A smelly afternoon

Yesterday as I ran frantic around the house trying to tie-up last minute chores before our youth-group's sleepover, I heard Kyla crying as she woke from her afternoon nap.   I don't know about you - but I usually let her cry a bit while I attempt to finish the last cleaning project I've started.  I'm normally a softy when it comes to her cry, but rarely in cleaning mode. 

With the bathroom thoroughly cleansed, I trudged up the stairs to retrieve my crying daughter.

Door opens.

Smells overwhelm me. 

Eyes adjust.

Catastrophe ensues.

Kyla was standing there in her crib, naked as the day she came into the world, with a big grin on her face.  Not just any grin.  But, the kind of grin that is caked in poo.  You can see where I'm going with this...

My daughter had managed to figure out that only Velcro flaps were keep her from cloth-diaper freedom.  She had taken it off and poo-ed all over the bed sheets, blankets (three!), her precious stuffed seal...and then had (probably laughing glee-fully at this point) smeared it all over the sides of the crib and almost every body part she could find. 

Anger.

Panic.

And then, I called in for reinforcements:

"TREAVOR!"

While I scrubbed my daughter fiercely in a sudsy warm bath, Treavor dutifully scrubbed the bed with disinfectant and hosed it down outside.  I love my husband.  He is my superhero.

As I managed to remove all remnants of this incident from Kyla's person, I thought of this analogy and it made me sing God's praises:  Was I going to let my daughter wallow in her filth?  Was I just going to hand her a washcloth and baby soap and expect her to do it herself?  NO!  Because I love her, I forgave her, washed her clean and reassured her of my love for her. 

Just like my 10 month old, WE cannot wash ourselves clean of the filth that surrounds our lives.  Our hearts.  Our minds.  Our motives. 

Only our Heavenly Father can truly wash us clean.  He doesn't expect us to be able to do it ourselves.  He forgives us.  And he takes extra care to completely rid us of the effects of our sin. 

Praise God.  I am washed clean today by the blood of Jesus!  I am washed clean today by His word!  His Living Water refreshes me and refreshes others! 

You are clean today if you believe by faith.  Like Kyla (Hallelujah!).  Our God is a good Father who doesn't leave us to ourselves, but is diligent to lead us and take care of our every need.