On Tuesday, I mopped the floor.
On Wednesday, I diligently picked up crumbs– bits of nectarine muffin, corn flakes, pieces of granola. Exclaiming over and over again as they ate — “be careful!” “Lean over the table!” “Don’t make a mess!”
Aaaah — the once-a-month psycho gotta-keep-my-floor-clean mom. Nobody likes her. She doesn’t like herself. But she loves that clean floor feeling — no need to peel up toes from sticky spots or dust crumbs off heels. Clean. And when she waits a month to do it, mopping the stick and grime off the floor is a huge job. A result worthy of enjoyment — for much longer than a few minutes. So she nags and whines and complains. And chants with tears brimming:
“I hate messes.
I HATE messes.
I HATE MESSES!”
(And then, reminding herself of the big picture and the important things of life, chants repentantly):
(BUT)
I love my children.
I love my children.
I love my children.
(Hugs all around.)
Makes me think of Jesus. I’m pretty sure He’s not a big fan of messes either. And humankind has certainly been making a mess under the table. Worse than watermelon juice or banana slime. He “hates sin just as a father hates a rattlesnake that threatens the safety and life of his child” (quoting Billy Graham in his sermon found online here).
Can you imagine Jesus chanting a mantra similar to mine? I hate messes, I hate messes, I hate messes! But then we all hear it, loud and clear — I love my children, I love my children, I LOVE MY CHILDREN.
“I have loved you with a love
that lasts forever.
And so with unfailing love,
I have drawn you to myself.”
(Jeremiah 31:3)“Once again you will have compassion on us.
You will trample our sins under your feet
and throw them into the depths of the ocean!”
(Micah 7:19)
The floor is clean. He hugs us tightly. He reminds us to lean over our plates. But He’ll clean it again.
Mother of boys and lover of Jesus, Laura {AKA “The Housewife”} blogs over at Housewife in Town about healthy recipe discoveries, preschool learning activities, hiking and traveling with small children, good books to read, and more. She loves quilting, photography, music and writing. A good day = much time spent outside.
Oh I loved this post Laura. I am so thankful that He takes a mess like me, and the messes I make, and cleans them up. It never ceases to amaze me how God speaks to my heart through our children.
I DIDN’T mop my floor today as planned, and am wearing shoes so I don’t notice the stickies and crunches so much. But I’ll be thinking of this when I do mop (and probably at breakfast tomorrow…lean over the table! Keep the granola in the bowls!).
I really needed to hear this today. I am constantly telling my son to be more careful, sit up at the table and pay attention to what he is doing. I should be saying that exact same thing to myself about life daily!
However, our kitchen table is on carpet so maybe I have a little bit of a reason to not want things spilled all over the place right? :o)
🙂 I love this! I thought with my three girls all out of highchairs and all in elementary school, my floors would be cleaner. Nope! 🙂 How thankful I am that the Lord’s love for me never changes…especially since I still make some pretty big messes myself.
Thanks for sharing!
This was a great reminder! That mom lives at my house, too!