I have an unwanted guest that occasionally comes to my home.  She's never invited, and I never know when to expect her.  Sometimes she'll stop in briefly and I can get her to leave before she's caused too many problems, but other times her visits are longer than I'd like.  She's decided to "stay a little longer" a few times, and I remember once when she moved in for over a year.  It really took a toll on me, as well as my marriage.  Three definitely was a crowd.  I prayed that God would help me find a way to make her leave.  I knew she had to go.  I wasn't sure how to go about it though.  She had taken over much of my home, leaving me feeling inadequate.  I hated feeling like a prisoner in my own home, but I did, and it only got worse.  She wasn't happy unless she was taking over yet another part in my home.  With each room she destroyed, I felt more like a failure.  I was loosing my home, as well as myself.

You may know of my guest. I know she hasn't just stopped at my home.  I've heard that she travels from one place to another doing the same thing to every woman.  Has she been to your home?  Are you familiar with... Chaos? 

    CHAOS is simply...

• C ontinuous
• H eartache
• A nd
• O verwhelming
• S tress
  

While Chaos is a horrible, it doesn't begin with her... she has a sister that usually visits first to "get the ball rolling".  Her name is Clutter.  Now, Clutter goes a bit more unoticed for a longer period of time.  She works slowly, and is almost invisible until Chaos appears.  You may not even know that Clutter has invaded your home until it's too late.  She's very sneaky and can go undetected with your guard down. 
   
    Clutter is simply:

• C ontinual
• L uxuries (and or "litter")
• U ntil
  
• T hey've
• T otally
• E nveloped
  
• R ooms

Clutter is more sentimental than her sister, for she deals with the heart strings.  She pulls at them with no remorse or regard for anyone, and giggles with glee when she convinces someone to hold onto yet another thing... "just in case".  Clutter loves to watch items accumulate, until they have completely taken over one room... and then another... and then another... and then, her job is done, and left for Chaos.

If you've let Clutter enter your home, or if Chaos has been staying with you for some time now, it's time to get your home back... begin by joining:
After last year's Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge, there were many women who said they needed to clean out the clutter before "deep cleaning" their home in the CHCHC.  The Colossal Clutter Clean-Up will focus on getting rid of the clutter before the CHCHC (that begins April 1st), and will begin Sunday, January 7th, BUT YOU CAN BEGIN ANYTIME!  Be sure to print out the FREE  COLOSSAL CLUTTER CLEAN-UP ORGANIZER!

If you'd like to be encouraged, as well as chat throughout the CCC, then check out A CLEAN HEART forum and become a registered user.  Weekly updates will be posted there as well.  There will also be a place there that you can sign up to be notified through email when a CCC post is made on the forum so you won't miss a thing.  Also, if you'd like to help spread the word, use the "bliinkie" and link it to this post so others can learn about the CCC as well.

May this year will be a year of change like no other, and may God bless each of us as we seek to clean our homes and hearts in 2007!