The other day I was standing in my guest bathroom, looking for fine lines and wrinkles primping in front of the mirror, when I looked down at the sink and saw it.
I had to glance a little closer. Was that REALLY a ring of grime around the faucet? Really?! After I had threatened them within an inch of their lives asked so sweetly for them to do a good job on the bathrooms, they still left grime around the faucet?!
And then the frustration flooded in.
“Am I the ONLY ONE around here who can clean the bathroom well? Does no one know what it means to actually scrub the sink? Don’t they KNOW that I keep an old toothbrush under the sink just for this purpose? What did they think it was for anyway…my backup toothbrush in case mine got stolen? How could they not SEE that ring of dirt? Are they blind?!”I was going to tell them what for! I needed to SHOW them the dirt they missed! I needed to bring them into the bathroom and point out the grime around the faucet so they would really SEE it! Really know WHAT the dirt was…WHERE it was…and what THEY needed to do to be BETTER at cleaning the bathrooms!
And then I heard Him. He whispered to me.
He quietly said, “Dear daughter of mine. Stop. . Look into your heart.”
“What do see there?”
He quietly said, “Dear daughter of mine. Stop. . Look into your heart.”
“What do see there?”
Dirt. Grime. Blackness.
“But I don’t see that anymore, I see the heart of my child, covered with the grace of my Son. Stop looking for the fault (dirt, grime) in your children. Stop expecting them to live up to expectations that you my daughter yourself cannot live up too. Be gentle with them. Be content with them. Love them like I love them. See them like I see them.”
And then I really SAW it.
Not the ring of dirt and grime around the bathroom faucet, but the ring of dirt and grime around my own heart. That ring that drives me to criticize those I love most. The ring that causes me to lash out in anger and frustration instead of love and gentleness.
Not the ring of dirt and grime around the bathroom faucet, but the ring of dirt and grime around my own heart. That ring that drives me to criticize those I love most. The ring that causes me to lash out in anger and frustration instead of love and gentleness.
Grime around a bathroom faucet is not harmful. A broken spirit is though. I do not want to be a spirit breaker. That is not my job. It is God’s job. For He will do it with a gentleness that my flesh cannot. He then reminded me what the Word says about this:
“How can you say to your brother (child) ‘Brother (child), let me take out the speck (grime) that is in your eye (life),‘ when you yourself do not see the log (grime) that is in your own eye (life)? You hypocrite, first take the log (grime) out of your own eye (life), and then you will see clearly to take out the speck (grime) that is in your brother’s eye (child’s life). Luke 6:42
I quietly made my way back into the bathroom. I pulled out that old toothbrush and gave my faucet a quick cleaning. I wiped it down and glanced around. The bathroom was neat and clean. I had played such a small part in that. The kids really HAD done a good job on it. I turned off the light and went to thank them for cleaning the bathroom so well.
He whispered to me again.. “Well done daughter.”
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:6-10
Thanks for joining me at the fence for Simply Sundays.
What a beautiful post, Heather !! It really made me think … I’ll be a better Mommy today because of it. Thank you! Becca
God in his perfect timing and you in your obedience to write this, have just spoken to me this morning so sweetly, gently and yet with the nudge to look in my own heart. Thank you for this post this morning. You were honest, humble, wise and gentle. Thank you!
Must have been meant for me to read this since my daughter and I had issues just yesterday over chores. Helped me to realize that I need to find a different way to talk with her about my expectation for the chores I want her to help with. Thank you for sharing this today.
What a great post….thank you so much for sharing that
Aw, I love it. What a great devotional and a humbling lesson. Thanks for sharing.
Hi,nice post..I am following you back
Be Creative,Be friendly.. 🙂
Oh- I am so glad that you stopped and took a minute to look at the bigger picture. How many times I have stood in your shoes when my children were younger and I failed to see the big picture-missing all the good an focusing on a minute problem of something left undone. Your heart was open and listening..how perfect is that! Great post!!! xxoo Diana
You have reminded me to try and do better. Thank you so much. You are very wise
best wishes
Carolyn
Thank you for sharing your heart – and for ministering to mine. Mary Ann
Thanks for this post Heather! Time really flew by when my daughters were small. Before I knew it, they were gone and are now wonderful mothers themselves (and doing a better job than I did). I should know!
From your Mom
What a beautiful post. I needed this reminder. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Shelley
Mommy, You did a great job with us! We couldn’t ask for a better mom in the whole world! The fact you are our best friend attests to that. 🙂 thank you for being so supportive.
I love you!
Heather.
Wonderful post and so timely for me right now!
Thnaks for sharing your heart!
A wonderful post here. It’s so easy to get angry and frustrated over nothing. We often forget to just relax and enjoy the moments we have. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Ditto to what Heather said Mom! You were the Mrs. Oleson to our Mary and Laura, checking to see how many brown eggs we had, remember that? So we know that you took the time to stop and enjoy being with us! 🙂
Love you,
Vanessa
Beautiful and so true…
Dust (bathroom grime) will always be there…our children grown and move out on their own in the blink of an eye! Making the most of each day to nurture and invest in our families…that’s what life is all about!
Blessings,
Cindy
Beautiful post! I struggle so much with this too and need the constant reminder of God’s gentleness with me!
Beautifully learned and wonderfully shared, Heather.
I’ve stood in your bathroom a time or two myself and had the same experience. (Well, not the wrinkles because I don’t see any wrinkles. Bless God, the eyesight is the first thing to go…)
I thought of the passage “You have placed on them a yoke that you yourselves are unwilling to bear.” Paraphrased loosely, of course, but I still thought of it.
Thanks for the spiritual nudge this evening.
Great post, Heather! I often catch myself disciplining my son and imagining his spirit being bruised by my harsh words. Its the worst feeling in the world and something I try to be mindful of daily, but its hard to catch myself all the time. Posts like these remind me to keep at it! If only was as easy to break the bad habits as it was to start them.
Thank you.
You definitely have the right attitude!My kids start their Autumn vacation next week and they have been cranky and exhausted these last 2 weeks and are really really ready for a break. Thanks for reminding me to be calm for them and not lose my cool this week.
Best wishes,
Natasha.
I was meant to read this today, Heather. I often don’t see the big picture and nit-pick the little things no one else but me would notice. I need to appreciate what is done for me out of love and not diminish the efforts of others. Thanks for your insight. 🙂
Sue
This made such a difference in my life this week. Thank you for your beautiful post. Even though my kids are grown they are still so in my life and needy at times – I get overwhelmed but you helped me to remind myself how lucky I am. My 26 year old was able to buy his first house and he wants ME to help with finding furniture and starting his garden this summer – two of my favorite things to do! Thanks for reminding me of my blessings 🙂