Soul scrub
Isn’t life busy! Between work, kids, housework, cooking, cleaning, running messages, doing homework, trying to eat healthily and have some recreation time, I can safely say that my life is pretty busy. Heck that sentence itself is busy!
I had a conversation about this with a dear friend who talked about how so many people are so busy taking care of everyone else that they often forget to take care of themselves, sometimes with very tragic consequences.
So that my friends is the beginning of how I found myself sitting one night with a deep cleansing face mask on, much to the amusement of my husband and to the utter bewilderment of my dog!
As I stroke my lovely soft and rehydrated skin today it got me to thinking that I really do not do this enough!
The bible is often quoted when encouraging us to a life of service, to put others before ourselves, to attend to the needs of those less fortunate and first and foremost I want to say absolutely, I totally agree and feel very strongly that as a Christian I am very much called to help anyone that it is in my power to do so.
However, I don’t recall reading anywhere in God’s word that I shouldn’t take five minutes out to myself from time to time! Yet we so often guilt ourselves for doing just that. Yesterday I sat beside my mountain of clean laundry with my face mask on and yes, my mind strayed to how my time would be better spent sorting that lot of clothes than sitting back relaxing with a face mask on.
But would it have really been better spent? More efficiently perhaps yes, but did it do me any harm to take 20 minutes out from an exhausting long day to allow myself to simply sit and relax, while cleansing the face that carries my every emotion every day? No, it did not do harm, in fact it did me some good! I feel and look refreshed and more deeply than my skin, I feel a little more refreshed right down to my very soul.
Speaking of, I wonder how often we cleanse ourselves spiritually? Wouldn’t it be handy if we could rub some cream on and make all our blemishes and sins disappear? Well, we can’t, but thankfully HE can! He who sent his son to bear our sins to the cross gave us the perfect opportunity to deeply cleanse our souls, if only we remember to make the time! WE have to take time out from our busy lives and through prayer, Christian fellowship and scripture study accept the exfoliation for the soul that is on offer! And what an offer it is, its better than buy one get one free, the price has already been paid!
The best part is, by taking time to cleanse and nurture ourselves, both spiritually and physically, we are then invigorated in body, mind and soul, much better prepared to grab God’s word with both hands and serve his people with the vitality and love that Jesus himself taught us, our own selves a glowing inditement of God’s legacy given to us through his Son’s sacrifice.
All it takes is a little bit of time, and the self-awareness to know when you need to take a step back and be a little kinder to yourself. So, in the busy days and weeks ahead, why not plan for a little half hour just to yourself, for some exfoliation of the body and soul.
