Sparkling Portions

I am not especially known for being Suzy Homemaker...though I do try in spits and starts at times. Over the past few weeks, I had been saving some savory Facebook suggestions regarding dishes made with pumpkin. I love pumpkin! I had also saved a homemade window cleaning recipe and tip. So yesterday, in a spurt of domesticity, I went shopping for window squeegees and pumpkin recipe supplies.

The window cleaner is made of vinegar, corn starch, and water. I whipped up a batch of that while my pumpkin cheesecake was in the oven baking. Talk about conflicting scents! I had leftover pumpkin, so ground some grain, and made up a pumpkin bread recipe. I put that in my bread machine and turned it on. I didn't measure or follow a recipe for that one. I just used my intuition. (Take note of that last sentence and plop it up against the first sentence of the blog. This is what is called "foreshadowing" in the literary world.)

I wasn't perhaps quite as careful as I should have been with measurements for my window cleaner either...just dumped a bunch of cornstarch in and hoped it was right. Then I took my homemade cleaner and my new window squeegee and headed to the sunroom. The sunroom is huge, about 23 by 15 feet, and two sides of it are solid windows. I have cleaned those windows before in the past ten years...but it may be telling that I cannot recall when exactly that might have been. So while the scent of pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin bread was obliterated by the stronger scent of vinegar, I cleaned those massive windows with a vengeance. I had to call in the reserves to finish the outside of four of the windows. Part of the super stupendous window cleaning tip was to wipe away streaks with balled up newspaper. I could not believe it, but that actually worked! My arms felt like wet noodles when I finally completed the task.

The pumpkin cheesecake was perfect. It may be my new favorite recipe and something I can trot out when company comes. If they only stay one day, they will think I am an accomplished cook. BUT even more amazing, the windows sparkled! The whole day gave me a feeling of great satisfaction.

However, the longer I sat in the sunroom admiring my work, the more steaks and missed spots I noticed. A thin streak of cornstarch spotted here and there. I guess I should have been more careful with my measurements. As the afternoon sun backlit the windows, I began to fear they were not any cleaner than when I had started. At least the pumpkin bread, still baking smelled perfect. But those streaks on the window.....the dirt and grime was gone but were they really any clearer than when I started? In reality, I knew they must be, but once the bar is raised, it is easier to see where one falls short.

I have noticed this tendency in my walk with God as well. I really was a much more wretched, sinful person before I knew God, but my conscience rarely accused me. Now that I am a believer, every imperfection in my character is glaring and tormenting. Once the bar is raised, it is easier to see where one falls short.

Still, I don't think God wants us to wallow in despair over how far we are from perfection. I think that is a trap of Satan. I think perhaps God would want us to rejoice in how far we have come, and trust Him for the perfecting.

The pumpkin bread was a complete disaster. No self-delusion there. It fell out of the pan in gooey clumps, mingled with dry powder. Oh well. The cheesecake was heavenly. One complete success out of three. So I sat in my sunroom, munching pumpkin cheesecake, as the sun splashed across the newly cleaned windows. I tried very hard to focus on the spots that were perfectly streak free and sparkling.

****************
He did this to dedicate the church to God by his word, after making it clean by washing it in water, in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty — pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection. (Ephesians 5:26, 27 GNB)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (1 Peter 1:18, 19, 22 KJV)



-save a dog- hollowcreekfarm.org
http://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Kaseorg/e/B006XJ2DWU