Spring Cleaning Assistant For Hire

Spring is here…as evidenced by my swollen eyes and nose and foggy head…here comes the annual, unwelcome sinus infection / allergy attack… 

Have you caught the bug to begin your spring-cleaning? Based on the state of things in your home, do you need to catch the bug?? Do you wish that you could find a little assistance as you embark upon the daunting task of cleaning your entire house from top to bottom? Well, look no further because I have found the perfect helper for you. Let me list her many endearing qualities…

Her name is Riley Grace. She’s 21 lbs. and 4 oz. of pure and unrestrained energy. She is an 18-month old Energizer Bunny. Seriously.



Her favorite place to begin is the kitchen. She absolutely loves Tupperware, although she gets a little angry if she can’t make the lids fit.



She finds innovative ways to get the job done. (Yes, she is standing inside the pots in order to reach the Tupperware. She’s also very creative in the fact that she is using the pots as a Lazy Susan of sorts to turn herself around as she throws the Tupperware out of the cabinet.)




Her final selling point is that she… Never. Ever. Gets. Tired. EVER. She will keep going until the job is done, and then she’ll keep going after that, too. (See if you can find her in this picture...)



(Also, she doesn't just offer her services as a one time thing. This picture was taken last week...)



Downside: She only helps with the initial pre-cleaning phase of removing all of the items from their places in order to find the dust and grime. She won’t help you put it back, or if she attempts to help with that, it won’t necessarily be placed in its original spot. But all in all, for what she’s made up her mind to do, she does it with excellence! J

(Side Note: This morning, I washed ALL of the Tupperware because it had been strewn around the kitchen and living room all week… I just decided to pick it up and wash it…)

I hope you were able to laugh at her selling points.  She is our delightful ball of energy that leaves crazy messes and belly laughs in her wake, and we love her to pieces. The simple lesson from all of this lies in the following verses. As we begin a new week that the Lord has so graciously given us, take some quality time to pray through these verses.

Ask the Lord to give you and clean heart and a renewed spirit.

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Ask the Lord to search your heart for any uncleanliness. It’s not fun to have your sins revealed, but it is necessary. Ask Him to know you intimately and enable you to know Him intimately.

Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Plead for clean thoughts and a clear conscience as you battle with temptations throughout the day.

Hebrews 10:22 – “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Pray for the strength and self-discipline to focus your heart and mind on things above, rather than on earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-2 – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Pray to be transformed to the image of Christ, rather than the image of this world. Pray that your worship will be acceptable to Him. Pray that His Word will renew your mind so that you may know His will.

Romans 12:1-2 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Above all, PRAY. Talk to the Father. Plead with Him, for He tells us to Ask, Seek, and Knock.

And when pondering your spring-cleaning, follow Riley Grace’s method when it comes to cleaning. Allow everything (all sin and grime) to be in the LIGHT with the Father so that he can cleanse you, renew you, and set you on the path He has for you, even if a mess is created in the process. And, based on her last photo, don't let this cleansing process be a one time thing. Our hearts and minds continually need to be cleansed and renewed (just like my pitiful Tupperware cabinet)! J


Always, Jacquelyn

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Becoming Part 2: Our Heavenly Father’s Role

Last time, I encouraged you to read Psalm 139 and contemplate God’s love for you, so let’s start there! Personally, Psalm 139 is one of the most encouraging and comforting Psalms.  It is filled with promises about how God intricately and personally knows every single detail of our existence because He made us and planned for our entry into the world. How humbling and mind-blowing is it to come to the realization that the God of the universe – who created every tree and mountain and planet and galaxy and person who ever lived and ever will live – knows us each by name, knows how many hairs are on our head, knows every time we sit and rise, knows all of our faults and still loves us, and knows the details of our every hidden thought. Our great and powerful God loves us enough to be that personal with us. This Psalm adequately portrays the significance of the role God plays in shaping who we become. As I mentioned last time, He set our lives in motion...
Read more

"The Farmer IN the DELL" and Marriage

  So, I ’m sure you ’re wondering how “The Farmer in the Dell ” could possibly relate to marriage? It relates to my marriage, and I ’m guessing if your marriage is anything like mine at times, this tune could relate to yours as well! The other day, Patrick and I were having a conversation about the familiar children ’s song, “The Farmer IN the DELL ” . I was convinced that it was entitled “The Farmer AND the DELL ” . He was convinced it ’s proper title was “The Farmer IN the DALE ” . We were both sure that we were right. Always. I wonder if ours is the only marriage where both of us are right all of the time, even when we are giving completely different arguments (notice the BIG hint of sarcasm in this statement). Of course, our disagreement over this particular children ’s rhyme was all in good fun, even though we were both sure that the other person was wrong. I didn ’t even know what a “dell” or a “dale” was – but I did know that I was right! As it turns o...
Read more

Becoming Part 4: The Role of Our Personal Choices…Get Out of Bed!

Psalm 40:8 – “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” Oh, that every choice we made showed evidence of this verse within our hearts!   If you are anything like me, this verse may not be indicator of every personal choice we make from day to day.   Some days, my heart is completely (or almost completely) in tune with the Lord, and I really do delight to do His will. Those are the days that I am not angry when the alarm clock sounds because I desire to be in the Word in the early morning hours. Those are the days that my heart is inclined to pray for my husband if my feelings are hurt rather than “give him what he deserves” … .(as if that is my place or my judgment call anyways!) Then, there are other days where the last thing I want to do is His will. I want to do my “own thing”. I want to be lazy and sleep a few extra minutes instead of spend time in God’s Word. I want to say that cutting, critical remark to my husband instead of holding my t...
Read more