Dejunking

Written by Tim MacGowan

One of my tasks for the day is to begin the process I described earlier this week of touching each thing in my office area and assigning it a “save, store or scrap” status. There are some easy ones. Box of new pencils? No question but to put them with office supplies. I should have done it months ago. Paper notes from sermons and classes? Toss ‘em.

But then we get to those grey areas. The external hard drive that only works about half the time? Well, I guess I should throw it but what about the data that is on it? Should I erase it first? Should I wait until I buy another hard drive so in case my new computer crashes I’m protected? So it’s a scrap with an asterisk. That lovely thank you note? Nice, but not a long-term keeper. Christmas receipts in case we want to return things? Gone. I feel freer already. Only 200 or so more decisions to go.

I know my soul can also get laden down with things that I file away inside me. There is a time to join Mary in “pondering something in my heart” but too often I leave things inside that should be expressed and left, things that don’t belong in long-term storage. I will deal with that disappointment another day. I’ll express my gratitude the next time I run into that person (but it has been over a year since I’ve seen them). I’ll come clean about my past another time. Clearing the decks of my life is not dissimilar to cleaning out my office. Save, store or scrap. Deciding on the right category for and placing in there makes so much more room for God to operate in my life.