Jumbled Writings: Appointment With Love

Jumbled Writings: Appointment With Love

A House Is Not A Home

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home (Not to be confused with House)

(My thanks to Wikipedia for the picture of this beautiful house-read its description in the link)

The song A House is Not A Home,

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/luthervandross/ahouseisnotahome.html/ is so popular and it has been sang many times over.  It is the title of my post today because I want to define a house from a home.  Click on the link above to the definition given by wikipedia(with my thanks and my acknowledgement) for it.

A clip from that definition:

"Sometimes, as an alternative to the definition of "home" as a physical locale ("Home is where you hang your hat"), home may be perceived to have no physical location—instead, home may relate instead to a mental or emotional state of refuge or comfort. Popular sayings along these lines are "Home is where the heart is" or "You can never go home again".

Therefore a home is a state of mind, not a particular physical place as opposed to a "house."  A state of belonging wherein a large part of one's life has been lived and spent  in.   A place of nurture and love,  an abode where dreams have been built and achieved or even expired, a dwelling place "where your heart" keeps coming back to.  One that will overshadow other places and be tagged as transient.

Now, let me examine my own body, whether it is a home or an empty shell.  There is another song playing in my mind as I penned "empty shell" down.  It is a song which would divulge how many summers I have existed in this world.  For those among my age-group, I'd like you to link to this song: What Kind of Fool Am I?,  http://www.lyricstime.com/sammy-davis-jr-what-kind-of-fool-am-i-lyrics.html/.  If you are like me, who do not like to go to so many links, here is the second stanza of the song:

"What kind of man is this?
An empty shell-
A lonely cell in which
an empty heart must dwell"

Is my body housing a mind who is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit and a heart that is ruled by Jesus Christ?  Are they calling it home because I have been nurturing them?  Or are they squeezed in together with the unemptied thrash bins?  I know all the filth that I may have been stacking would never drive Jesus off my heart and my life.  He has knocked, I opened my heart's door and asked Him to come in more than two decades ago.  He came to stay even if He has to stick it out  with the evils I may have inside me.  But has it been a home for Him?

Now, that is something to reckon with and one that I have to traverse in my quest to spiritual housekeeping.  I find myself crawling and I know the journey will be long and narrow.  I am cowering and sometimes I hide under the table.  Even to this writing, I can pinpoint something that I have been struggling with.  Something that has taken hold and perhaps has become a stronghold in my life that makes me a coward to face it and deal with it.  Why did God gave me the word "housekeeping?"  Is the holy spirit groaning inside in discomfort?  He might be less empowered because of these things I am hanging on to.  An idol that is hiding behind love?

Recycle Bin

(Thanks wiki)

Is there someone out there, having a predicament like mine?  We can pray with each other and claim victory over them together.  One day I will be able to conquer it and be able to write about it in detail.  Brokenness and transparency is required to be able to declare God's Victory over our shortcomings.  My wings, will then, be no longer clipped and I could soar to the heavens.

As of today, I am writing for the sake of locating a room in my mind and in my heart that will get the top priority being scrubbed and bathed with the Living Water of Jesus.  If I were to decide, I would tackle first those that don't need high-powered detergents and cleaning acids.  Those that could only be dusted over and would shine instantly.  That would be easy.  But who knows?   I believe  it would come unbidden because God will be with me on this.

Phil 4:4-8
"Let us focus on thoughts of good report." (paraphrased)

2012 ONE WORD = HOUSEKEEPING

Image of housekeeping owned by:

(http://healing.about.com/od/chakras/a/chakra-clutter.htm)



HOUSEKEEPING

Housekeeping is the act of cleaning the rooms and furnishings of a home. It is one of the many chores included in the term housework. Housecleaning includes activities such as disposing of rubbish, cleaning dirty surfaces, dusting and vacuuming. It may also involve some outdoor chores, such as removing leaves from rain gutters, washing windows and sweeping doormats. The term is often used also figuratively in politics and business, for the removal of unwanted personnel, methods or policies in an effort at reform or improvement.^[1]

Housecleaning is done to make the home look better and be safer and easier to live in. Without housecleaning limescale can build up on taps, mold grows in wet areas, bacterial action make the garbage disposal and toilet smell and cobwebs^[2] Tools used in housecleaning include vacuum cleaners, brooms, mops and sponges, together with cleaning products such as detergents, disinfectants and bleach.

courtesy of Wikipedia

A housewife and mom scrubbing the floor:

thanks to 123RF for the image

I have been battling with this "one word," ever since it was conceived in my mind for a challenge from a friend whose blog became a source of daily encouragement.  I have meditated and it seemed God has been steering me to this word. "HOUSEKEEPING."  I joggled it in my mind, even practically chewing at it to get a foretaste.  Anyway, the length of time it took me to even write a simple introduction for this 365 day companion is a simple indication that it is only FEAR that has kept me from attacking it.  I know deep inside that this would entail a lot of work, resistance and denial.  I could not skim around it but there will be cobwebs to remove, closets to empty, rooms to sweep in all corners of my mind, soul and body.

We love to come home to a well kept home, a place to unwind and rest our weary heads.  But before we could enjoy the ambiance and comfort of a  restful sanctuary, we need to work at it.  As a middle class income earner here in our country, we seldom could fit a housekeeper's pay within the budget.  It only means that it is the duty of a mom to keep her abode neat for her own peace and to invite every member of the family to enjoy its benefits to the fullest.  Now, this physical part of housekeeping would be a million times easier than the prospect of spring cleaning my inner self. There might be unfinished businesses in my past that will surface that has to be tackled.  I would need God's grace, all the way, in this journey coupled with regular quiet moments up the mountain with God, Bible readings and a prayerful life.

Firstly, I want to thank God that I have surmounted the FEAR of raising my voice to write in my blog.  I have always been moved to write but I feel so inadequate.  I might produce thrash rather than a piece worthy to read. That could be pride, of course, hiding behind false humility.  I am grateful too for friends who are praying for me and encouraging me to write......So help me God!

Romans 6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

My life verse:

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

(image for housekeeping tools: from 123R)

one cel site: Great Projects

one cel site: Great Projects

You may find in this site a display of my scrapbook projects. The owner of the site is a friend of mine that i met in multiply. She designs layouts for Multiply and elements for digital scrapbooking.

Visit her site and find out for yourself the lovely and intricate designs she gives out as scrapbooking kits.

one cel site: Mother's Day Kit 1

one cel site: Mother's Day Kit 1