The Spring Clean Fling

Spring Break is just at the end of this week's work and time for the annual event of "spring cleaning".  Throughout this last year, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics has been at work in my house.  To put it simply, things left alone will go to chaos and disorder.  That perfectly describes all the drawers in my house.  I don't know about you, but on the surface, we look clean but at closer inspection our "quick, hurried" clean jobs of putting it in a drawer needs to be redeemed and Spring Break is when we do the dirty work.

I try to stick to some standards of "pitching" when confronting the year long chaos.   You know, "if you haven't look for it in 6 months than you don't need it".   Well, if I applied that rule, most of my house would be "pitched forked" to the curb.  So instead, I try once again to organize it into little baskets, neat piles and clean out those dirt ball monsters that I don't know how they develop or grow.....all I can say is "2nd Law".

It really is a good thing this spring cleaning......the whole thought of the Springtime with new life growing all around us encourages us to have a fresh start. I find it intriguing that with the Jewish faith, this is a yearly practice.   It is called "Pesach" or "Passover Cleaning".  During the Passover period (which most of the time occurs at the same time as Easter) there is not to be any "Chametz" in the home.  Not to get too detailed, however, it is very interesting and based out of Exodus and Deuteronomy, Chametz is made from one of 5 types of grains.  It would have been mixed with water and left to stand at least 18 minutes.  This results in a leaven food and is forbidden during the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Of course there is much more to this but ultimately, The Jewish people are making ready their home for "Moshiach", their redeemer, the Messiah.

As I have pondered on this practice of Spring Cleaning from having a glimpse from the Jewish perspective, I have a new purpose for my yearly ritual. On a simple thought, I am going to clean every crook and cranny looking for those dirt monsters.  But as I go along, I am going to self evaluate where any "leaven" has entered my life.  Simply put, this "leaven by yeast"  changes the substance that it is mixed with chemically.  So my question to myself is "What has "leavened" me this past year?"  What have I allowed, become desensitized to, ignored, looked the other way, laughed at, etc that has changed me.....moved me further from reflecting Christ in my life.

Scripture speaks on this subject of leaven on a spiritual level as to getting rid of it or being aware of it. (1Cor 5:6-7, Matt.16:6)  We are to "clean out the old leaven" (I Cor 5:7).  Psalm51:10 says,

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

So consider this, as you begin to Spring Clean, getting rid of the "chaos and disorder" that has occurred over the last year, look inward and clean out anything in your own life that has "chemically" changed you and look to God to create a pure heart in you.  Truth be told, once a year is not enough for me. Making my heart ready for my Messiah.