| MURKY WATERS OR FREEDOM IN TRUTH? I have learned much from other sisters in the Lord and one of them is how to be frugal in the home. Like many of you ~ I am learning to cut costs in the grocery and home supplies department. One of the changes I have made is which type of soap we use for dishwashing. At the same time, I am concentrating on using soaps with minimum chemicals, as everything we use that touches our skin soaks into our skin and finally ends up in our blood stream. With this in mind, we have scoured the supermarket shelves for soaps; not only bath and body, but for a multitude of tasks within the home. We have found one which is similar to the old Sunlight Soap that we used as children both in England and South Africa. We use it for bathing, showering, hair washing, as well as dish-washing. (My sweet mom used to wash her hair with similar soap as a young woman, too!). Another factor which prompted us to search for a mild soap is the fact that our dishwasher has broken down ("one of my servants are sick", as Laine would probably say!). I suspect the faulty dishwasher to be the result of blocked pipes ~ one of those intrinsic challenges to an old home and country life. Cold weather ~ blocked pipes. Many people say that the country life is the 'simpler life'. By far ~ it is not! Ha! There is something to do, fix, cook, attend to ~ all the time. But, nevertheless, we are blessed to be here. I digress...... Standing at the kitchen sink, having used our trusty hand-grater to grate the soap directly into hot water, and donned with a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves, I began the task of washing our dishes. Aaahh... memories! This is one of our busiest times, and this particular 'servant' would have been greatly appreciated. But, dear sisters ~ if our attitudes are in top form, and there is a delight in the simple, mundane tasks of our lives, would the little problems like this build up and add to a whole cart load of woes? Would we become bitter and frustrated, as we do? Would this add to the stress in our lives, resulting in sick bodies? My attitude is not always in top form. It is not always a healthy attitude. In fact, I have to make a conscious effort to change it, for I know that many times a healthy attitude equals a healthy body. Physically. I pray that the Lord will forever be whispering to me to change my attitude. I pray that He will forever prick my conscience to do right. As one load of dishes were washed, the water was murky, and grease 'slithers' floated on top. There was still a pile of dishes to be washed, screaming for attention. I pulled out the kitchen sink plug, and the water started to run down the drain, as Andre walked into the kitchen. "I find that with this new soap, the water needs changing more often", I commented to him. He smiled, and I knew that he wasn't that interested in the ups and downs of kitchen chores. "The dishwashing liquid we used to buy smelt good, and produced lots of bubbles, but you know ~ this would still be the state of the water underneath. This is what I would have been washing the pots in", I continued. Again, Andre smiled. "You're right, doll, that's exactly how it would have been" "It makes me think of how we are. We love our senses to be pampered. We love wonderful smells. We love the feel of softness and bubbles. We love to see 'clean' water. But what of underneath all that? What is the reality of the situation?" I could see that Andre was thinking about this. "Would you like a cup of tea?" he asked. "Are you able to sit a while with me, or are you on the run?" "I'm on the run, but we can talk more later. You're right, Doll" he finished, as cup in hand he walked out the door. Just this little example, washing dishes at the sink, makes me think of human nature. How much we are taken in by how much some situation or somebody appeals to us. Oh, how I desire the wisdom to see what's really 'underneath', as I believe that whats underneath is freeing. The truth is freeing. It's always freeing. If we know the truth about a situation or a person, surely we can, with the help from the Lord, deal with it. Or deal with the person, whatever the case. Dear sisters, please don't be afraid of the truth. Don't let the truth hurt your feelings. Don't let the truth make the hairs on your neck stand up, ready for attack or defence, due to foolish pride. I have done this, and where did I end up? Nowhere! It is fruitless behaviour. Always seek what is true, what is reality. And remember ~ think 'real', not 'ideal'. With love in Christ, Helen |