All for His Glory - lessons from my bathroom floor

Aloha!

I was humbled, challenged, and encouraged by a post on facebook by a sweet young bride who was delighting in being able to be home in time to get the house clean and make dinner for her new husband.

More often than not, I find myself moaning or grumbling while scrubbing the bathroom. This bride's simple devotion and delight reminded me of the days when I delighted in making my first home sparkle. Not because I loved cleaning...I don't think that has ever been my first love...but because of my love for my husband, and my delight in bring him pleasure. I would scurry around the house literally singing and smiling, preparing for his homecoming.

Over the course of almost 20 years of cleaning house and cooking, those tasks have become mundane. The task of cleaning is more a chore than a delight due in no small part to the fact that no sooner do I "finish" cleaning or doing dishes, the mess begins to multiply. It is a never ending cycle.

But today as I was cleaning the bathroom, pondering the freshness of the attitude of my newly married friend, I was reminded of the passage in Revelation that Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus who work, toil, patiently endure, and hold to truth, yet have abandoned the love they had at first. Christ exhorts them to remember from where they have fallen, repent and do the works they did at first.

I've never stopped cleaning the house, preparing meals for my family. Nor have I stopped loving my husband...however I have abandoned the love I had at first in some ways. I don't clean the house out of pure devotion to my husband, or to my Lord. I am to do all things as unto the Lord, and to glorify God. This includes cleaning and cooking, doesn't it. Is my grumbling spirit a glory to Christ? Is it out of devotion to Him. Does it bless my husband? No.

My dear Christian sister reminded me how far I fall short. I am so thankful for this heart check and for the mercy of Christ. I can repent and do the works I did at first, out of love for my dear husband, and simple devotion to my precious Savior. May my heart be ever filled with cheerful delighting in doing ALL things for God's glory.

Today my bathroom cleaned with a joyful heart! Praise the Lord!

I Cor 10:31 - "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."



[Even housework :) ]

In Awe of God's STEADFAST Love

God is so gracious and merciful! I am humbled at His tenderness, His compassion, and His unceasing wooing. I am thankful He draws me closer everytime my heart wanders. He is worthy of all praise.

This weekend was very full for us! Full of fun. Full of activity. Full of sun and sand. Full of opportunities to meet new people. May God ever bring more opportunities for us to share His love with those who need Him.

Friday night was K-Mart's emplyee Christmas party. Norm and I went and brought a lady he works with. She was invited to go bar hopping after the party, but wanted to come home instead, so was glad we were able to be her "excuse". We had a great time getting to know her better in the car on the way there and back. We hope to have more opportunities to minister to her in the future. The party was fun. We won a gift basket filled with sun products and beach gear! We got to watch some Samoan dancers do traditional dances. We are really enjoying the culture here. We are always pleasantly surprised by how much we feel like we live in a "foreign" country right here in one of the United States!

Saturday morning we were up long before the sun, packing and leaving for a long day on the beach. We left the house at about 4:45 to be on the beach to get a good spot at the "Sunset on the Beach" red-carpet premiere of LOST: The Final Season. We were among the first of 15,000 fans to arrive, so we got a great spot for viewing the premiere (the first row behind the vip section!) and a perfect spot for meeting the cast as they arrived! We were able to talk to, shake hands, take pictures with, and get autographs from most of the cast! It was a really fun day, and memories the kids won't soon forget. We got to meet some of the fans around us as well, and pray for opportunities for continued outreach to them. One of the women who was "camped" near us gave me her email address and asked me to send her pictures. We are hoping she'll come check out our church.

Sunday was another blessed time of fellowship, sweet worship, and refreshment in the Word of God. Truely the highlight of the weekend, no matter how memorable and fun the rest of it was! I was reflecting on the pleasure we received from meeting the cast of our favorite TV show, with all the fans screaming their names, and I was struck again by wonder and awe that God - creator and sustainer of the universe - whose fame and glory is spread throughout the earth - has called us into a relationship with Himself. And we, together with all the saints, cry Holy, Holy, Holy is He.