Bag #40

Hello from Western Minnesota on this rainy, cold spring day!  
Seems like a great day to get caught up on writing.

The last I posted was bag #39 in this quest to simplify, de-clutter, and purge.  I didn't know that this innocent challenge of filling up 40 bags of unwanted items, junk, home decor, and reusable goodies was going to become a look at the inner me!  Cleaning out the physical closets of clutter behind closed doors has spurred me on to look at the "stuff" inside the hidden places in my heart, mind, and soul.  

I have learned that the Lord had much more in store for me on this journey.  Should I be surprised?  Of course I shouldn't; unexpected blessings.

Here is a synopsis of of the 40 bag in 40 day challenge which was extended through Easter and some lessons learned while working on this project.
1. This Bling Thing-Inner beauty is the ticket
2. Stinking Thinking-Uphill climb to retrain the brain/renew the mind
3. Hoarder, who Me?-Stockpile treasures in Heaven
4. Less Me; More Him- Humility...when I am weak, then I am strong
5. Pity Party-Thankfulness Needed
6. Let it Go!- Negative self talk...everything connected with the old me...must go (put off old self!)
7. Addition by Subtraction-Impurities must be skimmed away, junk be-gone
And so the bags went. 1-39 (appliances, clothing, puzzles and the like as well)

Addition by Subtraction. Little did I know that bag #40 was going to be a lesson in obedience.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

^{Mark 1:16-18  16} Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”^{[a] 18} And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 

English Standard Version (ESV) Emphasis mine

Footnotes: Mark 1:17 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women

Obedience. The Message version says, "They didn't ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed."
This is a biggie. These guys do this for a living. This is what they know. It's what they enjoy. They have likely been successful. And they drop everything and just go!? With no questions!?  Well, here is something Amy could learn from.

I have had a burden for my business for some time.  I guess not exactly sure what my role is to be as Leader, Mom, Wife, Consultant.  But until recently, had just carried on through with my usual determination and drive on my own.  Catch that last phrase? On my own.  On my own power, stubbornness, tenacity, and love for friends and Hostesses and customers I have met. Not to mention the message Mary & Martha products share. 

Finally, it was suggested to me by more than one friend, that I diligently pray and directly ask what it is HE wants me to do. 
And so I did. And waited. And dug in the word. And got impatient. And prayed again.
Then, while driving down the road and putting in kind of an exasperated request...I said out loud, "What do you want me to do with M&M?"
This is what "went through my mind"

Still Small Voice (this made me sit up and listen...where did that come from?)
Trust Me
Let it Go
I asked, "When"
Today

So there you go. 

 And a battle ensued. Unlike the future disciples in Mark, Chapter 1...I asked questions. In the still of the night, I doubted, I whined a bit, I cried, I wondered if he really wanted me to give up the trips, fun, girlfriend time, income, product...etc. Lord, forgive me. He is so patient. 
I sent in my resignation, 1 day short of a week after He said, "Today."

As I typed my last blog, I realized I was hanging onto something He was clear I needed to let go. Bag #40.  Not that I consider my Blessings/M&M baggage so to speak, but you know what I mean I hope.  It goes along with everything I have posted about over the last several months. It makes perfect sense now, looking back. He wants me to move on. Let it go. There is something else in store. I have no idea exactly what. And neither did Simon or Andrew. They just dropped the nets and followed. Perhaps they had some of the same emotions I had; fear, grief, but likely best of all, peace.

Whew! 
He is faithful, I am thankful.

Blessings,
Amy

P.S. Yesterday, I went through my library of books, many of which were given to us when we started homeschooling. Books gather a lot of dust, especially when they are not being pulled off the shelf!  Time to bless another family. They have served their purpose for a season and time to move on.
This also made me realize that I need to keep working on the bags!  
Anyone with me on continuing the clean up!
Bag #40 My Business...Oh My!
Bag #41 Books
Bag #42 Books

Addition by Subtraction

Long time, no write!  Sorry I have been away from my writings. I missed it and you!  Alas, I have been busy with getting rid of the baggage so to speak.

Bag #28-Bag #39
Puzzles (I like to buy puzzles at Salvo and then return after using...I had just forgotten the return part for several years!), organizers that weren't such great organizers, clothing
The best part was 3 appliances that I sold on a Facebook area Rummage Sale site and a piece of furniture that we no longer use!  Fabulous! 

Getting rid of clutter is so liberating. My linen closet has now become an area of peace with less puzzles, my pantry has more space for supplies instead of appliances. It's all so good.

There have been amazing finds as I have been de-cluttering. A wonderful gift given to me dated 2005 was rediscovered. And, as the Lord would have it, impeccable timing. It is the book Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala.  The title of my blog is from Chapter 12 of his book.  These verses are brought to the readers' attention.

^{Prov 25: 4-5} Remove impurities from the silver
    and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice;
Remove the wicked from leadership
    and authority will be credible and God-honoring.

And this verse:

Isaiah 1:25

New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ I will turn my hand against you;^[a]
    I will thoroughly purge away your dross (something regarded as worthless; rubbish.)
    and remove all your impurities. 

 

Or the Message version:

I’ll give you the back of my hand,
    purge the junk from your life, clean you up.

Purging, remove impurities. Less is more. Addition by subtraction. 

Taken from the book mentioned above: We can easily avoid the fact that all the noise and knowledge in the world will take us nowhere if there is unremoved dross in our lives. In God's math, you sometimes get more by having less.  His process is to subtract in order to add. He will never make a treaty with our secret pockets of sin. "That has to go," He will insist. "you cannot go on with that in your life. I cannot make a beautiful silver vessel with that dross still present."

We have to face the fact that in order to be what God wants us to be, he will have to take away things in our life that don't belong.

Unforgiveness

Competitiveness

Glory seeking

Prejudice/Judgmentalism

Habits

Attitudes

I am blessed by how He reinforces the learning process for me. I could retype the entire chapter for you here.  It's all so good. Basically, He desires us "to be conformed to the likeness of his Son" (Romans 8:29). And this most certainly requires deep cleaning, getting rid of the rubbish, baggage removal, kind of work.

As I sat in the sauna reading this book, the sweat was rolling...I thought...how cool to have a physical analogy of this process.  In this removal of heavy metal toxins and others from my body, I must heat up to 130 degrees and sit there and sweat it out. It's not a quick, pill taking kind of fix. Day after day, week after week, month after month, the toxins need to rise to the top and be wiped away. 

And so it goes with the heart cleansing process.

One layer at a time. Asking Him to reveal what needs to bubble to the surface next to be skimmed away by His ladle.

Now, back to the 40 bags before Easter challenge...

Bag # 40...it's a long story. I will share that with you later.

It didn't fit in a bag.

Blessings to you on this special week,

Amy