Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Closet

This has been cogitating for some time.  Now it finally came together this morning.  It's one of those "duh" moments.
At our church for the past 2 months there has been a horrible smell.   There has been a lot of speculation as to the source.  Something in the AC ducts?  Cleaning supplies spilled in a nearby closet? An animal that wandered in there and died?  Finally my husband found the source.  A large container of insecticide had leaked out onto some wood and some bags of artificial flowers.  The wood was thrown out, the flowers were gotten rid of.  The container was disposed of.  The closet was scrubbed, cleaned out and painted.

Finally this morning it clicked.  There is a booklet written by Robert Boyd Munger, called "My Heart Christ's Home",  that talks about a person who has given his life to Christ.  First he invites the Lord into his home, beginning in the Living room, the Lord lives in every place in the house.  Finally He comes to this:

"The Hall Closet
There is just one more matter that I might share with you. 
One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. 
An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, 
"There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. 
It's upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet." As soon as He said this, 
I knew what He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on the landing, 
just a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, 
I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about 
and certainly I did not want Christ to see them. 
I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. 
And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that 
I was afraid to admit they were there.
Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs 
the odor became stronger and stronger.
He pointed at the door. "It's in there! Some dead thing!"
I was angry. That's the only way I can put it. 
I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, 
the workroom, the playroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet.
I said to myself, "This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key."
"Well," He said, reading my thoughts, "if you think I'm going to stay up here 
on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. 
I will take my bed out on the back porch. I'm certainly not going to put up with that." 
Then I saw Him start down the stairs.
When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen 
is to sense His fellowship retreating from you. 
I had to surrender. "I'll give You the key," I said sadly, "but You'll
have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven't the strength to do it."
"I know," He said. "I know you haven't. Just give me the key. 
Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will." 
So with trembling fingers I passed the key to Him. He took it from my hand, 
walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out 
all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. 
Then He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment's time. 
Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!"

I've had some things rotting away in my heart for the past few years.  I try and try to take care of it myself, but can't seem to do it.  Maybe all along the Lord has been waiting for me to just ask Him.  I'm ready for the rotten smell to go. 




Saturday, September 10, 2011

"How do you pick up the threads of an old life? 
How do you go on... 
when in your heart you begin to understand... 
there is no going back? 
There are some things that time cannot mend... 
some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold."
- from "The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King" 

These words have such meaning.  As I think back to 10 years ago... September 11, 2001; to 2 years ago and some of the most painful times we have been through and then my nephew's death in March, these words ring true.  As a friend of mine just said, there are things that are a "forever process".  Time does not heal all wounds.  We learn to adapt and adjust.  We learn to live with a limp. 

Monday, September 5, 2011

There are things in Scripture that are seemingly impossible.  I think that's because it shows our need of Him.  The whole "Seventy times seven...." thing is one of them. 
Hard things must be meant to drive us to Him. 


Sunday, September 4, 2011

Sunday Afternoon Treat

"I Am Sam".
This was one of those Sunday afternoons when I turn on the TV and hope that there will be a good movie on.  I struck it rich today.... I absolutely love this movie. 

[Synopsis:
Michelle Pfeiffer and Sean Penn give career-defining performances in this humorous and heart-warming film about a mentally-challenged father who enlists the aid of a high-powered attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter. An all-star supporting cast and a spectacular soundtrack complete this unforgettable story of life, love and laughter.]

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Don't have a lot to say I guess.  Just some random thoughts as I fight migraine headache pain.

School has started.
It's still really hot here.
Listening to John Rutter sacred music is good.
I continue to work on the whole "seventy times seven" forgiveness thing.
It's nice to be getting a paycheck again.
(Although) I wish someone would give us 1 million dollars.
(But) I know that wouldn't make us happy.
I'm thinking of re-arranging my family room again.

Yeah, that's pretty much all that comes to mind right now. 
Worst blog post ever.