Wednesday, March 16, 2011

spring cleaning...

Spring cleaning.  Honestly, just saying those words out loud makes me tired... makes me long for snowed in days and slow winter mornings and a big mug of hot cocoa home made without refined sugar.  


Today, my dear friend, Rachelle, came over to clean my house with me.  Amazing, isn't she!?!  Last week she said she'd help me clean to get ready for my family coming for a visit this weekend. What kind of nut would I be if I turned that down?  So, I said "Sure!"  and we set a date... Wednesday.


The funny thing is that just knowing she was coming became motivation enough to start this process on Monday... sorting... putting things away... throwing stuff out... you know the process that usually inhibits the actually cleaning process.  So, by the time Rachelle got here today... I had already done a ton but it was so amazing to have my friend clean my kid's bathroom... seriously!  I wish I would have taken a picture... I would have titled it "greater love hath no friend than this."  And, as the sun shone and warm breezes blew in, a winter stale home got a fragrance lift.


I knew my house needed a good cleaning before this weekend but I didn't realize that my heart did as well.  Saturday, along with our friend, Nikki, I will be speaking to 50 women for a Ladies Day Out.  Apparently, over time some dust bunnies in the form of pride and some cobwebs of arrogance and some streaks of self-righteousness had settled into my heart.  Maybe I knew they were there and over looked them, thinking "I'll clean that out later" or maybe I never even noticed... truly, I'm not sure.  However, the One who lives in my heart took notice of the mess and decided it was time for some spring cleaning of the heart.


The thought of spring cleaning my heart is almost as exhausting as the thought of spring cleaning my house.  I know the junk that is stored there and the piles of stuff that need to be sorted.  I know the smelly attitudes and the rotten responses that come out of this heart of mine.  Lovingly, the One who resides there willingly did all the cleaning... I just had to give Him the go-ahead.


I spent much of our corporate worship time Sunday on my knees... literally.  While those around me were lifting voices together, I could barely string two thoughts together.  All I was sure of was that I was exactly where I needed to be... on my knees before Him.  I didn't have words... I didn't have thoughts... but I did have peace.  The peace He gave me as I wrestled through many confessions.  And, when I opened my heart to Him, the warm breezes of His Holy Spirit blew in, and freshened this stale heart.


I wish I could say my heart was an easy cleaning job... it never is.  It's taken 3 days to get this heart of mine right before its Creator.  It also took me 3 days to get this house ready for my family coming.


Both were hard but I did neither alone.  And, now, I think both are ready for this weekend.

3 comments:

  1. The spring cleaning is really exhausting almost as much as a move in cleaning. But when there is a friend next to you everything is different. Regards.

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  2. I have never thought about spring cleaning my heart. I really need to start working on it.

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  3. Just beautiful, Heidi. Spring is such a good time to do some internal housecleaning! To open the windows and let God's Spirit whisper through. I admire your vulnerability and humbleness.

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Thank you for your kind words!