“Take Me To Your Foolishness!”

Listen to this week’s radio spot.

TODAY’S LAUGH: Yesterday during one of my daydreaming breaks, I imagined that Niecy Nash from the “Clean House” TV show came to my front door. Niecy said, “Take me to your foolishness!” and I knew just what she meant. I took her to the piles of magazines.

Alumni publications from two colleges and three more from churches, three general interest publications, a couple “readers” and three more just for women. Writing, speaking and art magazines. Computer, financial, Air Force, travel and science magazines. Between DaHusband and me, over TWO DOZEN magazines come into our home every month (plus the daily newspaper)!

I’ve been collecting mine in a “TO READ” pile, determined that “one of these days” I’ll read, clip and save all the wonderful information these magazines contain. I’ve been collecting for months. For years.

I imagined Niecy looking at my pile, shaking her head and saying, “Girl, what are you thinking?”

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Here’s what I was thinking: These are good magazines, filled with wonderful information. I spent good money on them; what a waste to just toss them! What if there’s something in there that I really need? I just know that the minute I get rid of them, I’ll need something… and so on. (Sound familiar?)

This is how clutter happens. Now I don’t have clutter everywhere; I just have a few weaknesses. Magazines. Books. Paper. Anything you find in an office supply store.

I blame my inner girl, who is trying to make up for what she didn’t get in her impoverished childhood; she calls it her “need for abundance.”

Niecy and others would call it “too much stuff”!

The fact is too much stuff weighs me down. Yesterday, with Niecy’s “visit” came a moment of clarity. I saw my situation through someone else’s (albeit imaginary) eyes. I was honest about it. Yes, that’s a HUGE pile of magazines. No, I’ll never read them. Yes, I will let them go.

That huge pile was weighing me down. I put that huge pile in the recycling bin and felt…lighter. (Yes! The clouds parted and the angels sang! I felt FREE! Hallelujah!)

Dumping that pile lightened my load. I crossed “catch up on magazine reading” off my list. (And I added, “Cancel half those subscriptions.”)

What’s weighing you down today? Maybe it’s stuff or maybe it’s attitude. Whether it’s clutter, junk, regrets, fear, anger, unforgiveness, bad habit or addiction– we carry a lot of “foolishness” with us.

What’s weighing you down today? Be honest. (Yes, that’s what it is… No, I don’t need it… Yes, I’ll let it go…) Choose one thing and get rid of it. Lighten your load. Free yourself from the burden.

I don’t miss those magazines one bit. And every time I look at the spot where they used to be, I smile. I’m glad I got rid of them–and doubly glad I did it before one of my kids called “Clean House” and ratted me out!

Here are my favorite resources for de-cluttering your home: Get Organized Now and  The Fly Lady; a couple more for the office: Getting Things Done and 43 folders; and one more, for the “heavy lifting” in life.

What are you waiting for? Lighten your load a little today. Set your spirit free!

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THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY: I wrote about my trip from organizational mayhem to organizational mania in Confessions of a Prayer Wimp, including calling my children by their chores instead of their names: Cat Box Boy, Dishwasher Girl and Garbage Can Baby. (I’m still paying for their therapy.)

If you’d like to enter to win a copy of Confessions of a Prayer Wimp, use the “Contact Mary” link with “Foolishness” in the subject line. (Share a story about your own clutter foolishness if you wish; I’d love to hear about it.)

I’ll draw a winner on Monday March 16, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. CDT. (One entry per verified email address and US mailing addresses only please.)

LAST WEEK’S WINNER of When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? is JILL CANBY. Congratulations! (Email me with your mailing instructions.)