Declutterized

The past week and the week ahead will call for major declutterizing of our house.  We geared up for Prom, more graduation parties, a quick visit with my dad, Senior Sunday at church.  Now we are gearing up for Bekah's graduation party here at the house, arrival of family and finally graduation on Friday.  As I took down some memorabilia from Bekah's room I remembered her youth, laughed at her wonderful personality reflected in her room decor and relished in the beautiful young woman she has become.  One filled with compassion, wit, determination and creativity.  A very well rounded woman of God getting ready to take on a new life in the mountains of Montana.  She is driven to excel in the passion of film and photography.  A love we share together.  I am anxious and excited to see what God will do with her once she gets even more instruction and even better tools in her belt.  It can only get better from this point forward.

As the world and life seems to be moving at a rapid and fast pace I am wanting to "stop this train, I want to get off".  I noticed a woman yesterday when I was at a stop light in Fredericksburg who was waiting impatiently for the light to change so she could walk across. She seemed like she was in a hurry and genuinely put out by the slower pace the lights were keeping her in.  Then when it was her turn she started across and must of realized how silly it was for her to be moving so fast and caught herself to slow down.  I chuckled at the thought of being on a weekend vacation and being in a hurry.  Last night Bekah was TeVoing Star Wars so when we sat back down to watch it she was fast forwarding through the commercials.  As the familiar commercials raced across the screen my head began to hurt, so I just closed my eyes til the movie came back on.  These modern conveniences are wonderful tools, but once again pushing us at that faster paced life we desperately would like to slow down.  This thought of fast took me to the Word and this is what I discovered.  I am thankful for the opportunity to fast on His Word today as I move fast to get ready for the week.

In this declutterizing of our house, it has made me aware of the things I hold "fast" to.  I did a word study on the word fast and it is interesting that when God talks about fast it is usually paired with holding.  Basically being still and has more to do with diligence than speed.  It does take diligence and strength to move in a fast pace and keep it up.  Other words that are paired with fast are bind, abide, keep, proclaim, cleave, stand, stick, held, and stuck.  None of these reflect any mention of moving fast.  There is also the fast of abstaining, but even then I feel as though that is a form to remain steadfast at something whether it be a fast with food or something else.  My point is that even though our world may be moving fast our God tells us to hold fast, to be sure we act quickly to His calling, to respond immediately to the things of God and not let go.  Be diligent in our pursuit of Him and the calling He has placed on our lives. Stand fast in it, not necessarily move fast through it.

As I wish this week would go in slow motion I am blessed to get my house in order, to watch a young woman step into her next phase in life and have my house full of the ones I love dearly.  I do not wish to hold fast to "things" too tightly.  I became lazy living with clutter that seems so irrelevant now.  William is so great about clutter patrol, as he calls it, cause he makes me laugh all the way through it.  Yesterday he asked me if this copper ladle that had been sitting outside for goodness knows how long was one that Davey Crocket used to sup water at the Alamo?  I was laughing so hard I was speechless.   I get my house in order, one cause we are planning on putting our house on the market soon, two we are having a party (always a good reason), and three cause one is leaving the nest and its time to purge the stuff.  God instructs me to keep my house in order and I don't mean just my physical house,  I mean my spiritual house as well. The word order means to get set, make ready, prepare and direct.  I must hold fast to the order God has placed in me, on me and through me.   Time is fast approaching as my desires remain to hold fast God the Creator.  So, I remember to stand fast steadfastly so that when life moves too fast I stand.