TIME TO PURGE THOSE CLOSETS!

I've been putting off going through closets. Well, I can't procrastinate any longer, and I began yesterday with my own closet. Oh, I had so many clothes I haven't worn in several years, had some clothes that are out of style (shocking, I know), and some that no longer fit (imagine that). So, in order to make room for future purchases, I began purging.

I ended up with quite a respectable pile of blouses, skirts, dresses, jackets, sweaters, and shoes. We will donate some, keep some for a spring yard sale, and pitch out some that have seen better days. Clark goes through his closet regularly, even having his shirts together in one section, pants in another, putting me to shame. It might help my ego a bit that I have TWO closets of clothes, whereas he has only one. No matter. I've let mine go for far too long.

Today, I will get rid of other unnecessary items in hall closets, the linen closet, and coat closet. We've only lived in this house for 3.5 years, and it amazes me that we have already crammed stuff into closets just to get it out of sight. But now it's time to pay the piper and purge. And I will with a vengeance. A full closet is a sign of blessings, but a neat and junk free closet is a sign of organization. I consider myself an organized person, so my closets need to reflect that.



As I went through my clothes, why did I have a hard time letting go of items I haven't worn and don't particularly like? There were others I was glad to toss onto the heap of obscurity, but some had a bit of sentimentality attached to them, and I admit it--I'm sentimental. There were several items of my mom's favorite clothing that I salvaged upon her death. I've kept them because they remind me of her and her enjoyment of wearing them. But now, four years later, what's the point?  She's in heaven, and nothing down here comes even close to the joy and blessings she's experiencing, so it's time to pass those items on for someone else. They are too small for me, anyway.

Other items are easy to get rid of: why do we have three or four athletic shoe boxes (which take up a lot of room)? To defend myself (albeit a weak defense), I surmised that they'd make great boxes for Christmas gifts. But we didn't even use them, because our family opted for cash and gift cards this year, for the most part. Oh, we did give each other small token gifts, but nothing needing those boxes. Out they go.

Let's take a look at the flip side of purging closets. To me, it's a sign of the many blessings we have. All blessings aren't tangible, and life's best is free: love, family, freedom, kindness, salvation, and so on. But the fact that we have so much indicates our blessings. I can only speak for my own situation: there have been lean times in my life and in my marriage, but God was teaching us something as I look back on those times. And they weren't sad times, either. Clark and I carried on, depended on Him, and He carried us through to the other side. God will provide when He deems it is time.

Bless others with your bounty, for one day you might be on the other side needing the help of others. "To whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48).

I might add that our doxie Duke has been looking at us with a question in his eyes: "What ARE you doing?" Sorry, Duke, we can't explain it to you--but don't worry--we won't add you to one of the piles going out the door today!