Clean House

              Clean House: to eliminate or discard what is undesirable. An idiom I'm trying both figuratively and literally to live by at this moment in my life. One of the benefits about getting sick a few years ago is that through it God has revealed to me a lot of things that I need to clean up in my life-not just physically but mentally as well. I've learned that while there are things I can't clean up on my own there are things that I can.

         My muscles weren't bothering me as bad today so I decided what better time to vacuum & with a hairy brown dog living in our house, it was much needed. Now with only two rooms in our house that have carpet you would think that would be a small feat to accomplish and you'd be right, it would be...if the vacuum was actually working. I went over the same spot again...and again...and again seeing no change. Nada. I eyed the black & maroon electronic with the "face" my mom used to give us when she wanted us to do something we didn't want to do. Now I admit I could be a pretty stubborn kid but something about that look made all resistance flee. However you must have to be a mom to perfect the look because this vacuum was not complying. Stubborn.

        I took a step back wondering why something that was created for the sole purpose of cleaning was refusing to do so. I felt God putting on my heart that we tend to do the same thing. God created us special, unique & yet often times we miss out on the purpose for our lives.

       I almost kicked the darn thing but somewhere common sense prevailed reminding me of the fact that I was barefoot & violence never solved anything. So I refrained & instead turned the vacuum over to look underneath. 'Well there's the problem!' I thought to myself as I peered (best I could) through the cracks & crevices to see nothing but dirt & grime. Although it was created to clean, the vacuum itself was so clogged up with mess that it was hindering it from fulfilling it's purpose.

       Often times it's easy to allow dirt to accumulate in our lives filling our hearts and minds with garbage
that clouds our thinking. We're tired physically,emotionally, spiritually saying we want to clean up our lives while still allowing the same things in that mess it up in the first place. Making the same mistakes, suffering the same consequences. We want to change but we don't clean out the dirt. It's something I've struggled with in my Health. There were foods I hadn't been necessarily 'told' were effecting my health but I could feel making my symptoms worse.Thoughts about all the things that could be causing my pain that would only bring fear & worry. Dirt. You can't just move it around. You can't store it somewhere for future reference. You can't recycle it into something more acceptable. You have to get rid of it.

      So with great determination mixed with some trepidation I took that rascal vacuum out onto the deck, into the 103 degree weather (thanks Texas) and prepared to go to work. Now it had been awhile since I did a thorough cleaning of that vacuum which became painfully apparent now as the sun provided a clearer view into the dusty, dingy bottom staring up at me. I wondered if it was worth it. Oh how easy it would be to give up,throw in the towel & just let the vacuum grow old & dirtier, never again fulfilling it's purpose. But the vacuum wasn't made to just sit in the closet collecting dust (well, not on the outside anyway) & our carpets wouldn't get cleaned if it did. How incredible is it to know that God never looks at us the way I looked at that vacuum in that moment? Even while seeing the filth & dirt in our lives he never questions if we're worth it,God would never give up on us-so much so that He gave up his only son. Through Jesus God gave us Hope, He created us for a purpose and because of Jesus He never doubts we can fulfill it. God will never forget about us even when we allow our clutter to make us forget about him."Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."Isaiah 49:15

      So I took the vacuum apart (saying a silent prayer that I'd be able to put it back together) and proceeded to clear out the dirt. There were so many spaces that I had a hard time getting into to clean but refused to do this job halfway. If I really wanted the vacuum to work the way I wanted, the way it was intended I'd have to do whatever it took to clear away the dirt, all the dirt. In the same way I think God looks at us. He knows what part of our lives need to be cleaned up & he knows what it's going to take to do it. We just have to ask him & then trust him to do so. While it may be a tough, tedious, sometimes painful process it will be worth it. About an hour & a few pounds of sweat later I had cleaned out the entire bottom/inside of the vacuum, put it back together (yeah me!) and found it working efficiently. I couldn't help but be proud of myself. How much more is God proud of us when he sees the undesirable dirt in our lives,our hearts, and minds cleaned out, allowing us to reach the potential he created us to reach.One of my favorite verses says: "And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27). It's challenging, But it is possible.

So I'm washing away the procrastination and dusting off my attitude.I'm ready to clean house and fulfill the purpose God has for my life because I know it's greater than anything I could ever imagine, how about you?

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."Romans 12:2