Everybody clean up the house!

When Brett was little, his favorite show was Bear in the Big Blue House. They had a song on that show called Clean up the house. It was so cute and catchy...and it made him want to "help" me clean up the house. I say "help" because when Brett was little...I was very different than I am now. Things had their own place. Cars went in one basket...blocks in another. Trains in one tub...tracks in another. When Brett helped, I would re-do his portion of the cleaning to satisfy my crazy craving to have a "perfect house". My how things have changed.

Friday night, I am hosting a Southern Living at Home party. If you aren't doing anything, come on by! I would love to have you. However, do not come expecting a clean...super clean house. I was just sitting here thinking of all the things I have to do before all of my dear friends come over. The list is endless. So, I'll probably do what I always do. I will clean the bathroom, run the sweeper and take everything from my kitchen counter, throw it into any available laundry basket, and set it on the washer. I will close the laundry room door and pray that no one opens it. My sister will open it. No doubt. She always does...and then she says something like..."I see you cleaned today." ha ha.

I was thinking about the similarities in my "cleaning" method and my life with Christ. Sometimes, it seems like when I am around people, I try to clean up my life. I straighten and tidy...but there are still things I am hiding in my laundry room. Rather than dealing with the skeletons in my closet, I hide them and hope that no one ever finds them. What I am beginning to realize is that I can't hide those things from God. He has super man x-ray vision. He can see through my laundry room door. He knows. Oh how he knows. I am learning that avoiding those skeletons doesn't make me the Christian that I should be. Rather than a quick straightening of my life, I need a deep clean. I need Christ to help me with this process...and I am learning that all I have to do is ask.

Shortly after Tanner was born, I asked Coach if he liked him. He assumed all responsibility for Brett after Tanner came into this world. I was feeding, changing, rocking, bathing...you name it...with our new baby, and he was preoccupied with our 2 year old. After I asked him if he liked Tanner, he said, "why would you think that?" Of course, I calmly responded..."because you don't help me with him." Coach told me something I have never forgotten.

All you have to do is ask.

My point...Christ is there for us. He is there to help us pick up the pieces...he is there to help us find the right path...he is there to help us deep clean our lives. He is there. Ever present. All we have to do is ask. Ask for him to come into our hearts and make our lives pure. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for salvation. Just ask.

So, for my party...maybe I'll start earlier. Maybe I'll really get things put away, cleaned and straightened. Maybe I'll have everything ready and won't stress about my guests coming over. Or...maybe not. Who knows. But I know that I will be recruiting God to help me with the closets...for sure.

Have a blessed day!
Amy