Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Dearest God,

Today we cleaned out one of the dirtiest closets I'd ever cleaned. In the church basement with lead paint peeling, years of crud on the floor and assorted collections of dead bugs, it was time to make the closet usable.

I called the Volunteer Corps, a group of wonderful people whose true call to ministry as a team occurred nearly a year ago. They helped the staff carry stuff to Sandy's truck so she could drive it to the dumpster. We swept the shelves, then I washed them down. We distributed items to their proper areas. But mostly we got rid of decaying items, a tall rusty cabinet (and why had we saved it?), unusable computers and monitors, a deteriorating tomb used for an Easter morning drama, side shelving, beat up children's chairs, and more. Yuck!

By day's end we were dirty, sweaty, and yucky ourselves. But the closet was in pretty good shape so we could use it for storage of important items. We left with a few piles of things we weren't quite sure what to do with and items that needed to be returned to the cleaner closet.

As I reflect upon the dirty job, I think about the many times my own life has needed a good cleaning. I wonder if my life was as cluttered (duh!), unclean, and messed up as the closet. I am sure I have needed a "rearranging". I am just as certain that I need to throw away some things I was carrying and need a washing of some other aspects of my being. I may still have some piles of feelings, left over emotions from earlier traumas. There are other things I need to sort out and save.

I know you have had to put up with all my "stuff" and wondered when I would ever get around to doing my own work. Thank you for your patience and understanding. It's amazing what can go through one's head when a little dust (a lot really) gets airborne.

Remind me
to clean up
in the seasons
of my soul.
Help me
to attend
to the
necessary uncluttering,
washing up,
sorting through,
letting go.
I want
my soul
to be
as clean
as the closet.
Teach me, Lord.
Teach me
to listen
for your call
to rise up
out of the
dust and grime.
I too want
to be clean
to stand before you.
Help me,
I pray.

Love, Andrea