For those of us that live up North, SPRING has just arrived! Up North- I think the most accurate term is the Midwest, which doesn’t compute with me considering if I go much further North I need a passport, but whatever…. Just so happy Spring is here.

I must say, coming from the South there are many things I miss being up North like sweet tea, southern hospitality, family and friends, church culture, and the FOOD!! “Can’t nobody do food like southern folk.” MMmmm…

Now what was I saying?? Oh, I remember, but what I don’t miss from the South is the heat and humidity. No thank you! I don’t like to sweat or glisten. Therefore, the North agrees with me climate wise.

Enough about me, I want to talk about  spring cleaning and weeds….

Yes, I said spring has just arrived here, let me do the math for you, that’s 6 months of winter! When I think of winter I think about hibernation and dormancy, while it’s cold outside and were all snuggled in our houses trying to keep warm there are things, stuff lurking beneath the surface, in the dark corners of our life just waiting for a little warmth and sunlight to be shone on them. Dirty little dust bunnies just hoping to stay unnoticed a little longer so they can grow….It’s like the weeds growing in my yard right now…

Over the winter the yard has just been doing it’s yard thing (don’t ask me, because I can’t explain it), winter has covered the area and cold temps have kept me from noticing, in my hibernation, the weeds that have taken hold in my yard right in front of my eyes!  It’s like, one day everthing is beginning to brighten up outside, warmer days are approaching, and then I notice them. WEEDS!! Everywhere!! Stuff growing in places it’s not supposed to. It’s as if they weren’t there and then, the next day they were!!

At this point, I have 2 options. Let them stay and continue to get bigger, stronger, and spread until everything around them is 

being affected OR go after those weeds with everything I’ve got!! Stop letting those weeds contaminate the ground, choking out the healthy grass and plants around them, spreading more and more everyday until all that can be seen are the weeds. It’s time to pull out all the stops and ATTACK!!

From my experience, weeds don’t like to go without a fight! However, what those weeds fail to realize is that I’m gonna win this battle!! I’ve armed myself with all the necessary weaponry needed for this encounter. I’ve got sprays, powders, spades, racks and a spray gun. I’m armed and dangerous (made myself giggle)!! I’ve got big plans for the farm yard and garden, those weeds are a nuesance and in the way!!

I realized something as I observed these weeds, before I went all, “go big or go home” on them, which became my motivation for attack, was that these weeds and dust bunnies can represent things in our own lives that we have allowed to stay to long. Things that like to choke out the good in our lives. They usually start out small and we just shrug it off not thinking much about it until it becomes so big we can’t ignore it anymore, and this is where we find ourselves in the valley of decesion and have to ask ourselves a couple of question. Do I want to allow these weeds and dust bunnies to grow bigger and What can I do get rid of these weeds and dust bunnies?  The thing about weeds and dust bunnies is that they like to come back again, and again, and again. So, we must come up with a plan of action to continuously be on guard against things that we allow to creep into our lives that are unhealthy and distract us from the life we were meant to live.

Now that winter (dormancy) is gone and spring (new life) is here let’s reflect…. What are the new healthy habits you need to create. What spring cleaning do you need to do and get rid of the dormant and dead things in your life?

I’m reminded of a scripture out of Psalms(51:10) that reads, “Create in me a clean heart, oh God and renew a right spirit within me.” Make this your prayer,every day. I know that it can seem overwhelming to try this “spring cleaning” thing on your own, but you are not alone. It’s time to live, it’s spring afterall!!  It’s time to open the windows and let the SON shine in!! This is the perfect time for a clean start!!