Cut To The Chase!

Volume 5, Number 22

I believe that after a couple is married at least 25 years or more, they should receive gifts for a replenishment bridal shower of sorts—a total makeover and replacement of towels, sheets, dishes, and everyday items that have seen their better days. I had flimsy, holey, decrepit dish towels that were 35 years old! I have no clue why I held on to them like they were Apple® stock. Maybe it was my sentimental allegiance, or maybe I just got lazy and never thought about throwing anything away! Until . . .

When we moved last year after living in a house for more than 23 years, I gave myself permission to detoxify, pitch and discard stuff. I threw away a hundred boxes of accumulated paraphernalia and flea market-level dust collectors. I laughed out loud when I saw a box wedged and cobwebbed into the depths of my basement that was labeled, “Open now.” It was an unopened box from our previous move from 1988! I told my adult children that the greatest gift I could have ever given was not passing down our junk to them!

I bet we hauled at least four truckloads full to the dump. I had a few yard sales and even listed things on Craigslist, before finally deciding to just get rid of it. Once I made the choice to move my stuff along, it became a daily marathon of hauling, sorting, climbing up and down stairs, and pitching. My neighbor enjoyed our weekly curbside deposits, and would sift through our trash collection like it was an archeological dig. For every box I dragged to the street, he then would snatch a treasure and put it in his garage!

As I cleaned out junk drawers, I found old scissors—dull, blunt and surely worn out. I threw them all away, reminding myself that later when we moved into our new home, I would buy brand new scissors. A few weeks after moving in, I went to the local warehouse club and bought a large hermetically sealed plastic six-pack of scissors! Varying in size and color, this was an exceptional housewarming gift to myself! This was a time of celebration! This was a joyful day! I have new scissors! But when I got home and tried to open the multi-scissor gift pack—encased in the toughest, rigid plastic this side of Dupont and heaven—the directions said, “With care, use scissors to open package.” LOL.

“I can’t use scissors to open the package of scissors because I threw away all the old scissors—which is why I bought new scissors in the first place,” I grumbled to myself. What I really needed was a screwdriver, a cutter, an oyster knife, or torch and titanium crowbar to pry open that new scissor pack!

Useful ways to get rid of stuff:

1. Craigslist, eBay, and newspaper ads are outlets to make money on stuff you want to get rid of. You’d be surprised just how much others may value what you consider to be junk!
2. Consignment shops are a great way to sell used clothing and accessories. Garage sales and yard sales are still a staple, but sometimes more work than they’re worth. Consider weather, timing and advertising before immersing yourself into a daylong (or weeklong prep) activity.
3. Give it away! Recycle. Salvation Army, Goodwill, and church outreach organizations or even donateyourjunk.com and freecycle.com are well deserving and reputable options.

So now you’re waiting for the spiritual application, right? Right. Let’s cut to the chase:

• You know what you need to get rid of.
• You know what is cluttering your heart and soul.
• You know you need to open that box that says, “Open now.”
• And you know the worst thing you can do is pass down your junk to your kids.
• There’s no one quite like the Holy Spirit to pry open a hardened heart.
• Don’t wait any longer to rid yourself of the “stuff” that holds you hostage.

“So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls” (James 1:21, Amplified Bible).

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