Bulk Trash

We have these nasty bean bags.
Bean Bags are the worst. I almost ended the friendship with the person (childless, of course) who gave my kids these ENORMOUS bean bags for Christmas one year.
I hated them then, and that was over two years ago.
I hate them today.
I have tolerated them for over two years.
But every Monday, when the Bulk Trash truck comes by, I want to throw those bulky, ugly, ready to spill out tiny beans everywhere, shapeless things in the truck and wave goodbye.
They had become a fixture in our playroom, and I could almost forget they were there...but every now and then, the dream of the bulk trash truck would re-surface.
So, one day I did it.
I hauled them out there, not caring if my neighbors saw me in my pajamas, and set them out on the curb.
In fact, I hauled several things out there.
It felt so good!!!
I was so anxious to see the truck come by and make them disappear.
But the truck doesn't come until 10:30 or so...and my little ones wandered out there and found them.
Word spread in the Bacak house.
The kids started staring outside at them, pressing their little noses up against the glass, with little tears coming down their faces.
THE BEAN BAGS
Mind you, before you think I'm a terrible, evil mother who cares nothing for my children, I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM SIT ON THESE THINGS!
So I didn't know it would become this dramatic scene...but you never know.
So before the truck could come my way, and rescue me, the bean bags were dragged back into the house.
In fact, 75% of what I'd put out on the curb was dragged back into the house.
Things that they formerly hadn't seemed to play with or care about, they just couldn't part with.
The Lord reminded me we are just like that with our sin.
There are things in our lives that have become fixtures in our hearts and minds, even though we've always known they were yucky.
But one day, the Holy Spirit prompts us, and we know they need to go.
We drag it out on the curb, we are bound and determined to let it go for good.
But somehow, before we know it, we drag it back in, because even though we know it's gross, it's comfortable. It's normal. We convince ourselves that we'll eventually get rid of it. Maybe next Monday on bulk trash day. There's always next Monday, right?
I love this verse:

Rom 13:12-13
12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes . Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light.
NLT

Heather writes about this in Her Hands and puts it like this...
For years, there I was, walking around in my old, sinful clothes. Every day I would pray that God would help me stop sinning. I wanted Him to change me…I wanted out of my yucky, dirty, sinful clothes. So, I would strip down naked. I would take those old, icky clothes off. But I never put clean ones on to replace the yucky ones. So, I would stand there, naked, cold, shivering…and my old, dirty clothes would start to look attractive again. It’s just easier to do what we know. It's easier to wear what we wore.
God is saying in scripture to get rid of our old clothes…BURN THEM…and PUT ON the clothes He has laid out for us. WHAT BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES they are! Our Father has great taste. This is why there is NEVER a passage about taking off sin that does not conclude with a passage about what to put on instead. God never leaves us naked! Never!


What I'm reminded I need to do is put something on it my sin's place. If I take off complaining, I need to put on thankfulness. If I take off harsh words, I need to put on kind words. If I take off bitterness, I need to put on tenderheartedness.
I'm so glad God doesn't tell us to strip off our clothes and stand there naked, aren't you?
Today is Monday.
Bulk Trash day.
I hope we can all haul our trash out, leave it on the curb, and wave goodbye!
Happy Bulk Trash Day!