Our daughter Kristin related a story of a mother who was obsessed with cleaning and would get very frustrated over finger prints or anything out of place. Her child was always frustrating her because of the dirt and grime he left behind. Well an accident happened and the child died. A real tragedy. The mother did something very natural which we do when losing someone important in that she began looking for evidence of the child’s play. There was none. The toys were put up and the fingerprints were all wiped clean. How she would have loved to find a fingerprint.

Today, Heidi was telling me how she tries to ignore the little messes in life that can keep her from enjoying the really important things in life. She told me that a Proverb came to her mind this morning, which says,

“Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.” Pro 14:4.

She decided that it meant it was better to focus on the good than the bad. So what if you have a clean house but don’t have the little rug rats, family, and friends who are so very precious?

This morning, Heidi went in to wake Rushie up and he said for her to get in bed with him (Rush is 2). So she did and he covered her up. Then she started feeling crumbly things in the bed. She said, “Rush, what’s all of this crumbly stuff in the bed?” He said, “That’s my rocks!” Well he had had five or six geodes in bed the day before and they tend to crack and crumble along the edges. There were many crumbly and uncomfortable bits of rock which Rush slept on through the night. Heidi said for Rush to tell her next time there is something uncomfortable in his bed and she would clean it up for him. Rush said, “OK mommy, I’ll tell you, and you can clean it up, and I’ll put more rocks in my bed.” It made Heidi laugh as she thought how Rush is her little ox and how much better it is to have his messes than to have a clean house without him.

You have the choice to fret about the troubles of life or to give thanks for the blessings. The garden can be a burden for its weeds or it can be a blessing for the produce it brings in the harvest. Don’t let the devil steal away your blessings.

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