a slave to the calendar, it needs to serve me. Whew, big deep breath!
Today, I will clean. Just now I finished reading the twelfth chapter of Hebrews in the Message version. The writer emphasizes focusing and running our race. My ‘one word’ for 2018 is FOCUS. http://myoneword.org/ The chapter ends with the following:
So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he’s told us this quite plainly—he’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.
Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! (The Message, Hebrews 12:25-29)
What excited my heart was ‘cleaning house’. Probably the only time that has happened :) Today I will tackle cleaning house but with a new focus. Cleaning the clutter of what distracts me. Removing what clutters my focus. I have so many interests and so much stuff. What can I remove to make my life simpler? What can I put away…..or better yet, get rid of, to make room for the new? Or to be left bare so there is more room. As I move about dusting and rearranging, I have a new focus which should help me in the long run of the months that loom ahead. My prayer on my lips will be, “Lord, enable me to see what needs to be removed, so I have more room for YOU.” Cleaning house this first week of January takes on new meaning as I contemplate 2018.
May our FOCUS be more of Him, more of family and relationships, more of making room for the things we love. For me, it also means making room for writing, which will happen….the second week of January :)
footnote...for a few you may have wondered if I dropped out of blogging. Not necessarily, I blog a lot in my mind! I'm working (albeit slowly) on a book and trying to figure out how to balance my efforts between research, writing, and blogging. That said, I will blog when I can and see if I can get this book written this year. Your prayers are appreciated :)
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