Rearranging

This past month we have done way more rearranging of furniture than one should. In the process of adding a bedroom we have rearranged an office, and 2 other bedrooms. Basically almost all of our upstairs furniture has been moved. I have noticed that as we move the furniture around it is very handy to have a vacuum cleaner nearby. It seems that lurking under every piece is a multiplying dust bunny farm. I’m not sure where they come from. I probably don’t want to know, but they are definitely there. So in this rearranging process, there has been a considerable amount of cleaning up.

Likewise, although with more regularity, it seems my life gets rearranged. I will have everything set in the place I would like and then a crisis of sorts will cause a different order to emerge. This is sometimes my crisis, sometimes someone else’s, but the result is the same. Everything gets rearranged. I like checking off my to do lists. I like having my plan for the day set. So when it has to be rearranged I notice some dirt lurking. It shows up as irritability, grouchiness, sometimes even as outright anger. It seems that it is almost always there in some form and it is a little harder to vacuum up than dust bunnies.

The grossest thing we found (and I probably should not even share this) was under our dresser. This is a really heavy-duty dresser. It weighs a ton, even when empty, so it had not been moved since we moved in ten years ago. I do vaguely remember setting out mousetraps many years ago… It was a complete mouse skeleton, still attached to the trap. I have no idea how long it had been there- gross. I’m not sure why we didn’t notice a stench at the time it was decomposing- gross. But there it lay, undiscovered, until we rearranged.

I would probably choose if it were in my power, to not rearrange my plans. But maybe there is an opportunity inherent with those changes. Maybe in discovering the dirt that lies underneath, I can address my own shortcomings. I can notice my impatience or inflexibility and realize that some cleaning maintenance may be order. It can point out my need to ask for forgiveness and renewal. It can provide opportunity for me to show a bit of the mercy and grace that has been shown to me. Maybe these inconveniences serve a greater purpose to work on these dust bunnies before they turn into skeletons.

Lord, help us be aware of what you want to show us daily. Help me as I try to relinquish the continuous desire for self and control. Clean out those corners and hidden spots that I overlook. Thank you for not asking for perfection from me. Thank you for your perfection that I can rest in.