Sunday, May 3, 2009

EMOTIONAL CLUTTER

Church today was wonderful. I love "Fast Sunday," when we fast two meals and give the money that would be used for those meals to help those in need. On Fast Sunday we have testimony meeting where members of the congregation can bear their testimonies. Also, the last ten minutes of Relief Society are reserved for that purpose.

Today, one of my dear friends bore her testimony in Relief Society. How I love her. She doesn't have an easy life. She is a single mom, retired, and she invested her retirement money with someone who lost it all, so she is living a very simple life--translation: poor. She won't accept help and carries on, always serving in the church with a cheerful heart. She is also in my personal history group and I love hearing what she writes. Her testimony strengthened me--made me cry and made me want to be a better person.

Someone in Relief Society today coined the phrase "Emotional Clutter." It may have been our visiting Stake Relief Society President or it may have been our 1st counselor--who gave an excellent lesson on "Peace,"--I'm not sure who it was but the idea was a good one.

The thought was when we worry, when we are hurt by something someone else says, when we feel inadequate or sad, this is all "emotional clutter," that clogs our life and hinders us from being the best we can be. The thought was for us to turn all those problems over to the Lord, who has promised to deal with them. (Matthew 11:30) "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Let's all purge our emotional clutter, even if just for one day. Let's turn all our worries, hurts, anxieties, fears, etc. over to the Savior. He has promised to take them; I know He will.


PS I found a quote that I like: "Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf." ~Jonatan MÃ¥rtensson

6 comments:

Grandma Tii said...

Thank you! I needed that.

Nickie said...

Again, I love coming here, it's like a little break from the world.
I want you to know that I completely understand the bird story. See, Cris works at night, so little toys going off in the middle of the night, they always make me almost pee my pants! Then I get a grip, and try to just go to bed. He always wonders why I have a tv on somewhere, if I didn't, I would go crazy!
I love your post about us doing anything for our children.
Love you!

Shan said...

I'm a pro at emotional clutter. I feel like most of my time is spent sorting through it and keeping the stuff that I hope will make me a better person. Then I worry if I kept the right stuff and I guess that's just more emotional clutter. Out poor feeble brains do the best they can with what they've got in this life.

Plus, also, I dreamed about you last night. I went to your house for Sunday dinner and Hillyerie and her littles were there and we all had great fun. Only it was snowy and I wasn't sure if I had the right house. I looked for the frog in your yard, but the snow was covering it. That snowy part of the dream was not my favorite, but the rest was good enough to make up for it.

Camille said...

I LOVE your explanation of emotional clutter. I too often over burdern myself with worry and such. I am grateful for the reminder to turn my burdens over to the Lord. I know he will lighten my load.

Annette said...

Beautiful thoughts. I'm so glad you shared them.

Elisa said...

I think I must have a PhD in emotional clutter. It's time to dejunk.