I have spent the last few days doing some serious spring cleaning which one on hand makes me feel proud of my accomplishments but on the other hand I feel like, "How in the world did this place get so filthy, disorganized and cluttered?!?" I should mention here I live with two other humans and four fur babies so I have an idea where the fault lies...(clue: its never me😅) The awful truth is I am just as bad as the rest when it comes to letting things slide ...which is bad since cleaning falls under my perview of home duties. You know how it is, you come home from work and you're too tired, you've got to cook, the weather that day is too nice to stay inside and clean, there's errands to run and those Netflix shows just aren't going to watch themselves...my cleaning tends gets shoved aside, especially those deep cleanings that are needed. I get into the bad habit of doing 'cosmetic' cleanings...if it looks good its arright. I tend to dread spring cleaning the most but for the month of March I am working on being more helpful in all aspects of my life and as cleaning falls under being helpful at home I decided to embrace the pain and begin (cue the song: Eye of the Tiger). I tackled the kitchen with gusto, washing all the windows, putting up fresh curtains, changing up decor and washing that top ledge of our cupboards where we keep said decor. That foot and a half of top shelf which spans the length of our kitchen hasn't seen soap and sponge for many a year. I uncovered a family of bunnies (decidedly not of the Beatrix Potter variety). Furniture was moved, plants pruned, cupboards organized...the living room, our front entry and lastly my room. A good twelve hour day scouring and scrubbing but the results were fantastic!! In the end I wondered why I fussed so and put it off?! That clean feeling and the pride of making our home more comfortable was so much greater than my reticence, what was the big deal anyway? The truth is, for myself, I often put off things I know in the end will be good for me. It's that old two edged sword of procrastination and self sabotage. I suppose it's a bit of the 'old man' the scriptures speak of that wants to do everything the hard way, it's own way rather than the good and godly way. Which brought me to this thought, maybe it's time for me to do some spiritual spring cleaning of my own...Time to go into those deep hidden places in my heart where dirt and dust collects.. old hurts, feelings left unacknowledged and not dealt with. Time to visit the corridor of my mind and examine what cobwebs might be hanging from the ceilings there.. bad ideas, unkind thoughts, ungodly perceptions that mar its cleanliness. Time to take my spirit out for a freshening up too, a much needed wash in God's Righteousness where I'm assured every spot, stain and wrinkle will come out and I shall be white as snow. Add a splash of the Holy Spirit softener and an anointing with the oil of gladness, now that is one sweet smell!! How I need this deep cleansing!! This is the most needful of spring cleanings, a deep cleaning of the spirit. His word says, "...let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1 and, "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. " 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Unfortunately just as with household spring cleaning it doesn't stay clean for too long. It's constant work to stay on top of the mess and mayhem. There's the beauty of it though in its fragile Impermanence it makes you treasure the beauty of it when it's all running smoothly, all neat and tidy. Besides it makes all the difference in the world who you share the space with anyways. You remember why you do all that work of cleaning. Your family loves you even if your home isn't spotless, so too Christ who resides within you loves you just the way you are. He is the reason we work to keep our mind, heart and spirit clean. He's there to give help and strength and most of all He's there to pick us up when we fall. He's there to give us that deep cleansing when we are a mess. He loves us mess and all and that is something to rejoice about in my book cause I sure am messy sometimes, frightfully so...I'm a work in progress just as my housekeeping is a work in progress😉... So here's best wishes to all of those who are tackling that pesky spring cleaning. May your dust bunnies be few and your home shine with the beauty of God's grace and goodness!