LENT: Cleaning Out and Making Space
Lent is a time for cleaning out our lives and making space in them for God. Confession is one of the ways that we do this, but we can also do it in a more tangible way. When we clean out a literal space in our lives, we can gain deeper appreciation for what we have, live more simply, share of our abundance, recognize need versus want, and just breathe more deeply. Cleaning out and making space also serves as a great object lesson for your children, that you can go back to as you make space in your life for God throughout the year.
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Read It
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. -NRSV |
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Do It
Spring Cleaning:
Choose a space in your house that is cluttered - a room, a counter, a drawer, a refrigerator, a toy box. Tackle it with your child(ren). Sort through it, getting rid of things you don’t need, deciding whether to give them away, recycle them, or re-purpose them. Try to end up with less than you had, and talk about why you don’t need the things you are getting rid of. Deep clean the space, and talk about how much more useful it will be now that it is cleaned and uncluttered. Talk about how this is kind of like our thoughts - when they get too cluttered with other things, like television shows, worries, busy-ness, or anger, leaving little room for God’s spirit, our thoughts and lives can’t be as useful for showing God’s love.
De-cluttering Family Life:
A close friend said once that when they were at our stage of life, they felt like there was never enough of anything - time, money, patience… Having little ones is intense. Even the simple practices suggested on this website can feel hard to fit into our lives. Finding time for the very important work of building faith as a family is tough. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take Lent as an opportunity to de-clutter your family’s life. Go through a typical week and look at each activity - what really needs to happen, what builds you all up, what works for the common good? And what things have a good purpose, but don’t really have to happen? For different families, different things can be simplified - maybe it’s a weekly child’s activity that adds more busy-ness than life. Maybe more media is being consumed than necessary. When we examined this, we found that we were making healthy food a lot more complicated and time-consuming than it needed to be. Find the clutter, and make the changes you need to have space to breathe.
Spring Cleaning:
Choose a space in your house that is cluttered - a room, a counter, a drawer, a refrigerator, a toy box. Tackle it with your child(ren). Sort through it, getting rid of things you don’t need, deciding whether to give them away, recycle them, or re-purpose them. Try to end up with less than you had, and talk about why you don’t need the things you are getting rid of. Deep clean the space, and talk about how much more useful it will be now that it is cleaned and uncluttered. Talk about how this is kind of like our thoughts - when they get too cluttered with other things, like television shows, worries, busy-ness, or anger, leaving little room for God’s spirit, our thoughts and lives can’t be as useful for showing God’s love.
De-cluttering Family Life:
A close friend said once that when they were at our stage of life, they felt like there was never enough of anything - time, money, patience… Having little ones is intense. Even the simple practices suggested on this website can feel hard to fit into our lives. Finding time for the very important work of building faith as a family is tough. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take Lent as an opportunity to de-clutter your family’s life. Go through a typical week and look at each activity - what really needs to happen, what builds you all up, what works for the common good? And what things have a good purpose, but don’t really have to happen? For different families, different things can be simplified - maybe it’s a weekly child’s activity that adds more busy-ness than life. Maybe more media is being consumed than necessary. When we examined this, we found that we were making healthy food a lot more complicated and time-consuming than it needed to be. Find the clutter, and make the changes you need to have space to breathe.
Pray It
God, thank you for this time of the year, when we can remember to clean out our houses and lives and make space for you. Help us make good decisions and allow your spirit to breathe through us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
God, thank you for this time of the year, when we can remember to clean out our houses and lives and make space for you. Help us make good decisions and allow your spirit to breathe through us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Extras
The importance of free play for children
A CNN commentary on overscheduled children
6 Reasons Why Decluttering is Good for Your Family
If you’re crafty and want some creative Lent ideas to do with your kids, this web site has some fun ideas.
The importance of free play for children
A CNN commentary on overscheduled children
6 Reasons Why Decluttering is Good for Your Family
If you’re crafty and want some creative Lent ideas to do with your kids, this web site has some fun ideas.
