It is that area you don’t want people to see. Over time the clutter builds up and instead of dealing with it, you just keep the door shut so no one can see it. You know it is there, which still wears on you. Things get lost in there. It is overwhelming thinking about trying to clear out that messy closet. All those same things also apply to things you have done and are not proud of. They seem to build up in your mind and occupy space. We keep the door shut hoping if no one sees them that everything will be ok. It won’t be OK because you know they are there. You wish there was a way to clear those thoughts and that guilt out.

It was the fall of 2009 and my personal closet in my mind was about as messy as it could be. I was in the middle of a separation of my marriage of 20+ years, trying to keep some degree of normal life for my 2 younger daughters, all while trying to stay focused when at work. I was trying to do the right things to not only survive, but to heal and grow. I attended a divorce recovery group for a 13 week program that year, and I had been attending church to try to find additional strength. It was early September and in some religious reading I was doing, I came across some information on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur which sounded intriguing. I am not Jewish but the idea of a day of fasting and prayer to refocus your life and atone for your wrongs sounded like what I needed. It also sounded like a way to de-clutter my personal closet mentally. Yes this was going to be out of my comfort zone, but nothing ever worth doing is ever easy.

The Day of Atonement as it is also known starts at nightfall, and extends until nightfall the following day. That allows for one large meal to stock up some food to help hold you over. I did eat well, and made sure to carb up. Fasting for 24 hours is not easy, but is very do-able. Fasting humbles you by making you very aware of your humanity. Fasting with prayer is said to have special power to draw you closer to God. That fall of 2009 I did this for the first time. It was life changing for me. I can’t explain it, but it changed something. Something in me and my relationship with God. That November I was baptized as an adult, which is a leap in my faith I was not quite ready for before then. Since then my life has been blessed with jobs/promotions to provide, a great family I have seen grow with college graduations, marriages, more grandchildren, and good health. My walk continues with my faith as I continue to learn and grow. This year will now be my 7^th year of doing this. It is an annual cleansing and refocus I look forward to now each year. I also know as a Christian that Christ atoned for my sins on the cross and I feel like he is my personal savior.

If you want to use the 2015 Day of Atonement for fasting, prayer, and repentance here is some information: You can do this in the privacy of your own home or office. There is no formal service to attend (unless you are Jewish of course). It is during the week, so it won’t impact any weekend entertainment plans. You get to eat a large meal before and after (Yeah), so that will help you. It is between you and God. Focus. Pray. Ask for forgiveness. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 – Starts at nightfall

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 – Ends at nightfall