When a Hoarder Manages the Temple

I love to clean. 

You name it, I want to tidy it up. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. When others talk about their detest for bleach, I always wonder how one could live without that glorious smell. 

Through the years, I have helped many a friend straighten, polish, toss, and scrub. I secretly love the idea of a spring clean and I want summer, fall, and winter to to feel the joy of no clutter or dust. No season should be left behind. 

I also love to watch shows about cleaning. I'm always interested in some new technique, or tool which promises to get the job done in half the time. I have been caught enjoying infomercials in the middle of the night, phone in hand, poised to purchase the latest nonsense being sold. 

This blog isn't long enough for me to list all the wonderful and not so wonderful inventions that have made their way into my humble abode. 

Would you like to know a secret? In my now many years, I can tell you I have discovered the best thing is to clean your house. You. All the gadgets and gizmos cannot replace you and your favorite cleansing agent. 

One of the shows I find the hardest to watch is the one where a hoarders nightmarish world is brought to light for the world to see on display. I watch them struggle to let things go, to trust the person helping to make their lives a better place. Oh the tears which flow. I too have wiped my eyes a few times with them because it is hard for them and they are hurting. The cleansing must take place for them to live a better life. Most of the time the hoarder emerges victorious and the cameras present a beautifully clean home. Lives are changed. 

Just today, about 30 minutes ago, I realized I am a hoarder. I was sitting in my office and reading about the temple of God. Not the one He designed for all men to visit. Me. The living temple He comes to dwell in. 

For the first time, I realized when He comes to visit, I make him crawl through unmentionable things. I worry now there might not be a nice fresh smell and He likely finds it difficult to hang for long periods of time, even though He does. 

Like the hoarder, I have let too many things come into this temple and if I do not take drastic measures, I am in danger of being forever condemned and destroyed. 

My mind is full of things I should never have looked upon, dwelt on, or listened too. No matter how hard I may try, these things are in the attic, creating dust and mites and who knows what else. 

The master's bedroom (my heart) is so cluttered and broken, there are days when I don't even open the door anymore. Too much going on in there and even though I want to go in and rest, I can't because there are too many things which must be removed. Oh the struggle. I don't want to let them go!!

I have such a struggle with food, that I stuff it and store it in every corner of me. I hate it. I look around and I know it's too full. I know I must have mold and I worry the temple is starting to rot in certain places, but I can't seem to be willing to clean it out and put the not needed items in the dumpster. 

It's time for me to call the station. 

I have to be willing to let The Professional come in and do the work He needs to do. I need to let Him tell me what needs to go and I have to say, "okay. That can go." 

I need all of me to be a Temple where my Jesus can reign. Comfortably. Happily. 

I want Him to mention to the Angels when He comes back from my house about how nice the visit was and about how He's going to spend tomorrow with me too. 

I have tried all kinds of gimmicks to clean my body out. Relaxation. Diets. Cleanses. So far they haven't worked because I'm still saying "no, that has to stay." 

Today, I'm putting myself on the world Tele. I have a problem. I'm struggling. I'm weeping because it's just so hard. The Master is here and we're going to start the process. I want to cobwebs to be replaced with the shine. I am ready for the heavenly bleach. I want you to watch because I hope one day you look in my direction you will see the wonderful light of the Savior beaming through the cracks in me. 


I Corinthians 3:16-17
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.