Cleaning Out My Purse

The other day I decided that it was high time that I clean out my purse. I have a great, chic brown leather purse with little compartments for everything. It is not an expensive purse (I picked it up at a thrift store), but I love it. Just like my home, I want my purse to remain tidy - in good functional form. Since I don't go out much, it does not get messy too quickly but, over time, the need arises to give it some organizational attention. That day came this week when I reached into the bottom of my purse and came up with a sticky hand. It seems that a tiny bottle of hand lotion had spilled it's contents into the bottom of my purse and was marinating things in its healing goodness.

As I began to empty out the contents of my purse onto the kitchen table, I became amused by some of the things I discovered - I thought that you might be, too. Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list of the contents of my purse! Just a few things that I thought were worth mentioning. There is much, much more in there!
My shopping list from Christmas. I told you that it has been a while since I last cleaned out my purse!

A wallet with a broken zipper. It is a great wallet with spots for everything. It's just old, that's all.

A small pamphlet with English/Spanish translations Because I might be in, say, Northern Michigan and might need to ask where to find the restroom in Spanish!

Eight store receipts. For some reason my husband thinks that he must write down every purchase in the checkbook ledger.*wink* So I have to save these.
An antique fingernail clipper from my grandmother. Instead of the usual long rectangular handle, this one has a round white handle with red roses and silver leaves.

Tickets to a Secret Keeper Girl event. They talk to "tween" girls about modesty and finding our beauty and value in Christ - check out the link in my right side bar.

A piece of fabric from the dresses that I am making for my girls to wear to my little brother's wedding in May. (Did I mention that I am a "Martha" and have a tendency to go overboard and make things from scratch? No, it did not save me any money. Yes, it would have been easier to just purchase something. But in my defense, they will all match! And the dresses look like something purchased for much, much more from Gymboree or Zulily.) The fabric swatch is for matching thread, headbands, etc.

A tiny tape measure. You never know when you might get caught in a burning building and have to see whether or not you can fit through the bathroom window! Just kidding. It is for measuring things! Like stuff at a store or garage sale:  will this fit my window...my table...beside my bed?

Two frivolously purchased tiny note books. Don't you just hate it when someone asks you for your phone number and you rummage through your purse and cannot find anything to write on and you end up giving them a gum wrapper, crumpled tissue or old grocery list with something embarrassing like hemorrhoid cream written on it? Well, I like to keep a notebook in my purse for just such an occasion!. One day I was at a birthday party in a pottery shop and they had other little things for sale there - including these darling little notebooks with themes. They were half price and I could not decide between two of them. I love both music and the written word (and my handsome husband - but they did not have a theme for him) so I bought them both. When I showed them to my husband he said, "You know, you could have gotten ten tiny notebooks at Walmart for that price." Yep! But not pretty ones!

Two new lipsticks. Maybeline 255 My Mahogany and 750 Bronze Beam. Only $5.59. I love a good price! I was completely out of lipstick and had been digging it out of the bottom of the old tube with a tiny makeup brush, so I needed to get some more. I may live in the North but I am a Southern girl at heart - Can't go out without my lipstick!

Pink Cheetah print tissues! That's right. I said pink cheetah print tissues. I had a twenty dollar gift card for Pier One Imports. I selected some beautiful items to give as gifts, and had two dollars left over. They had these little tissues for $1 per package so I got two of them! Too cute for words.

Baby pictures of my kids. Because someday someone may ask me if they can see pictures of my kids and I will show them what they all looked like - before they were three! I have no idea why I do not have more recent pictures.

A tiny address book the size of two credit cards magnetted (is that a word?) together. This was a gift from my mother in law. It is great! I love it because I can take everyone's phone numbers with me in case I ever have an emergency and need to call someone - like the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Of course it would have been more help if I had updated the info! It would not do me much good to call my neighbor down state!

A small bandaid dispenser. What can I say? I have kids!

And the best find? I kid you not,

A child's lost tooth. Yes. You heard my correctly. I said a TOOTH!

As I cleaned and reorganized my purse, the words of these "get rid of" verses kept flying through my head:

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."(Ephesians 4:31)
"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." (James 1:21)
"Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit." (Ezekiel 18:31)

I could not help but think about how God wants us to clean out our hearts. He wants us to let go of - get rid of - whatever holds us back.


...Weighs us down.


...Keeps us in bondage instead of allowing us to be free.


If you have claimed the blood of Christ- then you have been set free! Free not to be enslaved by old sinful habits, Free to be a new person.
Free of bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, malice, moral filth, evil, and all the offenses you have committed....   FREE, FREE, FREE!

I especially thought about this verse: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1)

I got a mental picture of trying to run a race while lugging around a heavy purse.

I think I get it!

What is holding you back and weighing you down today?

By the grace of God, Get rid of it!!

Everyday Life Matters of the Heart