Pressure Washing

I spent most of the morning pressure washing our patio. Mildew settles on it when it stays damp and in the shade. It looked pretty nasty. We had noticed it getting worse and worse but had not made it a priority to clean it. Since the weather had cooled off some this morning, we decided it would be a good day to tackle this project.

As I worked diligently to clean it, I noticed how the mildew had settled in all the tiny cracks and crevices. It wasn't a matter of just quickly moving the sprayer back and forth. I had to hold the sprayer close to the concrete and move it slowly back and forth. If you have ever used a pressure washer, you know that it does exactly what the name of it is - it dispenses tremendous pressure so that it will dislodge the slime and the grunge. If you move it quickly, you miss some of the grunge. So you have go slow.

The Lord reminded me as I was cleaning that our lives are like this too. Stuff settles in our mind and heart that can cause us to look, think and act grungy. It is not a pretty picture. He doesn't like what he sees so He has to do some "pressure washing". He convicts our spirit of those things in our life that are dark and slimy. It might be a slow process and it might hurt, but He wants to dislodge our mind and heart of those things that are keeping us from being all that we can be for Him.

This reminded me of a sweet praise song that we use to sing:
"Create in me a clean heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
Take not they Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me."

A Condition of the Heart

It was four weeks ago yesterday that my Daddy went to be with the Lord. I know he is safe now and healed and I know that he is dancing with my Mama. One of the treasures that I was able to have was growing up listening to my daddy play the piano. I'm not sure that he ever took lessons for very long but was blessed with the gift of being able to play by ear. I took piano lessons and enjoy playing but never ever able to put that little extra touch to the music like my daddy.

I now have my Daddy's piano. It is a beautiful piece of furniture and has a beautiful tone. This morning I sat down to play and got out one of my older hymnals. I enjoyed just flipping from page to page and playing some of the hymns. 

I am not what you call an "accomplished musician" by any stretch of the imagination and I do not sing very well but I love to play and I love to sing praises to my precious heavenly Father. I know over the years there has been lots of changes in Christian music. I still love the "oldie goldies" from my Cokesbury Hymnal and I love the new "Praise" music that we listen to on the radio.

As I typed the word "Praise" music, my thoughts were that the Christian music we sing to our heavenly Father from our heart praising him for who He is, what He has done and what He is going to do is pleasing unto to Him. It is not a matter of how old or new the music is as long as my heart is in tune with His Spirit.

So this morning as I prepare to assemble with a group of people who proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and God as our Abba Father, I pray for my heart to be attuned to His heart.