Thoughts On Cleaning Closets . . .

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There's something about cleaning closets.  For an anal, control freak, type A kinda girl like me, it's completely theraputic. Last week I finally got around to cleaning my closet and putting my winter/fall clothes away until the chill comes back to the air and I want my long sleeves again.

When I clean out my closet, it is an all day affair.  It involves removing EVERY LAST THING from the closet and systematically going over each piece of clothing or pair of shoes while asking myself questions like, "Have I worn this in the past year?" or "Is this looking a little worn, dated, tattered or torn?" and my favorite, "Do I even like this?" which usually leads to "Why on earth did I ever buy this in the first place?"

The questioning eventually results in a pile of clothes on the floor that are symbolic representions of my impulsiveness, carelessness and regret.  I shove all those emotions in a bag and drop them off at the Salvation Army for someone else to deal with.  Then I go on with  my life until the next closet cleaning.

Last week I was at the usual presidency meeting for my latest church calling as Primary Secretary.  To start the meeting, one of the ladies shared a spiritual thought that pretty much rocked me to the core - especially when she looked me {and the other two women present} in the eyes and asked, "So, do you need to clean out your spiritual closet?"

The quote she shared with us came from a talk given by David A. Bednar:

The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us.

Then she challenged each of us to clean out our spiritual closet, ridding it of anything that may be preventing us from more fully feeling the Spirit in our lives on a daily basis. 

And so I came home and asked myself the questions, "In the past year, what has kept me from feeling the Spirit?" and "Are there pieces of my spiritual practice that are worn, tattered or torn?" and of course, "Why do I even do some of these things in the first place, if I know they don't bring me closer to Him?"  Then I went to work making a pile of impulses, careless actions and regrets to rid myself of.

I am saying goodbye to favorite TV shows {so long Glee}.  I am unbookmarking favorite internet haunts {adios People.com}.  I am carving out time for my own spiritual enlightenment {hello early morning scripture study} and I am once again putting things that matter most first {get ready for scheduled one on one time kiddoes!}. 

I recognize that this is personal.  I am putting this out here as a way to feel accountable.  I also recognize that just like my clothing closet, my spiritual closet will need to be cleaned often as it tends to pile up with junk rather quickly.  And the cleaning isn't always an easy job to do.

But for an anal, control freak, type A kinda girl like me . . . it's feeling good.