Peace at Home

Continuing what I wrote yesterday...

This minimalism thing really has me intrigued. The more I read about it, the more I believe it is the way to go. A large part of it involves minimizing your expenses, which I like a lot, and your closet.

Regarding your closet, they have you ask questions like "Do I love it? When did I wear it last? Do I need it?" and all kinds of other things. When I pull things out of mine, I realize how hard it is to actually let them go. I always worry I will need the item in the future, but the reality is, if I haven't used it by now, I probably won't ever use it.

Looking at money the way a minimalist does is really great. You only buy what you need, no more, no less, and don't go into debt. I feel like I have that under control (except for my student loan, of course) so that is all I have. It would be nice to see money differently, like something you hardly ever use and then only for essentials. I will keep reading up on this.

I was looking in my tub earlier to see if I have some unnecessary soaps, etc. I don't now, but I did a few weeks ago. I threw away the metal pole carrier that held all of my soaps and things, and now all I have is a plastic basket with holes in it. It holds everything I use on a regular basis, and I got rid of the things I never used. The basket drains water so I placed it in the tub, not on the side because I didn't want anything on the corners of the tub itself. For some reason, the clean corners makes me feel so good! I love seeing the clean surfaces.

Clutter must be bad for you, if I am honest. I read an article about how minimalism is Biblical, which I can agree with. It does seem right to get rid of things we don't need and not to fill our lives with the "treasures" of the world, things we are told we need to have to be happy. That fits right in with "Don't worry about what you will wear," etc, "Because your Father in heaven knows what you need, even before you ask Him." Yes, yes He does. Thank you, Lord.

Spiritually, it is helping me. I am not so worried about "things" anymore. I don't have to think about where to put them, how to store them, or how to use them in the future (if I ever get around to it). This frees up SO MUCH TIME to think and just... be. I do not believe the Lord meant us to be overwhelmed by worldly things. I want His peace to rule in my life and my heart, so that desire makes me throw things out because if I don't, I won't be on my way to peace with God in my own home.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34

I love Jesus so much, and I feel like that is part of the reason I want to clean out my home and the places I spend the most time.

More updates later.