After the storm - Cleaning windows

The day after the storm was a perfect day to wash my windows.  Can I even say that?  Can you use the word "perfect" and "washing windows" in the same sentence?  Who likes to clean windows??  But there was no breeze and it was a nice and crisp day.

And my windows were really needing a cleaning.  

With company coming both Wednesday and Thursday evening, that was pretty much the motivation I needed.  I am not a neat freak but the windows were spotty and dirty.   When you have people over, you have them over to have fun together, not to impress them about your house!

I can still remember before I had children that a friend told me she felt intimidated having me come to her house.  She had a toddler and her house, she felt, was always messy.  I didn't have children at that time and when I cleaned, it stayed that way for a long time.  I assured her that I didn't care.

I once had cleaned the house before my friends came over for Bible study.  As we were visiting, I noticed a big dust web hanging down from the ceiling.  I just had to laugh!  So, would you bring it to everyone's attention, or be so embarressed that you would just be silent and hope no one saw it?

I love these new windows that I can clean from inside.  When we lived in another neighborhood, my neighbor and I helped eachother clean windows.  We had those old fashioned kind that are so hard to clean.  

She would do the inside of her house while I was outside and we worked on the windows together. Then she'd come to my house and I'd do the inside windows and she'd do the outside.  This way we could tell eachother if we'd see streaks.

I don't use fancy store-bought window cleaner.  I find that even if it says "streak-free", it isn't!  My wise, older friends have told me just a dot of Dawn and vinegar in water is all that is needed.  Wash down the window and wipe with a lint free cloth.

See the difference??

And so clear now to see outside!

Cleaning windows means cleaning the blinds too.

Not the most fun thing in the world.

Why does dust have to collect like it does?

 

I climbed the ladder and realized that I'd left my phone inside.

At my age, if I'm climbing a ladder, it is a good thing to have my phone on me so that if I fall and break a hip, I can call for help!  I know someone that happened to and it was hours before someone found her.   

So I put my phone in my hip pocket while I climbed up to do this window.

 

Loving the clean windows!

As I was cleaning, I got to thinking, Who is it that does the washing of the windows?  Can the window wash itself?  Does it strain and grunt to keep itself clean?  Of course not.  On its own, the window can't be clean.

Often people try so hard to be good (clean) people.  They feel that if they can just be clean enough, that God will accept them.  But God accepts us "while we are still sinners", while we are just "dirty windows".   It is His job to clean us up and He did it through the cross.  That isn't to say that we aren't to live clean lives.  But we can't get clean enough except through Christ.

"You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to a new heaven and a new earth - the day of God......In keeping with His promise we are looking forward to this home of righteousness.  So then dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him."  1 Peter 3:11-14

Ephesians 5:25-27 teaches that the result of the sacrificial death of Christ for us is 'to make her holy, cleansing her … and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.' This is the effect of Christ's death, not the effect of any striving on my part.   

He sees us as already clean when we look to Him to be our "window washer"!

Let His light shine through!