I saw the signs as I drove.
Yard sale. Tuesday only.
I was in a hurry, but there was another sign and then another. Maybe there was something good! I’ve been on a restoration kick lately and I’ve been searching for a solid old bookcase that I could buy for cheap and sand and paint and distress it to make it beautiful.
I turned and drove down the winding road and then I saw it.
The world’s largest yard sale!
There was so much stuff that it took up nearly an entire acre, and that wasn’t all. It spilled into a large old barn. There were boxes and boxes filled with everything from bottles of old makeup half-full to stuffed toys to books, slightly yellowed. There were four tables and chair sets, pictures, coiled up water hoses, and fishing poles.
It was stacked up, piled up, and scattered everywhere.
I love a great yard sale, but before too long it was almost overwhelming. The boxes were covered with spider webs and the barn was dark and crammed full of stuff. The “picker” in me was curious, but there was part of me that wondered.
At what point do you look around and say, “Hey, we’re drowning in this junk,” or “Sure, we’re getting a nickel or a dollar bill here, but what have we invested in this?” There were treasures in there. I’m sure of that, but mostly it was just old stuff that had been collected until it became a mountain of junk.
Sometimes, sweet friends, we do the same in our life. We collect junk. Some of it we didn’t ask for. It just showed up in our life due to others junk-collecting habits. Some of it is tied to feelings that we don’t really like, but they keep us safe–sort of. Some of that junk has cobwebs. It’s old familiar patterns that we hated when someone else did them, but that we might use as an excuse to condone our own behavior.
It’s junk. It has little value. It piles up, and spills over into our relationships, and in the way we see ourselves.
Sometimes we throw it out, but we hold back that a box or two, just in case we might need it.
But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)
What a beautiful promise! I’m always going to love a great estate or yard sale, but I want a clean slate in my own heart. Not overflowing boxes. No yellowed memories still tainting my heart.
The old is nothing compared to the new that God wants to do in me and you. So, let’s hold a junk sale, but rather than trying to put a value on it, let’s give it away.
To Him.
Let’s give it to the One who said He’d carry all our burdens. Let’s give it to the One who promised to give us a fresh slate.
Are you ready? If so, let’s pray this prayer together.
Savior, I’ve held on to the old junk for way too long. I’ve put a value on it because I’ve nurtured it, or I’ve put it away in storage as if it were a treasure. It’s junk, Lord. It’s what the enemy desires to use to hold me back from all the new You desire to do in my life. It’s Yours, Father, every last bit of it. I’m leaving the junk collecting business to walk in the new paths You have for me.
Suzie
[inlinkz_linkup id=568349 mode=1]
I am so over the piles Suzie. God is doing a housecleaning and it feels amazing. You can’t always clean something overnight, but clean it he will. I am blessed by your words, as always.
He does the housecleaning so the new can take up residence in our hearts and thoughts. He wants to live in those old places, those old ways of thinking, those old junky feelings that offer little in return. Kelly, you are a great cheerleader and God is using you in such amazing ways. I’m so grateful you stopped in today!
I definitely need a yard sale. I would have to say the pace of life keeps me carrying extra stuff in my home and my heart. A year, or two, or three later I look back and see all this junk and wonder where it came from. I never took the time to stop and throw some things away. May God help us all to slow ourselves down and get rid of the unnecessary items we are holding onto. As always thanks for your post Suzie. Be blessed! – Kia
What a great image. It does take time to clear the junk and that’s okay, as long as we are continually open to our Savior gently showing us one more box, one more layer of healing, one more old, unhealthy behavior that isn’t meant for us or those we love. I love that you bring up the point of slowing it down to be able to do that!
Oh Suzie, what a GREAT parallel! Thanks for this encouragement to get rid of spiritual junk that clutters our lives and WEIGHS us down! We can give it away to our Savior, who’s more than able to haul it off as far as the east is from the west. (Sometimes when I see a junky garage sale, I think it would be so much easier for the people to just haul it away, give it away, throw it away, take it to the dumpster, but they hang onto it, hoping to sell it?) Have a great Thursday living free.
Betsy, thank you. How are things in beautiful Texas? How long are you in the states? I’m thrilled to see you here today.
“The old is nothing compared to the new.” Amen, Suzie. I’m wanting all the new God desires to place in my life. And Isaiah 43:19 is the verse that speaks so clearly to my heart. I cling to it often. Thank you for hosting this beautiful community each week. Praying God blesses you as you continue to encourage others, including me! Much love!
What if we woke up each day with a heart open and ready to receive the new. Maybe the old junk is all around you, but you are the one who has shed that junk. You are the one with open hands. You are the one walking past the junk in a new direction. You’re tossing bags and boxes as you go, running toward all that God has for you.
Oh word, that’s a beautiful image of what God does with that open heart. <3 Love that you came to this conversation today, Julie. <3
I decided long ago to release the junk! I find it’s just like housekeeping though…it requires seasonal clearing. The little spaces in my heart want to collect like the closets of my home. Thanks for the reminder to let go!
Suzie,
This passage from Isaiah is a very special one to me — one that helped me move past pain and disappointment and reach forward to the “next thing” that God had for me. Your words here encouraged me today to remember and give thanks.
