Cleaning Up

Originally Written on December 10, 2008

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1

When I was a kid, the worst chore I was ever given was to clean my room. You would think that I could have figured out that if I would attempt to keep things clean, dusted and vacuumed, that having that assignment wouldn't be so terrible. BUT, it was... Every single time, I would throw a tantrum at the idea of having to do it.

That phase lasted up until I was in middle school. I continued with the feeling of disgust over cleaning my room. Oh, and in high school too. I would have friends coming over, and at the last minute, I would be shoving things into my two closets and under my bed. It was an awful habit, I must admit.

The alarming part of this is that I still dislike having to clean. You would think the feeling would change what with having my own house and getting married and having a child on the way. BUT it hasn't. I could not tell you if you asked me to inform you on all the things under our bed right now. My closet is shameful, and the soon-to-be nursery closet is the most atrocious thing I have ever seen. You seriously cannot see the wall, carpet, or ceiling; it is packed that tight.

Life is like that sometimes. We have so many things we like holding onto rather than getting rid of them or just cleaning them out. We pride ourselves in hiding our dirt. It is sad but painstakingly true. In Psalm 24, it is evident that we need to get busy with cleaning up... "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." I know I am taking it a bit out of context, but in all seriousness, I think it somewhat applies. How can we live clean lives if not ALL of us is clean? I just don't think it is possible.

With that in mind, I have started cleaning. Maybe it's because I realize I have a baby on the way and I've GOT to make room for him. Maybe it’s because I am tired of all the things I have held onto and realize it is time to make the break. Maybe it's because I have learned that THIS WORLD is not my home, and as the old hymn says, "I'm just a-passing through." The less I have here, the better off I will be when it is my time to go.

It isn’t just my house that needs cleaning. If I would be willing to admit it, I would have to say that my heart could use some dusting as well. My life is not as spotless as the recently-cleaned bookshelves. There are some relationships that need to be tended to, and there are emotions I have been carrying that need to be trashed. I want to be the one who isn’t just cleansed physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well. The person I am is not always the person God intended me to be when He cleaned me up that day on April 10, 1994. It is obvious that I have some housework and major heart work to do.

It's time to clean out the closets and clean up from underneath the bed. It's time to rid myself of things – feelings, emotions, tendencies - I do not need. It's time to realize that God has given me more than enough to live on, and there are those who need these things more than me. So, I'm giving in and cleaning up...

Coming Clean,
Jenna Johnson

To Our Faithful Friends,
We would like to apologize for not writing you sooner. The Lord has been giving us our own “words of encouragement,” and we are delighted to share them with you when the Lord allows. Please keep us in your prayers, as you and yours are in ours. Thank you for understanding, and may God richly bless you during this joyous holiday season.
Until We Write Again,
Brian and Jenna