Is minimalism a part of your life? I began developing an interest in it when I first thought about downsizing. I had a revelation before moving to VA. In our home, we actually lived in about half of the space. And within that 50%, some of the rooms were much larger than necessary, though it made things feel open and very comfortable. We had a moderately sized home. I liked it.

 

What was the other 50% — a very large closet. These spaces, dining room or bedroom, served as usable space when company came, but were more like storage areas. There was/is a lot of stuff in every drawer, under beds, on bookshelves, in actual closets. All full of meaning and purpose yet useful only for highly specific reasons, like decorating for Christmas.

 

We are packing up those beloved Christmas decorations and asking, do we need this/want this enough to move it again so we can look at it for a few weeks next year?

 

January is great time to enter the wilderness with Jesus and ask ourselves, what are we carrying spiritually that does not serve our baptismal call. Some of the things we carry forward year after year, moving it from one internal room to another in our lives, helps us remember the ways God walked this journey with us, in good times and others. Some of it just keeps us prisoners of unhappy situations and does nothing to build our faith. Some of the so-called junk we haul around inside is actually the very center of our faithfulness and the seed we need to nurture, not junk at all, but treasures that need to be opened and used.

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works. (Mt 5: 16)

If you are looking for the best of yourself to offer to the world, in school, at work, doing family things, or being with friends, the best of you to make the best of life, join us on Sundays to learn more about “becoming light” in the darkness. You were made and chosen to make a difference for goodness sake.

See you soon, peace—
Rev Bev