Jesus is cleaning my house today.
At first glance most people would think this article
would be about a figurative "house cleaning" but as I am writing this I am actually being
blessed by having a house cleaner at my house today.
Her name is "Angelica" and she is more "Angelic"
than even I could have ever known, but this story starts several days ago.
On Monday night I had a very hard time falling asleep. Our basset hound, Cookie, was whimpering around midnight. I wasn't sure what she needed. I made sure she had water and even put a few
treats in her bowl (a really bad habit to get into I know) but I wasn't sure
what she was upset about. Finally she
calmed down but by then I was exhausted and ready to sleep. I had almost fallen asleep when I heard what
distinctly sounded like a doorbell ringing.
It is midnight! Who could be
ringing the doorbell this at this hour?
But then my logical part of my brain informed me that it didn't sound
like our doorbell. Strange. Maybe God was trying to tell me something
then? Lately I have been having some visions that have been very encouraging, some seem more real than
others, and most are almost like dreams. I like to joke that some
people God can speak directly to but I need a "picture book!" So after hearing the doorbell I thought, I
guess I should answer it! In my mind I
walked to the door and opened it to see who was there. When I opened it, there He was! Jesus was standing on the other side of the
door with a broom and a bucket and he had a huge smile on His face! Now that is strange, and certainly the last
thing I expected to see! What could it
mean? I drifted off to sleep as I was
pondering that thought.
The next day I was still thinking about the strange picture of
Jesus I had the night before and trying to come up with an interpretation. Maybe there were things Jesus needed to
"clean up" in my life? I am
sure we all have things so I needed to pray about them and see. I do struggle with cleanliness. My Mom used to always say, "Cleanliness
is next to Godliness." I was
shocked, but actually very relieved, to later learn that wasn't even a Bible
verse! What a relief because I would
never be "godly" if outward cleanliness was a requirement. But I could certainly use help in
organizing. But maybe it was deeper than
just outward cleanliness? Worry
perhaps? I do worry, especially now that
I have a daughter at a private Christian university. The cost is enough to keep me up at night.. Granted, God has been so faithful so far to
provide in unexpected ways. He gives us
"our daily bread" as His Word says.
I am learning to rest in that, but it isn't something that comes easy to
me. What other things could be cleaned
out? Envy perhaps? Maybe some anger, pride, impatience? The list goes on. Perhaps Jesus shouldn't have been smiling
then if there were such things to clean out of my heart. But He does discipline those He loves. Sigh.
I read the Bible and then prayed for God to clean out whatever He willed. Thank you Jesus for loving me enough to
correct whatever it is that needs correction and to continuously help weed out
things in my life.
I figured that was all He was trying to show me, until the doorbell
actually rang! I was about to leave the
house to go work out at the gym. My friend had asked me to go meet her there
and I really wanted to say no to the gym, but I figured it might be another way that the
Holy Spirit was trying to help me "clean up" a bit with some self
discipline in the area of exercise. I
went to the door thinking it was an Amazon package perhaps, my husband's
favorite way to shop now, or perhaps some Jehovah's Witnesses? When I go to the door I was surprised to see
someone I hadn't seen in over 5 years!
It was my old housekeeper. Her
name is "Angelica." We had to
let her go when our youngest daughter was involved in gymnastics. With
her success in the sport the cost per month had put a huge dent in our budget
and we needed to cut anything that was considered a "luxury." As the years went on, it was hard to justify
the cost of a housekeeper and expenses just kept growing as it does.
I asked Angelica how she was doing. She said she was fine but she was looking for
more work. Many of her clients had left
because they couldn't pay for her services as they had children in
college. I was about to tell her we
couldn't afford her either for the same reason but I remembered my strange
dream/vision I had a couple nights earlier.
I told her I would talk to my husband and let her know. I took her card. I watched her drive away in a car that looked
like it had seen better days. Was Jesus
trying to tell me to get a housekeeper?
That night over dinner I told my family the strange story
and coincidence. Both my husband and
daughter agreed that Jesus was totally right.
I was in desperate need of help! They
were halfway joking, but my husband agreed it wasn't something to ignore. I told him that I thought at first the vision
was just Jesus telling me to "clean out" some issues in my life but
then the coincidence of my old house cleaner showing up was just too strange. If Jesus wanted to provide a house cleaner than
who am I to stop Him! I called Angelica that night. She sounded so excited to work for me again. Although I am not sure that spending the
extra amount per month makes any sense right now, I just have to trust that God
will provide as He always does and He always has. With the vision in my mind, it really feels like I am giving Jesus the job, as strange as that may sound, since He was the one at my door and she is the Angel that was provided.
My friend called me shortly after I got off the phone
with Angelica. I told her about the
strange vision and that I had hired a housekeeper because of it. She then asked
if I wanted to go to the gym the next day.
I said jokingly, "Only if I have a vision of Jesus showing up at my
door with a treadmill!"
