Lent 11 Preparing the house

I spent all day yesterday frantically sorting and rearranging in preparation for the estate agent coming later today.  We have been trying to get the house ready for putting on the market - but there is so much to be done.  We have lived here for 16 years and in that time carpets have become shabby, paintwork has got chipped, things have broken and not been fixed and jobs which got started and never finished are now yelling out to be done.

I was thinking as I was moving furniture against the newly painted walls last night  that it's ironic that most often we only get a place just exactly perfect about ten minutes before we move out!!  And that got me thinking that mostly our lives are like that too.  We spend years letting things get a bit shabby and worn out.  Things get broken and faded and tatty but we sort of  live with them because we either dont really notice after a while, or we are too preoccupied to sort it out.  And then we reach the end of our lives and we realise we have a heap of things to sort out.  Relationships to mend.  Bucket lists to tick off, things to tell our nearest and dearest....... if we get the chance

But of course we might not get the chance.  Because none of us knows the day or the time we might suddenly take our last breath.  So the thought for the day is this..... if we were living every day as though it were our last how differently would we be living?   I was so inspired by my friend Angie as she lived in the shadow of her impending death.   She stayed positive, kept laughing, pushed herself to do things and make memories with her kids, made an album of legacy music......  she got her house in order so that when it was time to move on she was ready.   I want to be like that - even without a terminal diagnosis.   let's face it, we all have a terminal diagnosis.   its just that most of us presume weve got another thirty years.  Or more.     But the reality is we might only have 3 years.  or 30 days.  or 30 minutes.

I once knew someone who insisted on hoovering the whole house before she went out anywhere ' in case the Lord comes back whilst Im out'  :)    Never did quite understand the logic of that as Im pretty sure the Lord isnt going to be much interested in the state of our physical houses when He returns.   But then again, maybe Im wrong there - perhaps I should be dusting under the bed as well as dealing with unforgiveness and repenting of my sins!!!

Tell you one thing though.  Can't wait to move to my mansion with Jesus.  There wont be any dust ( cos there is no decay) so no cleaning.  Hooray!  Just an eternity to rule and reign with Him.  And all the preparation He asks of us here on earth is only so that we are ready for that responsibility when we get to heaven.   So I guess Id better get my house in order.......