Housecleaning

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished
to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to
death, so that we may serve the living God!
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new
covenant, that those who are called may receive the
promised eternal inheritance – now that he has died as
a ransom to set them free from the sins committed
under the first covenant. ~ Hebrews 9:14-15 (NIV)

So we clean house with the family, asking each
morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way
of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love. ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 83

A personal housecleaning
ridding my life not just
of pesky clutter,
undone to-do lists,
well-aged New Years Resolutions,
but of deadly stuff,
acid eating away
at my heart, at my lungs,
at my being.
Fear, hate, envy,
self-loathing,
if-only’s,
shattered shoulds,
fractured woulds,
the lethal stuff
I’ve hauled around
all these years.

Create in me a clean heart,
O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
and do not take Your holy spirit from me.*
* Psalm 51:10-11 (NASB)

Poem reprinted from A CLOUD OF WITNESSES.