Everyone Has a Junk Drawer

As I was putting dishes away, I opened my cupboard above our counter to stash our thermal coffee cup away...you know the kind...the ones that are big and clunky and not dishwasher safe (but I put in the dishwasher anyway). They are too big for the normal cup cabinet and there really isn't a good place in the other cabinets for them, so into the "junk cabinet" they go. As I was up on my tippy toes trying to put the cup in an upright position and slam the door closed before it or anything else could fall out, I thought to myself, "geesh what a poor house keeper I am". And then just as quickly said to myself, "Who am I kidding? Everyone has junk cabinets, or drawers, or closets for that matter." If you are reading this blog and think to yourself, "I don't have a junk drawer." let me the first to give you a reality check....yes you do. It may not be a cabinet like mine, it may not even be that obvious to the naked eye, but you do have one.

As human beings we tend to deny the "junk drawers" in our lives too, don't we? We look at other people's lives and can quickly point out their messes but when we look at ourselves we see tidy little kitchens where everything has a place. This is true sometimes. But there are times when some think they are the only one with cluttered lives (me included). Is either one better then the other? No. Both perspectives are entirely selfish.

The Tidy Kitchens of this world think they have it all together. These are the people who say, "my kid would NEVER throw a fit like that" or "if they could manage their schedule better, maybe they would be on time for once." They also literally judge a persons home. Trust me, your quick scan of the place and wrinkle of your nose at the sight of a dirty sock or a pile of laundry does not go unnoticed. At first those kind of people used to intimidate me and make me very self-conscious. I would drive myself crazy trying to clean before they came over or be horrified if they just stopped by and the house wasn't picked up. Yes, I remember those days very vividly. Those were the days I was constantly exhausted, constantly stressed out, and constantly taking it out on the kids and husband.

Then you have the Lone Junkers. The people who say, "I am the only one I know who can't keep up the laundry." or "If only I had a nicer house, or more behaved kids." Have you ever asked yourself this one?: "Why do my kids trash the house, when so and so's kids clean up after themselves?" Okay, you got me...I have been there, done that. Woe is me. I might sound pretty harsh right now, and I don't mean to....or maybe I do, but hear me out. A reality check for the heart is always a good thing every once in awhile.

All you Tidy Kitchens out there need to realize you have junk drawers too. There isn't a single person who is clutter free in this life. And we wont be, for that matter, until we see Jesus face to face. There is freedom in admitting you have faults. Yes, we should all strive to be the very best human beings possible, but knowing everyone makes mistakes including yourself, allows you to be more patient and forgiving. It allows you to extend grace even when it is not deserved.

For all you Lone Junkers, enough all ready! Stop with the lamenting and give yourself a break! You are not the only one with junk drawers filled to the brim with the misplaced batteries and pens of this life. Stop feeling sorry for yourself or beating yourself up and do something about it. Whether it is purging and throwing away things that you know you will never use or need,or maybe you just need to hone your organization skills a little. Or just maybe you need to do some business with the One who is an expert clutter extractor. And remember, you don't have to do this on your own. A couple years ago, a good friend of mine was completely fed up with her unorganized kitchen. She swallowed her pride and asked me to come over and help her clean out her cupboards. She kept saying "but if you don't want to, you don't have to," I went over right away and we had a blast rolling our sleeves up and decluttering her kitchen. And might I say, we had quite a few laughs over the amount of cookbooks she had and never used.

If life has gotten overwhelming (either physically, mentally, or spiritually) call up a good friend, someone you can trust. Someone that isn't afraid of your junk or wont judge you for having a coffee thermos in the same cabinet with CD's and matches and eyeglass cleaner. You get the picture. And if you have been the one doing the judging, step back for a second and analyze your own junk drawers. I bet when you do that, other junk drawers won't look so horrifying.

 

The Fun of Dutch Blitz: Something You've Gotta Experience!

New Year's Eve was a blast. Every year, my husband and I have a group of family and friends over to eat and play games. We always have a white elephant exchange in which we bring gifts that we got for Christmas that we might not necessarily like or use. It's always a riot. This year we also had a dance off which was hilarious and way too much fun. After that, we broke up into two groups and played games. A couple weeks ago, some friends introduced us to a card game called Dutch Blitz. If you don't have it, you need to get it. It is sooo fun (see, I am doing it again!) Since we've played it at their house, we have purchased the game for our own house and have taught several other friends how to play (including people at our New Year's bash). It's almost become an epidemic at our house. Even our two daughters have learned and play every day. I ask people if they've ever played before and tell them all about it if they haven't (which most people have never heard of the game, let alone play it.) Sounds pretty obsessive right? Maybe it's just how I'm wired but I get like that whenever I experience something new and fun....and life changing. I want the whole world to know about it!

Ok, you got me. I'm not talking about card games anymore. There's something else that is so much cooler then Dutch Blitz. His name is Jesus. Once you have Him, there's no going back. Nothing else compares quite frankly. Ever since I met Him, I am more alive, more free, FORGIVEN, loved, and cherished. My life has purpose and meaning. I am strengthened and empowered. I have joy and a peace that goes beyond any understanding. When you experience all that you can't help but want others to experience it too.

I think sometimes Christians get a bad reputation for being Bible Thumpers and only interested in saving souls. Which is true in some way...I do love my Bible and I do want you to be in heaven with me. BUT, more than that, I want you to know what love really feels like; what it feels like to be truly satisfied and content with where you are in life. I want you to experience joy amidst trials and suffering. I want you to have the strength to forgive when you've been wronged. I want you to feel His guidance as you walk through this life. I want you to know how awesome it feels to have purpose and meaning. I want you to know Jesus.

Life with Jesus isn't always fun and games. It is downright hard. Just like Dutch Blitz, you have good rounds and not so good rounds. I still go through trials. I have days when I am discouraged and feel rather depressed. But that is life. We were never promised that our lives would be perfect. In fact, we were promised the opposite so that we may persevere and grow in the faith (but that is another blog for another time). With that said, if we are going to go through hard times in this life wouldn't you want to have Someone to go through those times with you? And unlike Dutch Blitz when you win games and lose others, with Jesus, you win every time. As a competitive person, I like those odds.

With that said, I urge you to get to know Him a little better. If you don't know Him at all, try talking to Him. Try to figure out who this Jesus guy is and why He's so special. I dare you. I promise that you will not walk away empty handed or with an empty heart. You will walk away full of life if you give Him yours. This would be a perfect time for me to say "as the new year begins, make it a resolution to know Jesus as your Saviour," but I don't believe in resolutions. Resolutions are made to be broken. Instead, I am going to challenge you to grow. Grow in your faith, and if you have faith already, grow in maturity. This life isn't meant to be lived by just going through the motions. There's so much more than that and part of the fun, is figuring out what that is.

Oh yeah, and if you haven't played Dutch Blitz, try it out! (I had to do it :)