Ok, so it’s a little sad, but hear me out. Saturday is the one day I don’t set the alarm. It’s the one morning I don’t have to rush. So why not have a mug that symbolizes that blessed time?

And two weeks ago I threw it out.

It was chipped and scratched to the point where I probably shouldn’t have been using it anymore. It served me well, but it was time to let it go. (And yes, I automatically reached for it the following Saturday morning. . . and I had a bummer moment).

Did I need the mug? No. Did it serve a purpose when it was in its prime? Yes. Did I have happy memories associated with the mug? Yes. Was it taking up space? Yes. Could there be an even better mug for me? Yes.

See where I’m going here? Sometimes we hold onto things because they’re part of our past, or we don’t stop to reflect on how they’re serving us now. I like to use the beginning of the school year as a chance to look at my time, my resources, my projects and reflect on what I should let go of –  what I should release to make room for something new and better for where I am in life right now. Even if I don’t know yet what will take its place. Even if I need to take a leap of faith.

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What should we hold on to?

Don’t get rid of everything. (Even though some days I want to!)

God: “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.” (Deuteronomy 13:4 ESV)

Scripture: “Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is her life.” (Proverbs 4:13 ESV)

Love and justice: “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” (Hosea 12:6 ESV)

Goodness: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9 ESV)

Eternal life: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV)

Hope in Christ: “but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” (Hebrews 3:6 ESV)

Our faith: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14 ESV)

Let us hold on to the things that last, the things that change our lives, and the things that change the lives of those around us. And let us make space amidst the things we cling to for the sake of familiarity.

And yes . . . I’m on the hunt for a new mug 🙂