Spring cleaning

It's Spring! Hooray. Can't you feel spring in the air? I love it. The bushes all around us beginning to bud. The daffodils are out and other little plants starting to peep out of the winter soil. (Actually, the daffodils are nearly finished and it's tulip time already). The days are getting longer and soon the clocks will go forward to bring in British summer time. Newborn lambs and other baby animals arriving. It makes me think of the Bible verse:

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Song of Solomon 2:12 KJV

The time for Spring cleaning is here, that time when you give your house an extra deep clean to get rid of all that winter dirt. The bright days are showing it up and you want to get in behind furniture and machines to remove the dust and cobwebs. So out comes the dusters, polish, cleaning agents and even bleach. The yard outside maybe needs a power hose to remove the green. The garage or garden shed needs a clear out too. Well, that's the general idea but I'm not too good at doing it.

Spring cleaning makes me think about the Israelites in the Bible clearing all the leaven out of their houses at Passover time. Not a bit was to remain (Exodus 12v15). Leaven is a picture of sin (1Corinthians 5v6-8). We need to be diligent to ensure that sin is removed from our lives, lest it rises to control us.

Adrian took some days off work a few weeks ago and we spent two of those days spring cleaning. He cleaned the guttering and wiped the fascia board. What muck he took out! I took to washing down the walls inside where the dogs had rubbed up against them with their wet coats, and to pulling out furniture removing dirt and cobwebs.

Day two was a bigger job than I expected.... clearing out the attic. Wow! It's one thing to put things up in the attic out of the way but it's quite another to have an attic full of boxes and accumulated rubbish...some of it there since the year 2000! Adrian had to go twice to the dump with stuff. 

Well, two days did us and I've still lots to do. Cleaning windows and a kitchen deep clean are included on that list. Plenty of elbow grease needed! Painting and a garden make-over have to wait until the weather gets a bit warmer.

My thoughts are bursting with application but here are just a few:

1. Deep clean is necessary to get rid of much ingrained and hidden dirt.
Spiritually speaking, we need to get rid of sins like envy, pride, jealousy, lust, selfishness and covetousness that are hidden deep in our hearts. They will lead to more sins if allowed to stay. See Mark 7v20-23.

2. You discover precious memories and things you had forgotten about. 
Maybe it's a bunch of old photos, a gift from someone special, a book or prize with sentimental value, some work of art, or a toy that brings those memories flooding back....and maybe tears too as we reminisce. Often as we sincerely search our lives with the spotlight of scripture, we can go back to reminisce on past blessings God gave us and times of great accomplishments and encouragements in our Christian walk.

3. You may throw out things others preferred to keep.
When we had finished our attic clear-out, Isaac informed me that it would have been nice to have kept the horrible histories series that he had collected when he was a child. Oops, sorry, too late, they're dumped! Why didn't he tell me in time? Yes, sometimes we don't see the value in things that mean something to other people.

4. You must be involved in your own spring cleaning to get satisfactory results, even if it's only to give instructions on what you want done, kept, or dumped. I had to get up into the attic to do the clear-out and clean-up. It had to be done right, my way. 😄 I wouldn't trust others to do it to my liking. 😏 Christian, when it come to a spiritual spring clean in your life, you must search your own life before God in the light of scripture. Psalm 119v9; 139v23-24.

5. Be careful not to dump things you should keep. 
Imagine having dumped something and then realizing later that you should have kept it. Make sure the fruit of the Spirit is growing in your life. See Galatians 5v22-16.

I conclude with this little Bible verse:

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4v23 

Sandy Cove

Where better to have a St. Patrick's day stroll than down by Sandy Cove near Kinsale in Co.Cork? Adrian has some treasured memories of summer camps spent near there. So, he parked up the car in view of the sea and we went for a walk. There's a pathway that winds from Sandy Cove along by some cliffs to the ruins of an old church. It is that path we took on Sunday afternoon.

We had not planned to end up there when we set out for a drive. So, I was not dressed for the occasion. Some parts of the path were mucky but not impassable, even for me. It certainly was not a path you would walk in the dark nor would I stand too close to the edge of a cliff! Nonetheless, on that cold Spring day in March we walked and talked and enjoyed some lovely views. My photos just cannot capture the beauty.

Then, we came to a sign which said 'Beware of the BULL' and as I looked on the other side of the path another sign read 'WARNING DANGEROUS CLIFFS Keep away'.  Our chances did not seem great if a bull came charging! So, as I have a phobia of bulls since childhood, I decided to turn back. Adrian continued to the ruins of the little old church and took a couple of photos.

I dandered back, enjoying the views. But as I was almost back to the car, I noticed another warning sign that read 'Dangerous cliffs, Fire Hazard, No Barbeques'. I had walked right passed it before and never even noticed it.

Sometimes life's pathway takes us passed some dangers. There is many a place we can fall and others where we can get burnt. We can get stuck in the muck of everyday life and forget to lift our eyes to the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of life. The enemy may come charging at us. We may even lead others astray into danger. But there are warnings from faithful friends and the Word of God for us to heed. And, yes, many a time we do choose to ignore them and walk right on or maybe we do not even notice the warning signs.

As I was nearly back to the car, I could see the moon starting to appear to view in the sky and I just could not help but think:
One day the sun will finally set on our lives and eternal day will begin for those who belong to the Lord. What a day that will be when my Jesus I will see!