This blog originally posted April 9, 2010…but as I reread it today I found myself being inspired all over again. I hope you will too.
A couple of weekends ago we had a rainy and chilly Saturday. You know one of those days were you want to stay in your jammies and piddle most of the day. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do since my youngest daughter had spent the night over her sister’s house, which meant I had the entire house to myself. Well, almost, we do have two cats. Now that my granddaughters are with me during the week, I do miss the quiet time I’ve been accustomed too the past couple of years, so the question was, “What was I going to do with this time?”
Now I must be candid with you, washing clothes, rearranging closest, dresser drawers, and ironing was nowhere on the list of things I might do with this day! But that is what I ended up doing. Somehow I started pulling out summer clothing and discovered there were certain items I had not worn last year or the year before. Why? I don’t remember, but what I found was that I was going to have a fresher wardrobe than I had anticipated.
My finances have not yet lined up with what I believe God for them to be. Many don’t know this but a part-time job I had for almost 10 years ended in February. So right now I am not able to add the new pieces to my spring and summer wardrobe that I would like. And there was a part of me that wanted to be sad about this. Why? Because I feel that I work hard for the Lord doing ministry work and have sacrificed a lot to raise my youngest daughter and I should be able to buy new clothes. Now mind you, these were just my feelings, they have nothing to do with the reality of God in my life. I’m just sharing my emotional state with you because as women we can let our emotions get the best of us and easily lose sight of God’s reality. The purpose of “The Kitchen Table” is to let our sisters know that you are not alone in the things that you feel or experience. So, I just wanted everyone to know that when it comes to the makings for a “pity party” you are never alone. LOL!!
Now God’s reality in my life is…..He has kept every single promise that He has ever made to me!!! Thing is, He never promised I would be able to shop the way I desired. He never promised I would have a vacation and travel every year. But He did promise He would supply all that I have need of. Do I need new clothes? Honestly, “No.” Would I like a few new pieces? “YES!” Will I get new clothing this season? I don’t know? Reason being, my checkbook says, “No,” but since my checkbook does not have the final say, we will just have to wait and see.
As I began to look at what clothing I had, versus what I didn’t have, my entire attitude began to change. And the blues that were trying to get me realized they were no longer welcome. As they were leaving I had them send a text message to despair, sadness and woe-is-me, and tell them to turn back around because the party was off! ~Smile~
My excitement began to grow as I looked at familiar pieces with fresh eyes, and spent my day, gleaning a new wardrobe from what I already possessed. It turned into a time of refreshing the old or that which had become familiar. The next day I wore this beautiful blouse (it was one I hadn’t worn in a couple of years) with a new chunky necklace I had yet to wear, and headed off to church. Did I feel beautiful? You better believe it! Was it because of the clothes? NO! It was because of my attitude. While pulling out the different items, I began to realize what I had. Not just in clothing pieces, but what I had in Jesus. What it means to be the daughter of a King. I remembered that the clothes didn’t make me, but it was the love of God that made me. It was the death of Yeshua that made me and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. So that is why I felt beautiful and strutted my stuff. I was wearing designer, but it was designed from the inside out.
During service a couple of older songs were sung, and I realized how much I loved them but it had been sometime since I heard them. When I got home, I started rummaging through my CD drawer and found not only those songs, but many more I had not listened to in awhile. Since then I’ve made a play list of some of my favorites and I’ve been listening to them with a refreshed ear. You know how it is when you get a new CD; you keep playing that new favorite, over and over. Well, I’ve been playing my new old favorites, over and over.
Sisters, often what we think we need, must have, or want, is already in our possession. We just need to refresh or adjust our attitude about things. I love wearing a new outfit for the first time and there is a special feeling that can come with that, but I realized the Sunday before last, that nothing tops the feeling of knowing who you really are. I cannot remember ever having a new outfit that made me feel the way I did, in the outfit I gleaned from the storage box from under the bed. Why? Because it had nothing to do with the clothing, it was all about me.
Spring is the season for new life and growth. It is a time when we open the windows, let in the fresh air and clean away all the old dust of winter. It is also a time to paint, garden, change out the draperies and bed covers, and just all around freshen things up. We often equate this with spending money, but I wonder how much we can refresh by refurbishing what we already have? Do you remember everything that is in those boxes you stashed away a couple of years ago? Take a look, you might find that you have a few gems you have forgotten about.
Just as we have boxes in the attic, basement, under the bed and the spare room that we have forgotten about, I think we also have things of God we have packed way and forgotten about? I know that I always feel really good about my home after a good spring cleaning, and especially when I change out accessories or paint a new wall. So, what about if we approach our spiritual lives the same as we do our spring cleaning and planting? What if we pull out the boxes that hold our experiences with God and house His faithfulness that we haven’t really thought about in awhile? What if we get rid of spiritual junk that is cluttering up our hearts and taking up precious space where faith could rule? What if we pulled up some of the weeds we have let creep into our hearts and replace them with the good seeds of the promises of God? What if we did a good spring cleaning on our inner self? What would that mean for us? Sisters I think it would mean something different for everybody, but the common thread would be, “It would bring us closer to our Father!” And it doesn’t get any better than that!!!
I pray you have been inspired to look at what you have with new eyes. I challenge you my dear sisters to start spring cleaning in your soul. I challenge you to refresh, and refurbish that which you already have and get rid of the old that is trash and taking up space. How? Just as you would in your house…one project at a time!
Love & Hugs
Ponnie
See you tomorrow!
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