Sometimes a girl just has to clean! You see there has been a thick covering of dust on our wooden blinds in Doug's office for some time now. The bathroom floor and shower doors have been accumulating that yucky white film from the soap and shampoo. And, the kitchen floor could feed a family of mice for a full year.
But life has been busy! My days have been full of calls about our adoption process, advising college students on their four year college plan, teaching classes, running kids to basketball and dentist appointments and church events. The floors had to wait. The dust kept getting thicker. And the crumbs stuck to our slippers and was wooshed under the cupboards as it lay unswept on the floor.
Doug walked in and said, "Wow. You are on a mission!"
My response was, "I can control this!"
You see, the cleaning had less to do with the dirt and scum and more to do with my heart! Life had gotten crazy. Things have been coming at us of which we have had little control. Opportunities, set-backs, bills, disease, deployment...things we just can't control....
Today, taking that shower door from a yucky, white gunky mess to a sparkling, clean glass was my way of gaining some control. But, in the process, as I was on my knees scrubbing and at the kitchen sink rinsing, I realized it was really my heart that was being cleaned!
It was in that time that God said to me, "Jen...I AM IN CONTROL!"
It was then that I heard the whisper, "I know the plan! I see the outcome! I am here right beside you!"
Fresh shower, spotless floor, clean windows....
new heart....
cleaning....
it's a good thing!
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2
Proverbs 4:25 "Let your eyes look straight ahead fix your gaze directly before you"
ReplyDeleteThe house does smell nice now. And not like dirty socks.
Doug
love it.. i know this feeling... its like after a good cry.. everything is clearer - because of HIM
ReplyDeletelove you
Hmmm....Maybe I'll clean tomorrow. Being in control sounds good! :) Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeletewe are the...SAME. found myself having this exact conversation with myself ... i needed something i could control. last night i stayed up late pulled all furniture out... ugh scrubbed and washed pillow covers ...
ReplyDeleteand this morning it was worth the few hours of sleep.
i feel better this morning... last night i was using a magic earser.. and was thinking the whole time wow this thing is awesome... i wonder if jen and anne use these... then it hit me... it is the same with GOD.
when we hand things over to him, when we just allow him to clean it all up... our worries, our fears... it is the same reaction... the feeling of wanting to tell others about how wonderful HE is.
okay i'm rambling ... perhaps i should have had a few more hours of sleep. regaurdless the point is.. i get it. I sooooo get excatly what you were feeling. xo
In the same boat today, my Sister! But only because we have an open house scheduled for the morning. In the end, whether the house is spotless or a little unkept, we just have to trust that God is preparing a buyer. :) Is this a permit for me to not clean my house?? Ehh...no.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, thanks for the perspective. I'm going to get back at it...this time with a better attitude!