There are some funny things that happen when you are unemployed for an extended period of time; life takes on an interesting pace. There is something of Maslov's Hierarchy of Needs at play in my home.
When I was working, it would be that I would spend a lot of each Saturday cleaning and it seemed to be a constant fight just to stay ahead of the mess of daily living. By the time I got home from work at the end of the day or the week, there wasn't any energy left for those extra projects which seem to taunt every working person-a linen closet that needs attention, laundry that piles up, or windows streaked in dirt. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything done. However, when those other demands are reduced, the time becomes available.
When I was working, if I opened a linen closet that needed to be organized, I would become annoyed at the mess, sigh at the lack of time and shut the door hoping to shut the problem from my mind. Now though, I have the time to take everything out, sort it, re-fold it and then walk away content! As more and more of the 'big projects' get taken care of, I have begun to see the dirt in the crevices that before I never would have seen. Not only do I see this new level of need, but it bothers me!! I have gone from feeling like a hero if the garbage got put out bi-weekly to being annoyed that the vaccuum lines have disappeared from my bedroom floor! I clearly have moved up Maslov's heirarchy of Housework!
Am I turning into a crazy fastidious housekeeper? There is probably not much threat of that happening! But it did get me thinking....
I began to think about some of the "little" details in my Christian walk which before would have been skimmed over to make room for the BIG ISSUES. Recently, though, it has seemed that these 'little' things have taken on more and more importance. Like the hidden crevices in my home that go unnoticed in the bustle of life, when I stop and look, they rear their ugly heads and take on an importance that they never did before.
I love that God is invested in the details of my walk. That as He heals, and changes me, and sets me on the right path, His involvement doesn't end there. I love that in all of our lives, we can go as deep in God as we want to. He is always waiting to take us to depths in Him that we have never known. God is infinite in splendour and there will never be a moment when I have seen and experienced all that there is in God. Like a home that is in constant need of cleaning, just when we think we have done it all, it is time to dig deeper, and go to new levels.
So now, I will celebrate the fact that I have seen the dirt in the corners of my soul, because it means that I am doing more than just surviving. It shows that I am growing!
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3 comments:
Amen. Love it. Me too.
Are you turning into my mother? Just kidding. I noticed however that after I would paint a room my level of content with the degree of cleanliness would rise. The important thing, I repeat, the important thing is not to let the condition of your house become more important that the condition of your heart. I used to freak out when someone would leave little footprints in the freshly vacuumed carpet and now it's got tufts of dog hair on it 5 minutes later BUT I'm filled with joy (and my roots are gray) - hey I'm a work in progress!
Deep!!! Your thought provoking openess challenges me to dig deeper too!! I opened a cupboard the other day and found mildew on the shelves and in some dishes. After careful inspection, I found that the intense heat and moisture from our dishwasher was settling in this closed kitchen cupboard and went unoticed until it took on a black colour. I wonder how many other things are lurking under the surface, causing potential damage but not noticeable until they are a full blown problem needing immediate and serious attention. Sounds like a theme for another Encounter Weekend, eh?
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