COATing my tools (and thoughts)

And finally, the last of the “What I did this summer” Monday Morning Minutes.

Before our holiday time began, I had a mental list of things I wanted to accomplish.  One of those was the less-than-pleasant “clean, organize, and toss” (COAT) treatment of my tools in the garage and downstairs workshop.  UGH.  I’d rather work with the tools than organize the tools.  But early in the summer, I had the “I know I have one of those around here somewhere” moments.  It was either COAT or waste money on buying stuff I already had but couldn’t find.  If I’m going to buy a tool, I want to buy something I don’t have, not create more clutter by duplicating what I already own.

And so it began.  I know there are people who thrive on COAT.  I’m not one of them.  In fact, I’m probably at my peak efficiency when things are slightly disorganized . . . but I know where everything is (and truthfully, we were way past that point with my tools).  I was able to procrastinate the project out over several days.  Everything came off shelves, out of boxes, off the pegboard wall.  Everything got a wipe with a damp cloth, a sweep, and sometimes even a vacuum.  And then it went back to new homes, better organized than before.  I found the things I needed in other projects.  Most joyfully, I realized I needed some new tools.

One of the surprising joys of the process was opening a tool box that had belonged to my dad.  I had placed it under my workbench and ignored it.  But when I started to sort it out, I was flooded with memories.  There was a Craftsman wrench set, well used, but still in its original vinyl packaging.  I remember when he bought that to do some work on the car.  There were some really old tools that must have belonged to my grandfather.  If only they could all tell their stories!

Eventually, things made it back to a state of orderliness.  For now.  It is an ongoing challenge to keep it this way . . . and to resist purchasing new tools that I now know I really, really need.

In general, clutter is not helpful.  Even though I think I function best with a bit of disorder, there comes a time when the disorder morphs into chaos and it is time for another COAT.

In their excellent book, Telling Yourself the Truth, William Backus and Marie Chaplan demonstrate how clutter in the realm of our thinking is as detrimental as clutter in the material world of stuff like tools.  There is great value in taking the time to COAT our thoughts.  It is not an easy process.  To avoid a messy collection of tools, I can just shut the door.  My thoughts, on the other hand, go with me everywhere.  So, how do we COAT our thought life?

Organizing a healthy thought life is a continual process.  Here are some things we can do to get started:

1.  Journal.  Writing down what is happening in our lives, our stressors, struggles, joys, victories, and even the defeats will give us insight to the trends in our thinking.  Keep it general.

2.  Identify specific thoughts. It is important that we take the time to articulate our thoughts into words.  We often “feel” our thoughts.  Unless we can get that feeling articulated on paper we will never really understand it.  This can be an overwhelming process, so start small.  Pick one area and work at it.  Don’t try to paint the house, put on a new roof, sort your tools, and change the tires on the car all at one time.  It is also helpful to recruit the help of a trusted friend who can bring perspective and insight to the process.

3.  Analyze it.  Is this thought true?  Is it untrue (half-truths are untruths).  The standard for “true” is, “Is this thought an accurate representation of the nature and character of God and His created order?”  Is this thought/belief consistent with what I know about the Kingdom of God?

4.  Displace it.  If a thought  falls into the untrue category, it must be displaced with a truth.  We can’t just “ignore” untruths.  Just as growing a healthy lawn requires both weeding and new seeding, so also decluttering our minds requires displacing untruths with truth.

It is relatively easy to COAT my tools.  My mind . . . it is a constant challenge and one to which I must commit myself constantly throughout the day.  This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 10. 5).  

As we begin our new ministry season, we will be reflecting on this process.  How do we represent Christ well?  How do we nurture hope?  Let’s start by together being careful stewards of our thought life and being intentional to COAT our minds.