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Have you seen the A&E program Hoarders? I watch the show every week on Channel 161 on Monday nights from 10-11pm. If I don’t watch the new episode, I DVR it. Yes, I am a faithful follower.

One of the reasons I like the show is I have a celebrity connection. I have worked closely with a frequent expert on the program.

A few years ago, hoarding and organizational expert, Geralin Thomas helped me transform my home office. I was NOT her first client nor am I a hoarder but wow, she was amazing! My home office had previously been a place of embarrassment and dread but with her assistance , my office became a thing of personality and beauty! As I watch Geralin work with her hoarding clients, I often hear her saying things to the hoarders that she said to me. I’m sure that is mere coincidence, right?

Another reason I like the show is that it’s fas- cinating. There are these distraught people living in absolute squalor and they toil and lament throwing out the smallest thing. A piece of paper, a withered basket, a mildewed book, everything appears to be impossible to dispose of properly. There is filth and dust everywhere and they agonize over minutiae! It feels like a personal victory to me when the people seem to make progress but I admit the show can produce anxiety in me as I see their mess flash over the tv screen.

And as I sit in my family room on Monday nights, just as I’m ready to kick my judgemental side into full gear, I am chastened. The reason is that on each Monday night, during a commercial or when the program ends, I begin looking around my own house and discover things that need to go. In my purse, my closet, my dressers, there is stuff that has long overstayed its welcome and usefulness. It is freeing to release things that are no longer needed but honestly it can be sad.

I originally had this post almost ready to go several days ago. I didn’t publish it because I hadn’t accomplished the thing I was going to write about. But I’m mustering the courage to do it today. I am going to do it no matter what!

I am saying goodbye to an 18 year old washrag.

I cannot tell you the age of any other washrag in my house but this one is special to me. I might even say I love this washrag. The threadbare cloth belonged to my oldest OS when he was a little boy. Nate will be 20 in a few months and it is/was a Barney washrag. Most of the purple dinosaur has been scrubbed away but it’s been the first washrag I reach for in my linen closet for lo these many years.

My OS has long since parted ways with Barney. He’s a yearling at West Point and has no affinity whatsoever to this thing.

But I’m a sen-timental mama. This silly washrag represents an adorable, toe-head boy who is my pride and joy and is now a remarkable young man full of ambition and integrity.

When Geralin helped me in my home office, I would find myself struggling with getting rid of things. She gave me permission to dispose of things and assured me that if I threw something out, it didn’t diminish the love I have for that person! What a revelation!

So with that in mind, thank you Barney washrag for the memories! Thank you for doing such a great job all these years! You’ve cleaned a lot of body parts! 😉 You certainly outdid yourself but I’m making room for new memories and really hoping Nate will find the West Point gift shop has a West Point washrag or a Digital ACU towel for Mother’s Day!

I am taking a women’s mentoring class through my church for the next seven weeks. It’s called Apples of Gold and we are learning the gentle art of homemaking and hospitality. Combined with a Bible Study we discuss things like kindness, hospitality, loving your husband, etc. Each week an intimate gathering of women ranging in age from 19 to 62 years old meet in a beautiful home and are treated to a wonderful meal and fellowship. We get a cooking lesson, hear from one of our group mentors and discuss applying God’s Word into our daily lives as women.

I enjoy meeting with these women every week.

I find that I have a lot more in common with them then I would have previously imagined.

Some are dealing with issues I struggle with and others are just beginning their lives as adult women. How nice to have a place where you can be yourself and find common ground.

You should see the gorgeous house where we meet. I’ll have to take some pictures of it. A historical home, perfectly appointed, charming and old-fashioned, cozy and reminiscent of olden times. It’s like a bed and breakfast just down the street. This week we dined on pork tenderloin, rice pilaf, fresh salad with a delicate homemade dressing and an apple dessert served with vanilla ice cream.

We are fed physically, emotionally and spiritually, satisfied and encouraged in every way.

I leave inspired and ready to serve my family.

What a far cry that is from my angry feminist days when I felt like the most demeaning place in the world was the kitchen?! My mother would toil away and rarely get a few sparse comments afterward.

Now I find that my home and kitchen are places where I can be creative and welcoming, like my true femininity has a place to prosper.

Even my boys appreciate the little extra touches. Although this week they were a little frustrated. They wanted to eat right away and I made them wait so I could fold my napkins in a fancy way and make a nice table setting.