Christian Living

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It is not easy trying to correct messes that have been allowed to compound over days, or months, or years.

One spot gets cleaned and organized and then we look around only to find that other places are messier than before we began. Oh, how I love to look at the neat spot!

We may shift the stuff, which has no assigned place from one spot to another, but until we get rid of that which does not have a proper place, there will be no finishing of the task we hope to accomplish.

It's unfortunate but all of our life is a cleaning effort.

Those things that we do, and say, and think upon, are clutter to our minds and to our hearts and to our spirits. Until we get rid of the things that are not appropriate in our lives, and the things that do not order organization, we will have a messy life that seems to prevent us from thinking clearly and moving productively. Excess things are weighty.

Things that don't belong, and the secret things we do and say and think, keep us closed so that open healthy relationships are not a possibility, with people or with God because in part we hide ourselves.

I do not want anyone I know to see my room right now. I have moved from my very large room into a smaller room; however, all the things I used in the larger room are in the smaller room and it doesn't fit.

I moved for a good reason; it was to share with a little family who could not fit the small room at all, but the fact remains that I must get rid of some things before I can have organization.

The Apostle Paul knew this truth and he advises us to "Lay aside everything that will hinder you in the running of your race." Don't drag around excess baggage, it will impede your progress.

As Christians, our number one goal is to do those things that the Lord has assigned to us to accomplish. Too often our lives are filled with superfluous things, activities, and sometimes people, so that we can't hone in on what He has assigned to us.

I am learning that we must plan before we can succeed. We must take inventory. We must write the vision on paper of that which we hope to achieve. We must pray and seek the Lord and listen for His voice in whatever way He speaks to us. One of the surest ways to hear His voice is to read His Word, the Blueprint for our lives.

When I had young children I was running like a mad hatter because I had only my income for support, so I went everywhere in a rush. "Cram and Jam" could have been my motto.

One evening I spent about an hour looking for my car keys; eventually I found them when I poured out all the contents of my overly loaded purse. My son and daughter came to me as I was leaving and said, "Mama, we think that when you die and stand before Jesus He will say, Ramona, you did a lot of good things in your life, but you wasted half of it looking for your car keys." Out of the mouth of Babes..!

As you look at your life, do you see things that you would rather not share with those you know? Are there things in your life that you really don't want to discuss with God?

The comfortable thing about God is that He already knows, and He is 100% willing to help us, and He never reveals what we talk to Him about with anyone else.

Ramona 02/03/13

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