The attic work has begun--again.
Now, if the Man had his way, we'd just throw everything in big plastic trash bags and take it to the dump. Even the good stuff. The Man is a Shock & Awe kinda guy. But me, I want to make sure all the good stuff goes to a good home. I want to box up craft supplies and take it to the Scrap Exchange. I want put together boxes of similar things (play camping gear, play kitchen stuff) that I can advertise on FreeCycle.
Which means it's going to be messier before it gets neater. But I have a dream, and right now I have an almost free Saturday to make my dream happen. To get a good solid start.
Are my outer messes physical manifestations of my inner messes? Part of me thinks that if I finally get my attic put to order, my brain will be put to order in some way, too. It will help clear out my head. Give my soul a little room to move around. Maybe that's crazy. Might be, could be.
Have I mentioned that I'm taking a sabbatical? Not from writing, but from most social media, too much news, anyone who stokes the fires of doom and gloom on a daily basis. I am intent on taking the long view. Is the sky falling? Maybe. But maybe not. It won't fall if people of good will listen to each other more, call fewer names, seek communion with one another across our differences. But when I propose this as a possibility, I don't get a lot of buy-in. Even in church, I fear, so I'm taking a sabbatical from church as well. I want to get re-centered in my faith and my thinking. I want to look for a way ahead.
Yes, I do believe I'm cleaning out the attic in my head. I need more light shining in. Please keep me in your prayers.
10 comments:
Looks like a good start on that attic!
The world beyond my little corner is a pretty big and scary place rigt now. It seems like a whole bunch of stuff happens and I have no idea til I see the news, which is fairly irregular these days. I have lived as the white minority in a third world country. I have always wondered why my skin colour gave me so much privilege and power, and how my life would be different if I'd been born elsewhere or with different skin. And I don't ser how the gospel gives us any excuse to treat anyone else as less than. It has been interesting watching the US election from afar. And puzzling to see Aussies protest about sorme other country's politics.
A confusing world indeed. Except in my little corner, where life is quiet and peaceful and not much has changed at all.
Feng shui says that junk in the attic causes you to feel overwhelmed, an overhanging sense of doom. So maybe having a clear attic will help your emotional state - who knows? I figure it can't hurt to try:)
I quit the news early last year. I don't have TV, have never had facebook, so I miss a lot of angst. I listen to the radio once or twice a week while driving. If I miss any actual news, someone in my life is generally talking about it, and is more than happy to share it in detail..
I read various in-depth articles on-line as linked by some of my favourite blogger commentators. So far the world hasn't fallen in by me not keeping up day-to-day.
When I listen to the news in the car I have realised that most news isn't news but talking heads predicting what might happen soon re the current news cycle. It's a terrible waste of time.
I am much calmer now. Hope you find the same thing:) xx
My man was like that, too. Now I make unilateral decisions and don't always like that! This week my housemate started cleaning in the garage and I joined in and we got so much into the proper bins, *and* on Freecycle, so I was able to give away bags of concrete (I hope you don't have that in your attic!) and some other things that it's taken me two years to deal with.
I'm glad for you about your day. And also the sabbatical. <3
It's happening! Wishing you the best as you clear out the stuff and get it to the right places. Wishing you good vibrations on your sabbatical too. We all need relief from too much news, I think. When I think of you, Frances, I'll pray! XXOO
I love your heart so much. You don't let yourself grow numb. You attend to the details.
Breaks from things are often just the ticket. Sometimes I do it too passively. I like the way you name stuff and then attack. Go, Frances.
Great idea on the Sabbatical! I completely agree with your thoughts on how clutter in life causes clutter in the mind. I think that is in part why I haven't blogged much over the past couple of years. I have too much clutter in the home, thus resulting in too much mind clutter. Who wants to think about blogging!? Cheers to a successful attic clearing!
I saw you at Pom Pom's Ponderings. I am left handed so your blog caught my attention! Google and blogger won't let me follow new blogs. I get a very ominous message "Forbidden" when I try. Crazy stuff but I will try again.
I enjoyed reading. Lots of good things that you have shared.
Enjoy your week and thank you for sharing.
God give you grace and strength as you clear out the clutter- physical and spiritual. I am just re-reading Gordon McDonald's "Ordering your Private world" - a book which helped me a lot back in the 1980s. Bob has also suggested I should look again at Fosters "Celebration of Discipline". BRITISH news bulletins are pretty dire at the minute, I imagine yours are worse. You are in my thoughts and prayers.Phil 1;3-11
You are on the right path for sure! I can't believe how great I felt after I purged my basement last summer. It does free up the brain. Good idea about the sabbatical. I do not read the news each day and forget it, I am not watching the blasted news stations. Old movies and some light reading is what I am liking right now. Keep going, it will be worth it! :) Kit
Good morning. I just came from Kit's blog. The title of your blog caught my eye in her sidebar.
Your sabbatical sounds great! In my church we are in a series about the art of neighboring, and how we are to love God and love others. I don't watch TV, do catch some news on Yahoo, but for the most part, I don't see much at all and know I am better off.
May you feel God's love and peace surrounding and flowing through you ~ FlowerLady
Post a Comment