Spring Cleaning

Well, for those of you who have noticed that the blog has been quiet lately, here’s a post just for you! And thanks for missing me :-)

I wish I could say that I’ve had tons of good stuff going on that’s eaten my writing time, but that wouldn’t be true. This week has been extremely busy at the hospital where I work, and as a result I have been pretty useless when I get home. I’m physically and mentally tired.

With signs of spring all around, I’ll admit that Spring Fever has set in. I’m longing for warm, sunny days with light breezes. I’m noticing the dust on the baseboards, the dead bugs in the light fixtures. I am ready for some serious spring cleaning!

I thought about it every day this week, but was so pooped by the time I got home that thinking about it is all that actually got done. Until Saturday. I warned my family to leave me alone. No trips to the park. No playing games. I was cleaning.

Boy did I ever! Remember that cabinet from the organization post where I hide stuff when visitors arrive? Well, I threw so much junk out of there that we’re good to go for a few more years. I had to double-bag a lawn-and-leaf trash bag! The rest of the dining room got a good scrubbing, too. I thought my back was broken from bending to wash table legs, chair bottoms, and baseboards. (FYI: dried-up ketchup is like caramel, and requires a table knife to scrape it off of chair legs!) It was hard work, but it made me very happy, and I felt so much satisfaction when I was finished. Anyone want to come over? :-)

But while I’ve been dreaming of a clean house and nice weather, I thought of something else that needed cleaning out. My spirit.

We’ve all been there. You think you’re OK. You truly believe that you forgot that angry word someone spoke to you, that hurt you suffered. You thought you’d repented for all your sins and that all was well.

But on closer examination you find that, no, that hurt still stings. You didn’t really forget at all. Maybe you’re bitter about something. Resentful. Frustrated. Angry. Vengeful. Worried. When you look closely, the cobwebs in the corners still hold captive all those things that you thought you’d let go of.

We must have truly repentant hearts if we want to commune and fellowship with God, and to do that we have to clean out the junk and wipe away the dust and grime. Out with the old (junk) and in with the new (God’s voice)!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Phillippians 4:8 (NIV)

I can’t think of a better day for it than the very one when we first became able to be washed clean, in the blood of the Lamb. So, this Easter, I will really look inside myself. The things that don’t belong there anymore I will need to deal with. If it’s settling an old argument, asking for forgiveness, sharing the depth of a hurt, whatever – it may not be easy, but it needs to be done. I spent hours on my dining room, and that’s mostly just my cabinet! I think my soul might require a good long look as well.

I hope you will join me and take a peek inside your heart. I pray that we all come away from it with renewed hearts and minds, and a fresh commitment to Christ!

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Happy Cleaning!!