"Mostly clean" or "Mostly dirty", It's All In The Perspective!

I thought we were done unpacking from our vacation. I found this backpack on the floor yesterday though.

It belongs to my 14 year old son. I asked him, "Is there any dirty laundry in that bag because I'm trying to wash another load?"

He replied, "well, they're mostly clean or I guess they're mostly dirty now."

I give him a big smirky grin with a question mark wrapped up inside. He is great at giving me these types of answers.

 ""Mostly clean" or "mostly dirty", huh? Which is it?" I ask.

"Mommy, (yes, he still calls me "Mommy") you know at camp we wear our clothes more than once, so those are my clothes that I wore, so they're dirty, but they're in there because they're mostly clean. But now we're home, yeah, they need to be washed, so they're mostly dirty!" He gives me a big sheepish smile and shrug of his shoulders. 

What more explanation does a mom need?

He told me the truth. 

The clothes ARE mostly clean...

and yet mostly dirty.

I thought later, isn't that like our Christian walk with God. We get up in the morning with a fresh air of expectation for the new day. "Today I'm going to be a better listener!" As I go about the day, taking time to listen to each of my children, it becomes more work than fun. I begin to slip into the place where I am "mostly clean" in my own good intentions, but I am still "mostly dirty", acting without thinking out of selfishness and quick, thoughtless remarks that cut my children's souls to pieces.

So I seek God's forgiveness and ask Him to make me clean. I don't want to be "mostly clean", and especially not "mostly dirty". I don't think God likes fence sitters. I am reminded how God spoke to His church in Laodicea, it is written in Revelation 3:15-16;

 "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

So I'm soaking up the truths of God's Word. Learning some great stuff on humility and being a "bridge builder" for a new Christian friend of mine. Praying HARD for new direction for my husband, reading a book on "Growing Great Kids" (review to follow soon), and just trying to soak up all the moments I have with my kids while they are still mine to care for, including washing the dirty laundry (that's both "mostly clean" and "mostly dirty" at the same time!). It's all in the perspective!

Here is my son at camp showing off his bird he is training!

I love this kid!