Blessings,
Lyli
Suzie,
It seems like every few years I have to clean out the attic and likewise, God reveals some spiritual junk that needs cleaning out as well. Some of it has been tucked away for years. So thankful for a merciful God who is tender in His ways in getting me to part with unnecessary and harmful junk. Wise words…
Blessings,
Bev
I have always believed that God peels away layer by layer. It’s merciful. We aren’t stripped bare, but He deals with one area and then another and then one day we realize we are completely whole. I love this about Him and His healing touch.
Hey Suz – running a yard sale here today. I’ve got lots and lots of expectation I’m ready to get rid of. Thanks for the push to keep pushing it out of my life. Expectations on myself, my friends, my family … it’s ugly and needs to go.
We’ll have a yard sale together, friend. Let’s clear out the junk and make way for the new God wants to do in us!
I love garage sales too, but I strive to keep my home, my heart, and my head clutter free. You are right, most of us are carrying around far too much junk, and it is time to hand it over! I love the parallels you drew for us in this article. I am working on becoming a better storyteller myself, because as we have learned from Jesus, stories are a great way to share the truth of the Gospel with the lost. Blessings and Hugs to you..until next week!
Thanks for the prayer at the end. It is really meaningful! Oh ya, I have way to much “junk” both physical and emotional. I pray God will help me do better at letting go.
Thanks for this post Suzie! Great reminder for me to reflect on what I have been treasuring that is just junk in light of knowing Christ more. Love that He has not given up on us! I am very long work in progress. Visiting you from Sowandgather.com.
Esse post È maravilhoso! Eu encontrei esse artigo por acaso e e resolvi comentar que amei todos os artigos .
Vou te adicionar e te desejo muito sucesso! https://namoroagora.com.br/pesquisa-do-guia-da-reconquista-perfeita/
This concluding paragraph is often the last paragraph plus it provides you with a glimpse of what exactly is within the entire article or write-up.
In order to make a good conclusion and so the first rule would be to make certain that each of
the contributing elements are sound. Learning how to write analytically can be
quite a great stepping stone to finding better grades in school.
However, Wal-Mart is predicted to capture 3% from the Argentine
retail market by 2008 with estimated sales of $3. While most individuals are knowledgeable about conventional associates, bachelors as well as doctorate degrees, opportunities exist to
earn not only certification, but alternative healing degrees which might be equal to traditional college
degrees. Copyright 2007 – All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.
When faced with freedom and temptation from every direction regarding how to occupy this “free time” it’s very easy to
get side tracked. Methods: This is where all calculations and other information go which will allow people to formulate the believability of your
respective results. By setting internal goals and deadlines for completing smaller tasks as you
progress through your thesis, you will find that you gain a feeling of progress
and success along the way.
Like the essay, you need to mention activities that
are your passions. One can plan their business strategy in a
better way by making use of professional knowledge.
Spend just as much time because you require on each problem
until you fully understand it, or else you could possibly
have wasted your time and efforts even investigating it inside the first
place.
But I have a very rule for this – don’t utilize the textbook twice to find information on a similar concept.
It may be the primary study skill mistake I see manufactured in college writing, and it’s inside introduction. Use reliable sources while stressing on the point and don’t restrain from stating the identical if
necessary.
While you can feasibly create an essay which has the identical means for your
school, the probability is less likely you will probably
have a powerful essay without having weaknesses without having a professional to take a look it
over. They are asking specific questions linked to their scholarship so if you feel inside a
minority group and applying for funding because of this sponsorship than address how your background has shaped you.
Many people produce a thought to have an essay and they also start to write, and usually the things they will come up with
can be a base of where their focus will be, through the entire research process.
There is a Freshman Honor Scholarship, this is funded by organizations which grant scholarship to the people students that are undoubtedly excelling inside the class and had
the ability to gain honors. )For an current email address, consider making a
designated email on your job search and employ that particular on the
resume. Furthermore, these classes are sold at the top prices
online at Master – CPE.
For level 3 advisors the requirement is 16 hours (12 hours on core
subjects and 4 hours on non-core subjects). Below are a few of the top
colleges in the United States for Nursing: .
When you look at these features, then it will help
you to select one of several good hotel management schools in India.
Our chiropractors and therapists can also teach you to ease tension and stress through practicing relaxation techniques and improved body awareness.
It is actually amazing that this our planets atmosphere
alarmists, those wonderful people who have told
us that climatic change has been proven and the debate is over;
are so careful to pick out and judge the study that supports their view, on the views
of the they condemn the denialists, many of which
are well-known and respected scientists. Cambridge should actually make a new motto,
“Here in Cambridge MA we treat people like we want to be treated”.
The 2009 Internet Directory lists websites, wikis,
podcasts, forums, videos, blogs, virtual worlds and social networking.
It is said that tree is recognized by fruits so the same is true about research output.
I apologize if I am not sugar coating anything to suit your needs but that is certainly not just how I work.
Here’s the offer, learn for writing a jump out college admissions essay.
The next essay writing guideline you have to
know is to prepare a summary or diagram of the ideas.
As such, facts that support your assertions – from statistics to
scientific truths – alllow for some very compelling evidence.