Have you seen the new wave of “tidying” crashing over the internets? It was on Cup of Jo on Wednesday, here, and on sho & tell last Monday AND Friday (below).

On Wednesday (also known as day four of not-being-home-while-the-sun-is-up after a four-day trip to NYC), Marie Kondo was a little inspiring, maybe, exhorting readers of her new book to ask whether each item in their space would “spark joy” for them.  If not, get rid of it, she says (this is a horrible bastardization of what she says.  Read a more faithful accounting from NYTimes, HERE).

Then came this morning, when I got around to reading sho & tell‘s posts about Ms. Kondo from the week.  First, Sho’s recommended reading, and then yesterday’s weekend note.  Her latter reflection was about letting go of stuff to allow both the things and yourself a new life–plenty of good theological fodder there.  The earlier one, her Monday post on Marie’s book proper, had a quotation that drew an unexpectedly sharp response from me:

“tidying is a dialogue with oneself” says Marie.

“I do not want to talk to me.” I replied before I even had a moment to think.

Then I looked around “my room”–the spot where I do most of my writing, crafting, reading, yoga, praying, and wondering.

This morning it’s raining, hard, as if God is urging me to wash away the truly brutal week, and maybe even to let go of some things–especially scraps of paper, borrowed-and-forgotten books, halfway-finished projects, and the emotional scraps which I’m clutching close but are things suffocating, crowding, irritating me.

Today’s a day for quiet, for spending time without distractions–for cleaning up.  There’s pork ragu on the stove, and a football game to pray over tonight; the work for the day is to do a little outward and inward cleansing.  What things in my life “spark joy”–what things help me to see Jesus better?  And what things distract me from seeing God at work through Jesus in the world–what things steal or dull the deep joy of God?

What’re you up to this morning and this weekend?