Every other month an organisation will come to my neighbourhood to collect old items for recycling. I did not participate in it thus far although it was as easy as putting them just outside your house, no forms to fill whatsoever. Last week I decided to clear out a few shirts that I think I will not be using anymore – okay I outgrown them. So, I took out one and soon enough many more came out of the cupboard. I was not really aware of the number of clothing that were no longer useful to me. They were in quite good conditions and so I packed them and left them out for recycling. My cupboard was now cleared of clutter, and I feel good. Little did I realised that an extra shirt here and there built up to many over time. Most time I was just thinking that it was just one shirt, but one shirt times X is X numbers of shirts. They take up space. Shirt is just an example of the things we amass.

There will always be things that clutter up our lives. They may be material things that we had collected over the years and left at a corner in the house unnoticed after the initial euphoria subsided. Or memories lying and gathering dust in a corner of our mind, appearing once in a long while either to haunt us or to bring a quick smile. There may be regrets that pop up often enough to make our lives miserable, even for a little while.

It is vital for us to ‘de-clutter’ them once in a while. Accumulation of such things or memories, either good or bad, will eventually weigh you down. It will become difficult to move forward when there are so many things that weigh us down. They will affect our decision-making processes, and hopefully for the better.

It is not easy to de-clutter but de-clutter we must. Our hearts are tugged by some of the things (memories) we keep. We will always be giving reasons to keep them, just a little while more. Well, the time is now and not later. If we need to be ruthless with ourselves, then let us learn to be.

God want us to live a life of freedom. Live free and live well my dear brothers and sisters.

God bless,
In Christ’s service,

Barry Leong

每隔一个月，就会有一间机构到我的邻里收取再循环的旧物件。我一直以来都没有参与，虽然这只是简单如将物件放在住家门口的事，也无需填写表格。上个星期，我决定清理一些我想自己不会再穿的衣服——好吧，是我穿不下了。于是，我先拿出一件，随之而来是从衣柜里取出更多的衣服。我没有真正注意这些对我无用的衣服的数量。它们的品质仍是良好的，于是我把它们收拾好，就拿去再循环。我的衣柜被清理干净，我感觉轻松。我没有意识到经过一段时间，一件又一件的衣服竟然积少成多。很多时候，我只是想到就只有一件衣服，但一件衣服乘于X就是X数量的衣服了。它们占用了空间。衣服就是我们累积物件很好的例子了。

常常会有事物扰乱我们的生活。它们或许是我们经年累月所收集的东西，却被搁置在房子的一个角落，也随着原来的新鲜感消失而被遗忘。或许是在我们脑海的一个角落，记忆被隐藏并积累尘埃，长时间里时不时就会出没搅扰我们或带来会心一笑。其中也可能常常浮现一些懊悔让我们感觉痛苦，即使只有那么一瞬间。

对我们来说，隔一段时间“清理”它们是重要的。积累这些记忆，无论好的或不好的，最终会让你们失望。当有太多的事物让我们失望的时候，就会难以前进。它们将影响我们作决定的过程，希望是更好的决定。

要清理并不容易但是清理却是必要的。我们的心常常被我们所收藏的事物（记忆）所拖累。我们常常会找藉口收藏它们，就算是那么一会儿。是的，趁着现在而不是待会儿。如果我们必须对自己残忍一些，那么就让我们学习吧。

上帝要我们活出自由的生命。弟兄姐妹，要活得自由和活得丰盛。

上帝赐福，
主里同工的，

Barry Leong