EEEWWWW!

Several years ago we felt that one of the kids rooms needed a little updating. They had outgrown the flowers and bunnies on the wall and were looking for an older style. We chose new paint, window coverings, and linens and began the task of moving the furniture. To my dismay (and disgust) we found many items uncovered that had been lying, who knows how long, under the furniture. Besides losts jewelry, pencils and hair clips we also found several petrified apple cores, candy wrappers (most were empty), chewed gum wads, and a dried tortilla that crumbled into dust as we tried to pick it up. EEEWWWWW! Of course my children were incredulous as to where all these items had come from. Certainly THEY hadn't put them there! We had to take quite a bit of extra time cleaning it all up: a rubber glove, a vacuum, a scrub brush. Not much fun but there was no use fixing up the room without cleaning up the remains of the last few years.

That's how I feel the fast has been going for me this year. I started out the fast praying, "God, make us who you want us to be. Give us the strength, wisdom, and courage to do all that you want us to do this year." Unfortunately, as God was moving things around He uncovered a few messy spots: bad attitudes, sinful behavior....EEWWWW! How embarrassing. How did THAT get there? I was expecting to have some wonderful revelation from God and see Him do incredible things in the church, but I feel like I can't do anything until I clean up this mess.

It feels like, in preparation for all that God wants to do, I've had to do a little cleaning of my heart and life. A little disappointing and ego deflating I guess, but I'm sure I'll enjoy my new room.:)
That's life in the FAST lane.(get it?)