White as Snow

I'm sitting in my pjs still at noon on a Friday which means...another snow day!! With yesterday and today...we are now up to 19 snow days. That is almost 4 whole weeks of school that we have missed. Wow!!

First, let me tell you that I love the snow! It is beautiful, and there are so many fun activities that you can do during the winter...like skiing (which I still need to do this winter!). However, I am starting to get to the place where I want it gone for a few reasons. One, I actually miss the routine of school and know that it is messing up my kiddos. Two, I can't wait to go outside and run. There are no gyms really around me...at least none that wouldn't scare me to go to in a 45min- hour radius. And I have Pilate videos...however a TV would probably be needed for that. So...yeah...outside is my best choice. And what is better than being active with the sun shining down on you?!? The third reason is that I can't wait for Gigi (my car) to be clean. Ok...what I say next may be a stretch, but it made sense to me the other day...so try to follow with me...

I have cleaned Gigi several times this winter. I live on a main street in a holler, so there are coal trucks always passing by. And, I park my car on the street, so it is basically impossible to keep Gigi clean during these past several months. So, the other day I was at the car wash and spraying her off. It gives me such fulfillment that it makes me laugh. I love seeing her so clean! Sometimes with all the dirt, I forget that underneath she is white. When my dollar ran out, I took a look at her. At first glance, she looked great. She was pretty and white again. The major filth was gone. But, when I looked close, I could see little spots of dirt that still remained. She needed more than a quick rinse, she needed a good scrub. But, most would think that she was clean.

Ok...so you are probably wondering where I am going with this!

Well, it instantly made me think of my relationship with God. There are times when I am so covered in sin that I look gross to Him. He longs to wash that filth and grime away. I know that when we confess to Him, it brings Him so much joy because He loves to wash us clean. Then, there are those times when we are following God and we appear clean to others and we convince ourselves that we can get by looking "pretty" (doing the Christian things). However, when God looks at us, He can still see those little areas that we are holding onto that we need to let go...and let Him scrub away. Even though I believe that He's thankful the majority of the filth is gone...He is not content. He wants us to be holy and pure....to make us white as snow.

It was interesting to me that I was so bothered by these little spots on Gigi. Even if no one else could see them, I knew they were there. It reminds me that sometimes when one is living in sin, it is really obvious and everyone knows and is not surprised. I am the girl that has always known the Lord and wanted to follow Him, but day to day I sin. I am covered with those little spots...not wanting to surrender or obey sometimes. Or not saying what I should or saying what I shouldn't. Many things. It hit me that this is way more embarrassing. I don't want to live a lie and to "appear" to be perfect. I want a good scrub. I want to make my Father proud when He sees me.