Spring Cleaning

Spring has finally arrived! The weather is finally warm, the flowers are blooming, the breeze is refreshing! You would think I would be spending every possible moment outside, after being inside for almost an entire season....but I'm not.

I should be going for a walk, enjoying the nature outdoors, but instead I'm furiously spraying cracks and crevices for carpenter ants (trying to get the nature outside of my home).

I should be weeding my garden in preparation for the flowers I'd like to plant, but instead I'm going through drawers of clothes...trying to find anything that might fit this growing weed of a daughter.

I should be playing tag with my kids in the fresh new blades of grass, but instead I am shopping for fabric for valances so I can hurry up and get it done before the summer comes full throttle.

I find myself pining to be outside, so I can enjoy the gift of renewal that God gave us, but am overwhelmed at how much there is to accomplish before you can actually enjoy the season. There is spring cleaning to be done. Suddenly the rays of sunshine reveal all the cobwebs, dust, and rain spots on windows that have been hiding in my home. There is dog po*op littered throughout the yard, that was once so conveniently covered by snow. There are growing kids that need new clothes before they can race around outside. And there are weeds, still covered in matted leaves that need to be pulled before new growth can shine through.

Perhaps this "spring cleaning" is a little like finding our way back to peace in God. We've felt the peace before, but somewhere along the lines have lost it, and want so badly to find our way back. But before we can feel that peace again, we have to clean. We have to clean our hearts, clean out the sin, the cobwebs, in order to find rest in Him. We have to clean out the anger, jealousy, hatred, and comparison in order to find room for Him to live in our heart. It can be a grueling process, but in order to find that peace, we need to clean.

One of my favorite songs illustrates this sentiment so well.... "Remember Surrender" by Sara Groves

Remember surrender

Remember the rest

Remember that weight lifting off of your chest

And realizing that it's not up to you and it never was

Remember surrender

Remember relief

Remember how tears rolled down both of your cheeks

As the warmth of a heavenly father came closing in

I want to do that again

Why can't I live there

And make my home

In sweet surrender

I want to do so much more than remember

Remember surrender

Remember the peace

Remember how soundly you fell fast asleep

In the face of your troubles your future still shone like the morning sun

Remember surrender

Remember that sound

Of all of those voices inside dying down

But one who speaks clearly of helping and healing you deep within

So go clean, and prepare for the rejuvenation of spring!