Getting rid of the clutter

As the year 2012 arrived, the realisation began to hit home that in just a few months time we will be leaving Doncaster, when we move to a new place of ministry in Leicester. Although we are excited by all that lies ahead, it will seem very strange to leave a place and people we have come to love.

The experts say that moving home is one of the life experiences which can cause major stress. One element of house-moving which can be stressful is making decisions about which possessions (clutter?) we should take, and which can be disposed of in some way. I know that Sue and I don't always see eye to eye on such matters!

As I had a few days off this week, I did make a small start on preparations. I disposed of an old wardrobe (I took it apart and transported it to the tip), cleared a space in one of the bedrooms, and brought down a few boxes from the loft. I also began the process of sorting through some of the books which have been lining the bookshelves in my study. A number of them were brought when we arrived in Doncaster 11 and a half years ago, and have not been touched since. I have managed to fill 5 carrier bags full of books which I will be happy to give away!

One of the realities of modern life in the western world is the accumulation of "things", many of which we just don't need. If I can pass on some of my books to other people who might appreciate them, so much the better. In fact, one of my Christmas presents this year was a Kindle. This should mean that in the future I won't need to buy nearly so many books, I will simply be able to download an electronic version onto my Kindle - so not nearly so much shelf space required (nor luggage space when going on holiday).

As I have was thinking about all the items we have in our house which we don't really need, and could easily do without, into my mind came a verse from the New Testament book of Hebrews: 'let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.'

There are things which can bog us down in our Christian journey, and distract us from the path to which Christ has called us. Just as Sue and I will need to be fairly ruthless in deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, we, with God's help, need to lay aside anything which may be preventing us from living the full Christian life. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea for a New Year's resolution!