Last week, Janiesa and the boys took on the monumental task of cleaning out the garage while I was at work. They put four quadrants on the driveway (keep, garage sale, recycle, and dump). Each was separated with a line of duct tape. Then, for most of the day, they carried out treasures and trash to the appropriate quadrant. There were many people out walking in the evening and every comment was similar, “That wasn’t all in your garage was it? It couldn’t be.”

Now, the garage is supposed to be the one area of the house which is my domain. Obviously, I have neglected my responsibilities and am thankful that Janiesa and the boys did something I probably never would have attacked so aggressively. It’s not that I planned on having a garage stuffed from floor to rafters. It’s just that I kept adding one more thing without going through the junk which was already there. And there is also the fact that I sometimes treasure things which really should be thrown out in the first place. Anyone interested in some Jeff Gordon diecast or memorabilia? It’s going on craigslist next week.

Here’s what I realized. My life can easily become like my garage. I want to keep adding godly things to my life, but I also have to be getting rid of some of the trash which I have put in there and has also accumulated over time. Without getting rid of the trash and unused items, and without identifying what the trash is, I cannot continue to grow as God desires. So what do you say? Will you join me in cleaning out the trash this week?