I could really relate to Job in the Bible!!
The "icing on the cake" was my house. Now, it was actually a lovely 3 bedroom Ranch style house, with a full basement and attached 2-car garage. Had a big, beautiful yard, too. It was the house I grew up in, and my inheritance. But there was just one HUGE problem now - with several years of accumulated "stuff", plus the houseful of "stuff" I brought in when I moved back to care for my Dad while he was still alive - I basically had 3 housefuls of "stuff" crammed into one house! The house, the entire basement, and the whole garage were about 4 feet deep in boxes, furniture, and misc. piles - with "pathways" to walk through each room. I could not even get my car in the garage for a long time. It was an organizational nightmare!! Not to mention a fire hazard, too. Oh, I managed to keep everything away from heat sources, but it was challenging! And depressing, too. Being overwhelmed with clutter - especially when most of it is a departed loved one's belongings - is emotionally draining. None of my Christian friends could come and help me with it, because of their job schedules, and back injuries (and yes, that was genuine - NOT an excuse.) I tried to hire professional maid services, cleaning services, etc. to come in and help remove it - but Worker's Compensation Laws would not allow them legally to do this for me. So - I started on it myself, and even though it was a lo000nngg and very challenging road, it turned out to be very therapeutic for me. God took what the enemy meant to destroy me with - and turned it for my good!! The exercise was good for me, the emotional part was very healing, and by the Grace of God, with the help of the Salvation Army trucks that hauled a lot of it away for me - the job was whittled down considerably!! Somehow, even though I was on a cane the whole time, God gave me the strength and supernatural grace to slowly (very slowly!!) move out one "houseful of stuff" completely on my own - and take it to local churches and charities that were collecting things. Some of it I was also able to sell at a local business that paid "garage sale prices" for just about anything - then turned around and sold it on ebay - what a financial blessing that was to me!! God used this to begin turning my financial woes around - as I made enough to buy groceries and medicines by doing that!! Many days I actually cried from the pain and frustration, but God would always remind me of His promises to be my strength in weakness, to provide for all my needs, and that no weapon formed against me would prosper - not even arthritis, pain, or poverty!!
Now - before you think this story is only full of sadness and struggle, I want to tell you the "flip side" - so tune in tomorrow! It gets much happier!
The "icing on the cake" was my house. Now, it was actually a lovely 3 bedroom Ranch style house, with a full basement and attached 2-car garage. Had a big, beautiful yard, too. It was the house I grew up in, and my inheritance. But there was just one HUGE problem now - with several years of accumulated "stuff", plus the houseful of "stuff" I brought in when I moved back to care for my Dad while he was still alive - I basically had 3 housefuls of "stuff" crammed into one house! The house, the entire basement, and the whole garage were about 4 feet deep in boxes, furniture, and misc. piles - with "pathways" to walk through each room. I could not even get my car in the garage for a long time. It was an organizational nightmare!! Not to mention a fire hazard, too. Oh, I managed to keep everything away from heat sources, but it was challenging! And depressing, too. Being overwhelmed with clutter - especially when most of it is a departed loved one's belongings - is emotionally draining. None of my Christian friends could come and help me with it, because of their job schedules, and back injuries (and yes, that was genuine - NOT an excuse.) I tried to hire professional maid services, cleaning services, etc. to come in and help remove it - but Worker's Compensation Laws would not allow them legally to do this for me. So - I started on it myself, and even though it was a lo000nngg and very challenging road, it turned out to be very therapeutic for me. God took what the enemy meant to destroy me with - and turned it for my good!! The exercise was good for me, the emotional part was very healing, and by the Grace of God, with the help of the Salvation Army trucks that hauled a lot of it away for me - the job was whittled down considerably!! Somehow, even though I was on a cane the whole time, God gave me the strength and supernatural grace to slowly (very slowly!!) move out one "houseful of stuff" completely on my own - and take it to local churches and charities that were collecting things. Some of it I was also able to sell at a local business that paid "garage sale prices" for just about anything - then turned around and sold it on ebay - what a financial blessing that was to me!! God used this to begin turning my financial woes around - as I made enough to buy groceries and medicines by doing that!! Many days I actually cried from the pain and frustration, but God would always remind me of His promises to be my strength in weakness, to provide for all my needs, and that no weapon formed against me would prosper - not even arthritis, pain, or poverty!!
Now - before you think this story is only full of sadness and struggle, I want to tell you the "flip side" - so tune in tomorrow! It gets much happier!
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