Junk in Da Trunk

Have you ever been behind someone riding down the road, minding their own business, you minding your own business and you wonder...what kind of junk do they have in their trunk? I know what's in mine...2 empty water bottles, my mini Christmas tree sans decorations (from work) and a box of decorations for...da da da da...the mini Christmas tree. But there have been times that I couldn't have inventoried my trunk that easily or quickly. How about you? Do you have an old Happy Meal box that you chucked into the trunk one day when you were hurriedly "cleaning out the car" to get it washed? (Admit it, we have all found a petrified chicken nugget and/or fry at some point in our cars before). How about an old set of golf clubs or maybe papers and assorted "junk" that you just never think to clean out? I've been there...heck, I normally stay there. But that's just me.

I was riding down 85 the other day and got behind an old Buick with the back end weighted down by Heaven only knows what (and I honestly do not WANT to know what) and I thought, man, He got some junk in da trunk! I laughed out loud as I passed by him (afterall, someone with that much junk in the trunk drives a little slower than the rest of the population!). And all of this made me think. How much junk do I have in my "proverbial" trunk? You know...the old ticker, the heart, and my mind as well. How often to I do a "spring cleaning' of my heart and mind? How often to you?

I feel like I should first post this disclaimer...if I were following the idea first presented in Romans 12, I would be transformed daily by a renewing of my mind (check it out, it really says that!). But I fall short sometimes, letting the outside world creep in. You know a certain song makes you think a certain way...or not being in His Word leads us to seek other ways to be fulfilled...tv, books, music...stuff that fills a little space, but not all the spaces in between. Talking to God, just having daily conversations with Him, renews us as well. But often we feel unworthy or ashamed to talk to Him, simply not good enough. Or even worse, we simply don't talk to Him because we don't take the time.

So since sometimes I fall short of God's desires for me, I have to do a cleaning of my "proverbial" trunk. I sit and talk, really talk to God...but I listen too. I listen and read about His wants and desires and think about how much His desires for me really ultimately trump the world's desires for me. I get away from the shows on TV that put the wrong ideas into my head and stay away from the music that leads me in the wrong direction. I put down the books that aren't centered on Him and I look straight ahead to what God sees as my fulfilled life. And I like what I see. We often think that the great shows on TV aren't "that bad" and look past the sexual immorality, foul language and immoral crap they portray as normal life. We don't realize how that makes us feel, deep down. Makes us question our own beauty, gives us complexities in life that God does not intend for us. It makes us jealous for more out of this life, often that "more" is something not intended for us.

God intends for us to live our lives junkless. Or just less junk. The more focused we are on Him daily, the less junk we have to clean out later. His promises are enough for us...are more than enough for us. How much junk do you have in your trunk? Is it time to start cleaning...and get focused on the One that paid the ultimate sacrifice to make us clean?

Do you ever have one of those days where God just grabs you by the heart and won't let go? I had one this week. I love those days! It starts out first thing in the morning...nothing really felt any different..until I caught a glimpse of my sweet husband creeping out the door to let the dog out...creeping so he wouldn't wake us up...and I thought, man, I am so blessed to have a husband that will get up while it's still dark, work hard all day and come home - you got it, once it's dark again. All for his family. And I say a quick prayer of thanks to God for making this man just for me - I mean, can you imagine? Before I was conceived He had already put Paul on this earth...to be my husband! And my heart swells and it was honestly like God said...you're welcome :) So I'm in a pretty good mood, right? Let's progress...I finish my hair and decide it's time to go get the morning monster, Gracie, up. As sweet and precious as my sweet girl is, she is NOT a morning kind of girl (she gets it honest from her Mommy!). I find her in the living room, dressed, with hair brushed and shoes on! My first instinct was to ask her, "who are you, and what have you done with the real Gracie?". But before I can ask, she says, "I thought it would be nice for you if you didn't have to drag me out of bed today Mommy", so again, I say a prayer of thanks to God for my beautiful girl, and for Him laying it on her hear to get up and get ready for school on her on...to make my life a little easier today. And honestly, again, it was like He said...you're welcome. I realize, in an instant, this is one of those days. I begin to look forward to these constant reminders He is giving me of His love for me :)

I take Gracie to school, with some of our favorite praise and worship music blaring. Her particular favorite is anything by Barlow Girl, so we rock it out with the B Girls. Hey, anything to keep her listening to the good stuff, right?? I drop her off in the circle at school (after many, many, many butterfly kisses and few sloppy cheeky kisses) and I head off to work. On my way, I change from the cd to the radio...and the song, How He Loves Us, by the David Crowder band (you may be listening to it now if your sound is turned up!) came on. I just got lost in the words. In the meaning. Driving south on I-85 I could feel my Creator's love in a way that is not describable with words. How do you begin to describe that feeling of being pulled into the Father's lap, and being loved supernaturally? He began to show me, in so many ways, how He loves me...the good, the bad and the ugly. Instead of feeling less than worthy and despicable (how can I NOT be despicable in His sight?) He allows me to see that He loves me inspite of myself. He loves me unconditionally in such a way that I could never possibly deserve. Grace. Grace is such a beautiful, unmeasurable gift that I am thankful for always.

So on this day, God took me by the heart, straight out of the box and never let go. There are days that I feel like I fight all day long. There are days that, while I know God is there and I talk to Him periodically, I still feel at a distance. And then there are so many days that I feel so less than worthy that I don't feel capable of approaching Him (but I still do!). And then there was this day, that He loved me and held me and filled my heart with His Holy Spirit. And I was thankful.