I cleaned the whole house today. It took MUCH longer than when the darlings "help" me. But it was a MUCH more thorough job.
I am getting over a summer head cold...which is just a disturbing concept...hot tea and raw nose when it's one hundred degrees outside. I wasn't feeling well, but after last week's caMP3, and spending yesterday on the couch, the house was screaming for attention.
My mood teetered between happy productivity and disgruntled victomization.
I found tremendous satisfaction in the overall improvement of a room's appearance and germ content. However, at times, the thought that I could have only contributed to 1/8 of the mess and filth overtook my happiness with a slam of bitterness.
"Why can't people put things back where they belong?"
"Who put a wet rag in the cabinet?"
"Where did all this come from?"
"When will "they" realize this won't clean itself?"
It was simply lovely. You should have been here. No, not really:)
I sweat so much, I think I detoxed the cold right out of my system. I was able to finish the house, but in all the careful attention, I realized how many projects there are. So many nicks in the trim paint. So many lose cabinet doors. So many stains in the carpet. So many scratches on the tile.
"It's always something." I can hear the wisdom offered by my retired neighbor.
I also have to remind myself that we have twice as many folks all up in this place as the average family. That math indicates sheer traffic would lead to an accelerrated need for cleaning and repairs. We're good.
In one of my rants today, I heard myself huff, "I guess I'm the only one who can really get things cleaned up the way they need to be!"
And with all the patience and conviction that He typically offers, the Lord whispered, "That's exactly what I was thinking." No amount of my trying or "helping" can eliminate the sin in my life. Only He can forgive me and wash me white as snow.
Good habbits and a solid agenda can keep things pretty well maintained, but ultimately, only One is motivated and committed to expose and remove bitterness that hides like a wet rag under a cabinet.
Only One has the omniscient vantage to see the splatter of pride and discouragement hardened into the high and low spots of life.
Only One has leaned close enough to see things as they really are.
Only One has stooped low enough to be the solution for such a mess.
Thank You, Jesus, for my clean house. Thank You, for Your forgiveness.
