Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Urge to Purge

I have this old habit of collecting things. You name it... I've probably collected it. From hair ties, scrapbook paper, stamping ink to wrapping paper. Pens, markers, office supplies. Embroidery hoops, fabric, yarn. Facial lotions, perfumes, nail polish. Owl trivets (don't laugh! That was a serious collection :) and acrylic paints.

By collecting, I mean that whenever I thought I wanted or needed an item, I couldn't have just one. I had to get the WHOLE series, the WHOLE shelf at the store. Then I would continue searching for that item to purchase (even though I already had at least one if not a dozen of that item) just to say I had them all. I would shop online, at estate sales, and every store I could think of looking for that item.

I think it was kind of a sickness. I mean, at the time, Joel and I didn't have the money for me to go shopping all the time... so I started using credit. <---- now that's a cuss word in our house!

Looking back over the years, it seems like I was trying to fill a void. Fill that hole in my being. You know, that hole in your heart when no matter what you do, what you have, you just can't satisfy it.

By 'collecting' all these material things, I had really stressed our finances.... which in turn stressed my marriage. Little did I know at the time that the ONE true thing that could fill my heart, that space that I was trying to stuff little objects into, was a Savior that I had heard of before but never had a relationship with.

When I got saved about 4 years ago, my whole life changed. Maybe not externally, but internally for sure. I didn't feel empty anymore. I craved relationship with Jesus and with my husband. There were times before I was saved that my marriage was not a-ok.... like at all. I knew I had put us in credit card debt and there was no way that I could pay it off by myself so leaving wasn't an option. I know now that The Lord used our finances to keep us together. There is no doubt about that.

Now I have a whole basement full of 'hole fillers' that are causing so much stress in my life. Our life. Joel and I will be out of credit card debt by the end of this year (PRAISE - because it's been WAY TOO LONG!) and now it's time to get rid of the root of it all.... the STUFF!

I have this urge to purge people.

We are going to be getting rid of HALF of everything in our home. It's time. There is too much clutter. Too much heartache and guilt associated with the junk. I'm excited for this journey. I'll be sharing my before and afters with you here. It's going to be FABULOUS!!!

XO.
Jari

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