Friday, November 3, 2006

Dearest God,

I disinfected my toilets this morning. It's been a while since I've had time to clean my whole house. I've tidied up here and there, but...I'm embarrassed. However, this morning when I awakened at 5:00 a.m. I wrote my letter to you, then started scrubbing my home.

As I cleaned my brick ranch home, I thought of the need to cleanse my spiritual home. I know what needs doing in my physical house; the carpet needs sweeping, the floors need mopping, the sinks need scouring and the counters need wiping. But my spiritual home, it doesn't come with a list of "to do's". It is not as clear to me what to do when.

If I imagine my spiritual home like I do the abode in which I live, then I can envision each room. One room is my "feeding" room; this is the room where I take in spiritual nourishment. My "cleansing" room is where I am purified, cleaned up from the "soiling" in my life, from sin, bad attitude, ugly thoughts, etc. My "releasing" room is the location for my letting go of stress, hurts, disappointments, rejection, my feelings of abandonment. Here I give to God everything that has injured, wounded my soul. Sometimes it contains negative feelings I have toward myself or someone else. My "resting" room is the place where I allow my soul to relax in peace. My "love" room is where I go to refuel my need for love, affirmation. God is always present in this room. My "holy" room is where I go to honor God. My "listening" room is a room set aside for God to speak to me, telling me what I need to be and how I can be more effective as a follower. My "crying" room is where I run when I just need a good cry.

I suppose there are as many rooms as I can come up with; but the point is that my spiritual home is a place that I need to tend to on a regular basis. I can't plan to visit on occasion, because to do so is to allow cobwebs of the soul to gain hold. I can forget which room is where. I can lose my way. My spiritual home could collapse without me ever knowing it until I am desperate or want to make a casual visit only to discover that my long absence caused my home to disappear altogether.

My spiritual home is intended to care for my soul. It has everything it needs to care for any situation or condition that may befall me. I can hide at times when life seems so full or scary and I just need some temporary refreshment until I gain enough spiritual strength to deal with life's hardships. I am always safe here. And courage is abundant; I only need to reach out for it. Here I always meet God who reminds me that I am not alone, ever.

God has set before me homes where I can thrive. Homes that offer me protection, help, challenge, guidance, love and peace. To know God lives in both my homes bring a kind of holy joy and as I work today on both of them, I can lift my voice in praise.

You are not hidden from me,
Gracious, Loving God.
I can wander from room to room
and know your presence.
You have not left me,
abandoned me
for greener grass somewhere else.
Make me thankful daily
for my homes
where you reside.
Keep me present with you
in all my daily ventures.
May your words be my words,
may your love be my love,
may my faith
always be centered upon you,
now and always.

Love, Andrea