Yesterday was Easter Sunday, the final day in my Lenten commitment to decluttering my house.
I looked back today and reread what I had written on Ash Wednesday, over 6 weeks ago, at the beginning of my decision to blog through my process of decluttering my home and my faith in an effort to uncover real:
“When I turned the calendar this week and saw Ash Wednesday, I was filled with longing for the night I spent bearing those ashes. More than just a night in a sanctuary, I am longing for the “real” that the Pastor spoke of. I am tired of façades, tired of being burned by hypocrisy (my own and others), and I’m craving real. Maybe you are, too.
In one of my first experiences with Lent, I accepted a challenge to only eat unprocessed foods for a Lenten fast. I hated it. Every part of it. At the end, I excitedly went for some random junk food I’d been looking forward to, and it tasted like crap. I had developed a taste for real and now nothing else would satisfy.
Many of us are not attending in-person services this year, whether due to COVID-related issues, disenchantment with the church, a faith deconstruction process, or any number of other reasons. Despite all my issues with attending, not attending has left a void.
I’m craving real. Real relationships, real faith, real hope, real joy, real me. Like the fast I did several years ago, I want to take a hard look at my life and address where I have been exchanging real for counterfeits, cheap replacements, and fakes.”
As I look back over these past couple months, I can see and feel so many benefits from the steps I’ve taken so far and I am so grateful for the conversations they’ve sparked with others along the way.
I love how my home feels when it greets me every day. I love the peace it gives to my family.
I love the conversations I’ve had with others on worth, value, dignity, priorities, self-evaluation, shame, truth and grace.
I am excited to keep taking steps towards real in my relationships, my body, my faith, my hope, my joy, and all of my life.
Thank you for your encouragement and challenge along the way, let’s keep going together!
Uncovering Real 