Clean out the fridge....it's time to purge 2016

     This morning I woke up early, mulling over in my head when and where I was going to get my nails done today.  What better way to end the year than to make sure my hands and feet were cleared of the dirt and grime and prepared to walk into the new year.  I laid there mentally mapping the day, deciding what I would do with the boys, how I'd help Byron prepare for the 2 services and when I was going to begin cooking the black-eyed peas.  (Because of course it's a MUST to begin the new year with a pot of black-eyed peas. As a little girl, I was told that this would bring good luck into the new year.)  Whether I believe it or not, it's still a family tradition.  So those smoked turkey legs are just waiting to jump in the crock-pot with the peas....they have a great relationship.

     I finally walked into the kitchen to eat a bowl of cereal, read a magazine and just kill time before heading to the nail salon.  When I opened the refrigerator to get the rice milk, I stopped long enough to realize that the refrigerator was full of STUFF.  Leftover food in containers, new groceries from yesterdays trip to the market, bottles of condiments, jars of pickles, yogurt and fruit cups and plenty of plastic storage bags, that I use to save space, were just staring back at me screaming HELP.

     Chandler had mentioned the other day, upon opening the refrigerator, that something smelled funny.  I ignored him and kept moving about the kitchen.  I was probably preparing for the next meal and didn't have to time to investigate. I continued doing what I had been doing and didn't give it a second thought.  For some reason this morning, as I pulled out the milk, I paused a little longer than normal.  I didn't smell anything, but I did notice the chaos.  Yesterdays new groceries couldn't rest properly on the shelves because there were so many other things preventing it.  It was at that moment, that I decided to purge.  I moved the trashcan directly in front of the refrigerator and began to open and dump the containers and toss all of those food storage bags.  I could feel the cold air circulating more freely in the fridge.  The deeper I got into the refrigerator,  my sense of smell became a bit more keen. (Oh Lord, where did this come from?  How long has that been in here?  Oh crap....this must have been what that boy was smelling.)  Don't judge me...you know you could probably find a piece of foil or container, in the back of your fridge, that's been there for weeks.

     But the tossing of items was not good enough for me.  As I purged items, I rearranged the remaining items on the shelves, only to realize that I should probably take out each shelf and wipe it down.  Slowly but surely,  I began to see progress.  I combined similar condiment items, threw out salad dressings that apparently no one likes, wiped down each jar and rearranged them in a manner that you could find things easily upon opening the doors.  I removed every shelf and washed them off in the sink.  I pulled out fruit and vegetable trays and checked to make sure they were still in good condition.  (Lawd Jesus, as I'm typing this I just realized that I didn't even look inside the freezer, which sits on the bottom.  Doggone it...I still have work to do.  I'm on it, as soon as I finish this.)

     I didn't share this with you to tell you that I'm a slob, because I'm not!  As I was cleaning, something began to resonate in my spirit.  You need to purge, before you can prepare!  Before you even step into 2017, there are some things that you must toss from 2016.  There are some unhealthy relationships, some 'stinking thinking', some annoying habits, some seemingly never ending cycles and some lies that have become self- fulfilling prophesies that you have got to leave behind.  Before I could even begin preparing the black-eyed peas, I needed to be sure that I had all of the necessary ingredients.  However since the refrigerator was overflowing with stuff, I couldn't clearly see what I needed.

That's what this 'life thing' is all about......learning when to let go.  Now you better believe, when the original meals were cooked, they smelled and tasted delicious.  They were so good that we decided to keep the leftovers in those containers and storage bags.  But think about it, everyday we don't eat leftovers, I cook again and then place those goodies in the fridge too.  After awhile the fridge overflows with leftover food.  Hmmm?

    What have you been holding on to and refusing to let go?  It's not that it was bad initially, but after not nurturing it, it became stale, moldy and ridden with bacteria.  It had a purpose, but now it's time to let it go.  Toss it and sterilize everything around it!  On this last day of 2016, make up your mind to purge those negative thoughts and negative people.  Decide that you will not respond in 2017, the way you did in 2016.  Forgive yourself for holding on to some things far too long, so you can make room for the new groceries and/or blessings that are headed your way.

     Even as I bring this to a close, I'm reminded that this is a daily process.  Cleaning out the refrigerator was a GOOD thing, but as I mentioned earlier, I forgot about the freezer and must now go and rearrange that.  Perhaps there are some things in the freezer that might need to be tossed OR there are some good things that can be moved back into the refrigerator  and thawed for future consumption.  The bottom line is, I have to check.  I can't ignore it!  I can't act like it's not a part of the kitchen refrigeration unit.  It might me take me a little more time, but it will be time well spent.

Before you plow into 2017 with all of your new ideas, plans and resolutions, take this last day of 2016 to reflect and rearrange a few things.  Purge, then prepare!

Now walk it out....... (Pray for your girl as I walk back to the kitchen to clean the freezer, start my black-eyed peas and then go get my nails done.)

Enjoy a safe and happy New Year's Eve!