Less is more!

Lent and Easter Sunday are over. I have no idea where those 40 days went, I just know they go a lot faster now than when I was a kid when that time seemed to last forever!

My goal this past lent was not to give up something but rather work on improving and doing better. I tried to do the 40 bags concept..this is a theory of getting rid of and cleaning out-40 bags in 40 days. I did not do a bag a day. And the concept does not just mean stuff. It did range from getting rid of stuff, but it also meant things like email files or files on your laptop or cell phone. I worked on this concept off and on over the course of the 40 days of lent. Somedays I got rid of nothing or very little. Other days is was a free for all. I burnt stuff, I bagged it for charity, I put stuff in the trash. I cleaned out drawers. I went through email files I went through pictures on my phone and laptop. I went through paperwork both at home and school. One day it was as simple as cleaning out the tooth brush drawer at home! One day last week my office floor at work was covered in piles and I pitched junk, big time. It was a good feeling on the days I accomplish my daily lenten goal. And on good Friday I took a load of "stuff" to a local charitable organization and dropped it all off. I left it and didn't look back. There is less stuff in my life. But I didn't stop after lent was over. I continued to clean and purge, even on Easter Sunday. I went through coats yesterday and I will hang on to that bag of coats until next fall when I can donate them to a coat drive so someone who can't afford a winter coat can home one of mine!

I spent time yesterday taking down some of the decorations and belongings in one of my extra bedrooms. It is, correction, was my son's room. He hasn't been home to live full time in almost 5-1/2 years, he's now an adult, married, a college grad and working a full time job-he won't be back to live in that room any more. I struggled a little with taking down all the things that remind me of him and made that room his room.  I'm not gonna lie it made me very sad. But then in my nostalgic sadness I remembered a mom in my community who lost two of her three sons four months ago in an auto accident. She also has empty bedrooms but for a much sadder and heartbreaking reason. It made me a lot less sad but instead grateful for what and who I do have in my life. Suck it up buttercup I told myself. So my lenten cleaning continued. Today is was files on an electronic device and I will continue!

So as I head into post-lent season I hope I remember to continue to keep the "less is more" mentality and continue to clean, get rid of and pass along the "stuff" that fills my life.

Less really is more...and we can't take any of it with us.