Beauty Tip #27 – “Unsqueeze”
Posted: October 30, 2010
“Did it feel like you were being squeezed?” These were the sassy, profound words of my eighty-five year old mother after I shared some intimate details of my unusual, overwhelming struggle. I stopped, gulped and smiled. Yes, that’s exactly how I felt, I thought, and I wonder what makes me feel that way?
I pondered over this the next few days looking for discernment and insight into my squeezing. I recognized it in two areas of my life.
- When I feel overwhelmed with too many demands and don’t have the time to find defining answers and God’s truth.
- When my life is cluttered with too much “stuff.”
Both of these points clutter up my life, my brain, my thoughts and my search for God’s truth and discernment for clarify.
I recall Thanksgiving weekend when I needed my favorite potato peeler, but couldn’t find it anywhere. I spent too much time digging through all my utensil drawers, the dishwasher and every drawer and cupboard in the kitchen. Aha…I finally found it. I knew I had it; but there was too much excessive, old “stuff” in my drawers. All those superfluous objects hid the potato peeler from plain sight. I needed to clear our stuff.
Last weekend I felt squeezed and got mad. I had the same thought that Popeye the sailor man had when he had enough and took matters into his own hands and shouted, “I can’t stanz it no more!” I rolled up my sleeves and went to work:
1. I cleaned out my china cabinet and removed all plates, trays, old wedding memorabilia, unmatched napkins, half lit candles, trinkets and Precious Moments figurines.
2. I sorted through my recipe book cupboard. You wouldn’t believe what went into the garbage. If I really need it I can find it on goggle.
3. Then I was relentless with my kitchen cupboards. I finally boxed up my American Beauty twelve piece china set that I had not used for over twelve years. The rest of this cupboard I will leave up to your imagination.
4. Then I went into the games cupboard, the gift wrapping cupboard, my clothes closet, and finally the utensil drawers.
I was done feeling squeezed every time I went into my cupboards and closets and had to spend valuable time finding what I really needed.
This morning I got up and opened every drawer and cupboard to gloat over the simplicity and beauty of this new and fresh clarity. It feels amazing to KNOW where everything is and that there is no unnecessary junk lurking underneath. What a gorgeous, freeing experience.
This same principle applies to finding clarity for God’s truth in my life. I have discovered that when I feel besieged with confusion and uncertainty, I need to de-clutter my brain from “stuff” that is holding me back from finding Godly wisdom and discernment. What does some of that de-cluttering look like?
a. Getting out of toxic relationships that consume and distort our thoughts.
b. Realize that the things which numb our brains stop us from seeing and hearing from God. Things like watching pornography, R-rated movies, too much alcohol, drugs and any other mind altering substances.
c. Stop being a workaholic and feeling responsible for everything that needs to be done in this world.
d. Realize this is our one and only life and God has placed us here for His pleasure and for a purpose. We need to seek and know God so that we can know ourselves.
e. The hardest one yet is: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). In our frenzied twenty-first century, our biggest de-cluttering must those things that take us away from our silent time with God.
When we become still, we will find clarity and be able to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit who will guide us into truth. How awesome is this, listen: “When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, he shall guide you into all truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future” (John 16:13 TLB).
My mother was so profound with her wisdom about feeling squeezed. Her statement alerted and reminded me that I must keep my life and mind free of clutter-DAILY. That is the only way I will be able to find my potato peeler and Godly discernment when I need it.
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Heidi, I loved your blog today. I’ve been doing a lot of unsqueezing lately too. The class we’ve been taking with Jack has been clarifying many things as well.
Keep posting all that good stuff. (your typo of Goggle was cute too, like we are wearing
goggles). Sue S.
You are so right, Heidi. This was a great blog! Isn’t it amazing how God can reveal Himself to us and also His insights through a simple statement like the one your Mom articulated. Thank you for sharing your insights.