Spring Cleaning

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

Something miraculous happened today. For the first time in a long time, all three of my children were home at the same time during daylight for more than two hours. If you have high school and/or college age children, you understand my amazement.

My middle child, the early riser, cooked a delicious pancake breakfast for all us. I forgot the diet and ate 4 pancakes smothered in fattening Aunt Jemima syrup! What a memorable time together. There was even plenty of time for horsing around and lots of laughter before the dirty work began...some serious 'spring cleaning' of their closets.
After breakfast was halfway digested and laughter somewhat silenced, I sentenced my three darlings to their bedrooms to clean out closets. They were told to sort the clothes into three stacks...

1. Keep - things they would actually wear
2. Give Away - things that they no longer wanted or needed
3. Store Away - things that they wanted to save, but they wouldn't necessarily wear again

I watched my daughter put her dance costumes/shoes into the 'Store Away' pile. Ballet, Tap, and Jazz days are over, but so many memories still dance in my heart. The boys put jeans and shirts that no longer fit in the 'Give Away' stack and even traded some shirts. Two men now, but little boys in my heart forever. There were lots of leftover hangers when they were finished putting away the clothes they wanted to 'Keep.'

After about two hours of cleaning out and sorting through, we decided to take a break. As I sipped on my glass of water, I thought about this process of 'cleaning out.' Not just the kids' closets, but the closets of my heart, my soul, my mind. This act of cleaning is necessary in my daily life. I need to ask God to remove the things that clutter my life and take up space that He can use.

I should be careful to only keep things in my life that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. (Philippians 4:8)

I must give away the love He has shown towards me, loving my neighbor as myself. (Matthew 22:34-40)

I need to store away His truth, the WORD in my heart so I won't sin against Him. (Psalm 119:11)

Lord, I thank you for revealing this to me today. You desire to clean up my life daily...not just in the spring time, but all the time.