Spilt Glow

We've all heard of split milk. Well, what about spilt glow. That is, Orange Glow the cleaner. A couple weeks ago, I walked out of my house via the laundry room and into the garage. I heard a bang when I closed the door but thought nothing of it. I assumed something had fallen from the laundry shelf onto the washer or dryer. As I returned, I saw it was not just nothing. A bottle of Orange Glow cleaner had fallen but it landed in just the right spot as to break the neck. (Much like our fragile bodies landing just in the wrong place causing fatalities.) So, I picked it up. The solution had not yet run out of the bottle, too much. I disposed of the sprayer top and neck and placed the bottle on the dryer. When I got time, I'd just buy an empty squirt bottle and transfer the solution. Great idea, huh?

Fast forward a few days and I'm doing laundry and somehow, some way, at some time the bottle tips over and splashes all over the dryer. Great. Lovely. I "just happened" to have a hand towel on the dryer. What better thing to use to clean it up. Next thing I know, I'm wiping down the both the washer and dryer. You know how that dust likes to collect. How often do we clean the control panel of our clothing machines? But, mine now sure looks good. I took this towel with the good smelling orange glow on it and proceeded to the master bathroom. I wiped down my gunky countertop.

I pondered on this. Many times (too many times, right?) our milk gets spilt, life happens, disasters come, pain infuses. God tells us we will incur trials and to be prepared. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2 [emphasis mine]

Did you catch that? It says whenever, not if you face trials. And, it does not say when we face that one isolated trial over the span of our 80 years. No, it will be many trials and of different kinds. Financial, emotional, relational, physical. Game's on. Door's open. If we are breathing, we would be wise to expect trials and try as we might to embrace them. (Preaching to myself too.)

So, what do we do when our milk spills and we now have a mess? We scoop the milk into the cat's bowl. What do we do when our Orange Glow spills and we have a mess? We wipe down the washer and dryer and anything in sight dirty. What do we do when our life is a mess, our heart is breaking, and trials persist at every turn? We take heart...I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 [emphasis mine]

We make the best of our spilt milk or spilt glow. We use what we can of the spilt and make the mess somehow, some way worth while. Use the spilt milk, use the spilt glow, use the time waiting, use the pain, use the trials. Stretch, grow, glow.

Spilling that orange glow and then just instantly beginning to clean the washer and dryer, seemed so logical and natural to me. I thought how I wished it was that easy in my waiting, my pain, my trials, my life. I wish I could pick up the pieces more eloquently, more gracefully, more gratefully. I wish I seemed more useful, effective, and purposeful with my time and life while on this path. Living with intent....hmmm.

I'm trying with all my might. I think. I hope...God only knows that. There's a hole in my heart and my human flesh and spirit want and try to fill that hole. Yet at the same time, I try to enhance and focus on the areas surrounding the hole. Making use of my life and the orange glow and milk that did not spill and escape the container. Inevitably with every spill of milk, or orange glow, there should be some liquid remaining in the container. There is still life in my life. There is still purpose in my life. There is still reason in my life. There is still opportunity to grow for Him, in Him, and with Him.

Thank You, Lord, for my spilling my Orange Glow. Thank You for showing me the need and necessity to use it all...what's left in the container and what's spilt on the dryer. You are using my whole life, my whole heart. You are the one to fill my hole and use my hole. Keep me focused on You and the life still remaining in my bottle.

I don't know what those reading this rambling of my heart are experiencing. May you gleam from my spilt glow. May you recognize the glow and milk still in your bottle. May God grant you the ability, power, and desire to use the split glow in your life.

Trying to Glow and Grow from my Spills,

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Enjoy the picture of stolen day lillies.
(Mine didn't look as good so I snapped a picture of my neighobor's...just a few feet from me.)