How often do you take out your trash? Once a week? Twice a week? Is there any task less exciting than hauling trash to the can and then to the street? While it is one of the least desired tasks you can do, think about what your home and life would be like if you never took out the trash. What would your home look like? Smell like? If you think that is bad, or if you really hate taking out the trash, imagine how horrible it would be if you reversed that process and brought the trash back in—haul it back from the street and bring it back in the house. How do you spell “d-i-s-g-u-s-t-i-n-g”?
Here is something for you to try the next time you take out the trash, and if it works for you, something for you to do every time you take out the trash. This little exercise could make a huge difference in how your life looks and smells. Each time you haul the trash out, let that be a trigger that reminds you to haul some other things to the street with it.
Do you have any anger? Maybe you’re angry with your spouse about something he did (or didn’t do) or something she said (or didn’t say). Got anger? When you take out the trash, haul your anger out there with it and leave it there.
Do you have any bad attitudes? Maybe your boss is pushing all your buttons, maybe your parents are being completely unfair, maybe life just isn’t treating you right. Got any bad attitudes? When you take out the trash, haul your attitudes out there with it and leave them there.
Do you have any grudges or hurt feelings? Maybe someone forgot your special day, maybe someone you thought was your friend treated you like an enemy, maybe someone broke a promise, maybe someone left you out of an event or a conversation. Got any grudges or hurt feelings? When you take out the trash, haul your grudges and hurt feelings out there with it and leave them there.
Do you have any frustrations? Maybe the preacher got too personal in his lesson on Sunday, maybe the elders made a decision that you thought was way off base, maybe everything just seems to be working against you right now. Got any frustrations? When you take out the trash, haul your frustrations out there with it and leave them there.
Too often we let some things stay in our lives too long, and after stewing for a while, they begin to stink. How about the next time you take out the trash, haul some of these stinky things of life out there and leave them at the curb! Then, after you’ve dropped them off, don’t go back out there to retrieve them. Leave them there with the trash and don’t bring them back into the house. Take out the trash!