Open Souls

Open Souls

A vacuum cleaner sales rep came by one evening, asking if we wanted a demonstration. We told her straight out that, although we needed a new vacuum, we weren't in the market, partly because the one she was selling cost the same as a used pick-up truck. She put her machine together, and demonstrated it's impressive power on an upholstered chair. When she finished, she took an obvious look at our wood floors, painted walls, and furniture, saying, "There's not much dust here." "Ayuh," I said, "cause of allergies. Every Saturday - unless it's raining cats and dogs, or the temp's near zero - I open the windows, take a feather-duster to every surface, sweep the house, and then close the windows. The kids complain about it 'cause in the winter it gets chilly in here." "Doesn't that dust just hang there in the air?” she asked. "Sure does", I said, "'til the steady winds blow all of it right out of the house."

No matter how often I dust, new dust piles up. Same thing happens to my soul. Sure, I try to live well, but life is dusty, and, no matter what, my soul gets completely covered. That's why I keep opening the window to my soul through prayer, and letting the breath of God blow through me. Prayer doesn't change the fact that I'm going to get dusty again; it just means that, for now, I can breathe in the freshness of God.

Let's Pray: Dear God, blow through us. Unclog our dust-chocked parts. Make us clean again, if only for today. Amen.

Today's Though Is: God's breath blows steadily through open souls.