Spring cleaning time again. Actually, we are unofficially under the umbrella of cleaning, de-cluttering, and getting rid of things we do not need. This is an open task, especially with a not-so-organized pack-rat, such as myself.
A broken basket, where the rim along the top came off, attached to the handle. Every time I have attempted to move it, I thought I would eventually get around to repairing it. Just need some short nails and maybe some wood glue. This has not happened in two years, yet I think I would get to it soon. This week, I finally put it in the trash pile feeling pretty pleased with myself.
All the things I have held on to sit waiting for me to attend to them. Just as the clutter in my mind does. The grudges filed away awaiting attention. The bitterness collecting cobwebs in my head. The anger on the shelf. No better time than the present to take care of those things. I do not desire a dust cloud of all that in my mind any longer. Time to sweep that away, or when necessary, deal with all that before it explodes and crumbles at the most inconvenient time.
Forgiveness brings healing to the bearer, more lightness in existing, the light in the darkness of being wronged. Forgiveness does not make everything vanish that has ripped our hearts. It is the salve, Neosporin with pain relief, we apply onto our own wounds. It may take more than one application.
I sometimes am reminded of a wrong from way back when, and have to bring myself back to forgiving mode, whether the person is still in my life or not. It becomes part of my prayers, because I need God's power to help me forgive. Ezekiel 36:26 and 27 says, "26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
This passage reminds me how God can work in me. Though it was written for the Israelites way back in the day, it still holds true about what He can do today.
Spring signifies new birth, new beginnings. Rain washing away all the mud splatters from Winter. Planting, tending to our lawns and gardens. Being witness to lush green sprout from the earth, attracting other creatures we consider to be helpful and beautiful, along with the pest creatures. Flowers bloom adding bright colors to decorate the landscape. Animals give birth to their young.
Ahhhh!
We sigh at the wonder of God's creation when we choose to acknowledge it. I won't go into the whole allergy suffering, forest fires, flooding, tornadoes, I-forgot-the-sunscreen, etc. With the good, we accept the bad, or at least we have no choice but to accept the whole kit and caboodle. Even so, it is so much more bearable to focus on the wonderful things.
2 Corinthians 5:17 through 21 says,
"17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.: 19 That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
A broken basket, where the rim along the top came off, attached to the handle. Every time I have attempted to move it, I thought I would eventually get around to repairing it. Just need some short nails and maybe some wood glue. This has not happened in two years, yet I think I would get to it soon. This week, I finally put it in the trash pile feeling pretty pleased with myself.
All the things I have held on to sit waiting for me to attend to them. Just as the clutter in my mind does. The grudges filed away awaiting attention. The bitterness collecting cobwebs in my head. The anger on the shelf. No better time than the present to take care of those things. I do not desire a dust cloud of all that in my mind any longer. Time to sweep that away, or when necessary, deal with all that before it explodes and crumbles at the most inconvenient time.
Forgiveness brings healing to the bearer, more lightness in existing, the light in the darkness of being wronged. Forgiveness does not make everything vanish that has ripped our hearts. It is the salve, Neosporin with pain relief, we apply onto our own wounds. It may take more than one application.
I sometimes am reminded of a wrong from way back when, and have to bring myself back to forgiving mode, whether the person is still in my life or not. It becomes part of my prayers, because I need God's power to help me forgive. Ezekiel 36:26 and 27 says, "26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
This passage reminds me how God can work in me. Though it was written for the Israelites way back in the day, it still holds true about what He can do today.
Spring signifies new birth, new beginnings. Rain washing away all the mud splatters from Winter. Planting, tending to our lawns and gardens. Being witness to lush green sprout from the earth, attracting other creatures we consider to be helpful and beautiful, along with the pest creatures. Flowers bloom adding bright colors to decorate the landscape. Animals give birth to their young.
Ahhhh!
We sigh at the wonder of God's creation when we choose to acknowledge it. I won't go into the whole allergy suffering, forest fires, flooding, tornadoes, I-forgot-the-sunscreen, etc. With the good, we accept the bad, or at least we have no choice but to accept the whole kit and caboodle. Even so, it is so much more bearable to focus on the wonderful things.
2 Corinthians 5:17 through 21 says,
"17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.: 19 That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
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