“Preparing House and Heart”

   With our immediate family living in Michigan and the grandchildren growing up at ‘warp speed,’ Al and I have been talking for quite some time about the idea of selling our house and relocating closer to them. Recently many of our friends have pulled up roots in their hometowns and moved to a different area or a new state for the same reason—grandkids! This has made it an easier decision for us, especially in seeing that it isn’t an impossible task, daunting maybe, but not impossible.

   While in Michigan over the Thanksgiving holiday, we decided to do a bit of house-hunting in order to see what was available in communities close to where our daughter, Shanda and her family live. There were a couple of houses which definitely fit our wish list. The woman who showed us around was encouraging. “Do whatever you have to do to be close to your family,” she advised.

   After much prayer and many more conversations we decided to put our Springville home on the market. Four days after returning from Michigan, a realtor came to help us list our house. When we first talked with her, she recommended taking down about half of the pictures on the walls and little mementoes around the house, packing them into boxes and storing them away. She told us that it would help prospective buyers visualize how their own pictures and furniture would look in the house.  We discovered that to be true after visiting a few houses in the suburbs of Detroit.

    Four days to “declutter” our own home before listing it seemed like enough time; however it turned out to take longer than expected. Instead of being decorated for the holidays, the house looked bare, with just one little angel magnet tucked in the corner of the refrigerator, a Christmas candle on the coffee table and an arrangement of poinsettias on the dining room table. No tree this year! 

   When the “walk through” with the realtor was completed and many photos had been taken, our friend headed home to fix dinner for her family. We breathed a sigh of relief thinking that once the house was put on the market, things would settle down and life would go back to normal. Surely not that many people would be house hunting in the winter, would they?

   That’s why we were surprised when the phone rang later that evening. It was our sweet realtor calling back.  She wanted to know if someone in her office could show the house at noon the next day. The “For Sale” sign hadn’t even been put up yet! Well, at least we hadn’t cluttered the house too much and it was reasonably clean.

    The telephone rang two more times after that. “I’ll bet you’re tired of hearing from me!” she said. In all three appointments were scheduled for the next day!  I was so glad that the house was ready, well almost ready!

   Thinking about decluttering and preparing the house reminds me of another place that needs the same treatment…my heart! Selfishness, anxiety, worry and a strong desire to be in control have cluttered my heart recently. Sins have a way of creeping in and taking over, don’t they? May we take this time before Christmas to confess wrong attitudes and actions, so that we might be able to celebrate Christ’s birth with joy. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”

   Dear Father, help us to prepare our hearts during this holy season so that Jesus might find a welcome place in which to dwell. Remove the sins which clutter our souls and separate us from You. Please forgive, cleanse and make us whole again. We pray in His name, Amen.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139: 23 NIV

“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” Matthew 3:3b NIV