IN WITH THE reNEW

We are having some really good friends over tonight, so I made it a goal today to tidy up a bit.  Savannah asked me if there is ever any time we don't have to clean for someone to come over...hummm...let me think about that...nope.  I saw this sign for teenagers that said, "I'm sorry, but I didn't know tonight's gathering was going to take place in my bedroom."  I always try to be serious when the kids say stuff like that to me because it is a little on the sassy side, but then there is this part of me inside that is thinking, "that was a good one"  and my pursed lips part into a grin which usually ends in laughter.  FOILED AGAIN!

Somewhere between cleaning and preparing a meal for us and our company, Brad and I and some of the girls worked on hauling things out of our basement because we are trying to prep it for finishing.  We chose this day because of the heat wave...haha...well, it hit the 20's at least and there is sunshine.  The weather for the next few days doesn't look very promising.  We used the girl's sleds and it really wasn't too bad... (except for the wind) we piled lots of junk onto the sleds and pulled them to the pole barn.  It is our hope that we can finish the basement this year and all the girls will have fun hanging out with friends down there....and we can have a place for adults too :)...especially as the girls are approaching middle school/ high school ages.

One thing I am realizing though is that when you don't intentionally use a space, junk can really pile up in it. Sorting and discarding is such a pain.  There are a lot of areas in our lives too that are easier to just shut the door and hide the junk away.  One of the most beautiful things to me about the Christian life is that we do not have to "clean up our mess" before we seek Christ.  We can and should let Him into these really embarrassing and disgusting spaces that we are tempted to hide away. BUT, even though we don't have to have it all like "Better Homes and Gardens" for the Savior to meet us and begin His work in us....the goal is still a transformation...we cannot be content with our mess or we will never be able to open the door to allow Him in.....that is the first step.  But, once that door is willingly opened, He will start directing a cleaning (purifying) process and sometimes things that we have held on to for years may have to go.  The thing is, this process is on-going...just like cleaning.  It really cannot be a one and done.

My last blog entry was called Out With the Old (Tonsils that is) and I was just being a little silly about the girl's tonsillectomy procedures, but as we begin a new year I think it is important that we do ask God to search us to see if there are any places in us that we have closed off to Him because of sin or have started to accumulate unnecessary amounts of clutter that make us ineffective for His use.  It is my personal prayer that my faith would be evident to others, but I know I am a work in progress.  Psalms 51 is a heart-wrenching cry for cleansing and forgiveness.  In my moments of allowing God to search me...I often end up praying or singing the song I know from verses 10-12...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, O Lord.  Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...and renew a right spirit within me.