thoughts from the shower

God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

Psalm 51:10-13

Anyone else do their best thinking in the shower?  I know I do.  Sometimes I actually remember them once the water is turned off, too. :)
My latest thought was about cleaning the shower.  Let me back up a minute and tell you that on the days I clean the shower, I do it just before getting into it in the morning.  I've found that it's just easier this way...and I am the first to get to enjoy the fruit of my labor. 
So, this morning, while enjoying my sparkling clean shower, I was thinking back to the moment when I had my revelation about cleaning the bathroom in general.  It was while I was cleaning the shower floor.  I was on my hands and knees, thinking that I was tired of cleaning a dirty shower and it hit me.  Bam!  In order to not have to clean a dirty shower, I'd have to clean it while it was still (relatively) clean.  I had already found the tools that work best for the results I like in a shower (Magic Eraser for the bathroom being my favorite).  Now I had the rest of the equation.  Right tools + right timing = easier job.  I liked this thought...and still do.
The equation works in spiritual matters as well.  I have to stay on top of things and use the right "tools".  If I keep my relationship with God in order, there are fewer big messes to clean up.  Prayer, time in God's Word, faithfulness in obeying what I read/hear God telling me to do...they are the tools I need to keep heading in the right direction in life.  And, when life throws me a curveball, my heart is well tuned in to where I get my strength and courage to keep on going through the tough times. 
There is always room for improvement.  There are always things to learn.  There will be messes to clean up.  However, by cleaning the clean, there's alot less dirt to deal with along the way.

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, "We have fellowship with Him," and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say, "We have no sin," we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, "We have not sinned," we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10