I have to write about this one quickly because it was really sort of amusing. Trash day at our house is on Monday and our street is the first one to get picked up, so if I don't put my trash out the night before or get up at 0'dark thirty to put out the trash, it doesn't get put out or picked up. Last week, we had just returned from camping and I totally forgot to put it out. As we pulled into the driveway last night, I saw the neighbors trash out and said to Joey, "Remind me to put the trash out before we go to bed," to which he replied, "Mom, put the trash out before you go to bed." Funny kid. I think he gets his sarcasm from his mom. Anyway, we unloaded the car, I got the kids into bed and guess what? You guessed it. I forgot to put the trash out.
So, this morning at 7 a.m. I was in bed doing my morning devotional where I read the Bible and then pray about what I read and the day ahead and I heard it. You know the sound. Kuchunnnng It was the sound of the trash being compacted in the truck. Then it hit me. Ohhhh Nooo!! If I don't get my trash out there, there will be three weeks worth of trash in my garage until next week decomposing, attracting flies and generally stinking up the place. I should have put the trash out last night when I first thought about it, but I got distracted and totally forgot.
So, I throw on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and run outside. I try to lift my garage door, but apparently my cousin fixed it for me when he was there last. The automatic door opener now is working, but that means I can't open the door myself, so I run through the side door and haul out as many of the smelliest, stinkiest garbage bags I can carry with my two hands. At this point, some of the bags haven't been completely tied off, some are leaking because they've been decomposing for so long and some are just plain nasty on the outside.
By now, the garbage truck is about 500 feet past my house down the street. I am holding 5 bags of various sizes running down the street barefoot toward the truck. The two workers on the end of the truck look at me and stop what they're doing and start laughing. I must have been quite a site. Trash is now streaming out a broken bag as I dash toward the truck. The workers stop laughing as I get closer and start to walk toward me. I see the reverse light of the truck come on and the workers politely apologize for missing me. I told them that it was all my fault as I should have put the trash out last night, but I didn't want the animals to get into it. (Good cover, huh?) They sweetly take my bags of trash for me and tell me to have a nice day. As I walk back toward the house, I pick up all of the trash I have dropped along the way with as much dignity as possible including some objects that really should not have been seen in the eyes of anyone other than me. (You can use your imagination on that one.)
I went back to my devotions and the Lord really used this to illustrate something in my life. I asked myself "What trash do you need to get rid of in your life and why are you holding on to it?" I can think of so many things that I'm holding on to and I just need to dispose of them. I have a tendency to harbor bitterness and anger in my heart toward people that have hurt me. That is garbage. If I don't dispose of it, it will just decompose and stink up my life. I need to give it to the Lord. He died for my sins. Bitterness toward someone else is a sin. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross not only for me, but also for those that hurt me. Who am I to hold on to that ugliness and why would I want to? It will just further stink up my life. I need to not wait. I need to dispose of it now before it pollutes my life any further. God has been so good for me and he wants my life to be filled with sweet smells, not stinking garbage. My prayer today is that God will help me take out the trash and will fill my life with His mercy and grace. I serve an awesome God!!
"He made Him whoknew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor 5:21
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