I'm alive!

This is the note I wrote on my bulletin while in church yesterday. "I'm alive!"

This message reminded me of the time when my hubby and I attended an event 2 summers ago where a locally famous band was performing. I mean the leader of the group was singing "back in the day" when I was in high school and not allowed to go to his dances!  (And admittedly, watching the teens as a 40-something, made me agree with my parents!...that's a topic for another day).
Anyway, they were playing all kinds of fabulous dance music. When a classic 80's started rocking the fair grounds, I went in search of some female to join me on the dance floor.  I made my way through the crowd, stopped at several tables of "observers" and likely made a bit of a fool of myself begging them to join me so I didn't look like an idiot going out alone.  Well, no takers.  So I decided to hit the floor on my own.
After all, I was alive!  I could dance. I wasn't in a wheel chair, I wasn't laying on the couch, I wasn't home in front of the tv because I was too tired.  I was alive and I COULD dance!
Thankfully, I fit right in!  And I went to the place of just not caring how ridiculous I looked and enjoyed being alive, moving and free!

True story. Played out in my small home town of 1800.
They are probably still talking about it, this crazy lady...must be on drugs or something.  Ha!

On the drive home Doug said, "Do you really like to dance that much?"  He felt bad I think, that he doesn't share the same joy in dancing and that I had to go it alone.  And I told him, it was okay. Because I was okay in my own skin. My own alive skin.  PTL!

So, what I'd like to have you glean from this is another message from our service yesterday.
Get out of the box.  Get out of your reservations.  Quit worrying what others think about you. Smile! Live!

There just seems to be so much unhappiness.  It's like the world has been sucked of it's joy.
Couples out on Valentine's Day that don't even look at each other much less talk...sad, sad truth.

This joy can't be mustered on our own and thankfully doesn't have to be.
Pastor on Sunday said, "Let's go on a joy walk!"
Walk through each day and start acting like we remember what the Savior has done for us.
How do we do this?  Start saturating our brains with truth.

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Neh 8:10

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16  Now that's joy!  

I feel like I'm all over the place with this one, but hopefully you get the jist of it!  

Today, my newest de-cluttering book arrived via Fed-EX.  Stone says to me, "You could have re-organized your house 8 times by now for all of the clutter free books you've read!"  Maybe true. 
Seems like I'm still working on the WHY part of the clutter because I always want to skip that part and move to the HOW (to fix it, get rid of it). 

The book is by Kathi Lipp http://www.amazon.com/Clutter-Free-Quick-Steps-Simplifying/dp/0736959130/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dpcod_TeN4ub17CFTWX_tt

Quote from today's reading..."Stop trusting stuff to meet my needs."

This is going to be fun.  Stay tuned as we work on this together.

This is the purging I have done since my last post:

1. Cleaned under Kitchen sink. Threw 3 soap dispensers that no longer work!  I was saving because...why?  
2. Cleaned 4 other drawers in Kitchen.
3. One drawer in buffet.

I threw miscellaneous items, found some to donate and others hit the recycling bin.  

Tell me about your project.  I love to be encouraged.

Blessings, 
Amy

Tip:  Shop in your own closet!
Once you have worn a jacket, blouse or sweater when you hang it back up after washing, turn the hanger the opposite direction.  I am making it a game.  By the end of winter wear as many items as possible so I don't have to get rid of them for lack of use!  smiley face