Spring Cleaning

March 10-11

It's about that time! Daffodils are dancing and the red buds are bursting out color. The tulips and forsythia will not be far behind announcing spring is here, so clean out winter's debris and put away your woolens. A friend was telling me about the cleanse she was doing for her body and how she lost 7 pounds the first week in hopes to shed winter's fluff on her body and get ready to show a little skin in her summer duds.

Tossing and turning one night the Lord's suggestion for me was a spiritual cleansing. You know...Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I started at the beginning of the alphabet and asked the Lord to begin the search of my heart:

Lord, don't let the sun go down on my anger, if there is any & help me to lay all anxiety down.

If bitterness has crept into my heart vacuum it out quickly for it breeds such destruction.

Am I coveting anything? You are all I should want.

Doubt & deceit keep my faith from blooming, so they can just head out the door today and if my mind is drifting towards drunkenness as a solution to my woes please don't let a drop of alcohol touch my lips.

Envy & evil are not becoming, so please pack them away and replace them with an eagerness for Your Word.

False gods take up so much room....if they are in my home, let's toss them in the trash.

Gossip just plain stinks and brings You no glory and does little to build up the Body.

Hatred hinders happiness and causes hurt to grow and make a mess, so let's trash it.

Idols take up way too much room and insults leave a stain that is difficult to remove.

Jealousy places a film over the window of our heart and hinders us from seeing the best in others, so wipe her away.

If the desire to kill has crept in, be my exterminator and quickly remove the thought.

Lust & Lying are much worse than lint and a little can spread like wildfire...extinguish them!

Manipulation is a nasty master and not a quality to behold.

Negativism goes against Your command to be joyful always, so sweep her right out the door.

Offense ways & orgies must go out the door.

Pride is a giant cobweb which entangles us and comes before a fall.

Quarrels put a stench in the air.

Resentment, like smudges on a window can keep us from seeing the clear picture.

Selfish ambition, self-sufficiency & sexual immorality can certainly clog up what the Lord desires to do with us.

Temptation is a trap set to bring us down...avoid him.

Unforgiveness needs to be flushed away for if we cannot forgive others, we should not expect forgiveness.

Vengance does not belong to us...return it to its rightful owner.

Worry makes us weary, please wash her away.

Xamine our hearts Lord and lead us on Your path to a Zealous life which is pleasing in Your sight.

While the clean out process can be less than enjoyable it brings about brilliant results.