Spring-Cleaning

Summertime fun with the cousins, 1990s

“Dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” (2 Cor. 7:1 NLT)

       When our children were adolescents, we made the family decision to do some “house cleaning”: remove all TV shows and movies that used the Lord’s name in vain.

       That school year ended and in waltzed the free, straw-hat days of summer when our kids ran around the yard instead of running to the school bus and studied stars and lightning bugs instead of ABCs and 1,2,3s.

       When cousins came for a visit, we planned a fun, family movie night to see “Apollo 13”. At the theater, the kids high-tailed it toward the front seats, distancing themselves by several rows from the parents. About halfway through the story, it happened – our Lord’s name was used in vain.

       With no prompting, all three of our children immediately stood up and walked out of the auditorium, followed by my husband and me. It made a mama proud!

       I encourage you to take a good look at your family. Do you need to do some spring-cleaning?

“…the blood of Jesus…cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:7-9 NLT)