Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I've been a Christian nearly all my life. Of course I don't have the straight and narrow path story of many believers. In fact, if I had to draw my line that started at the tender age of 4 and have it end to my ripe age of 38-well tomorrow I will be 38-it would represent that of a plate of spaghetti. Yes a blob of lines, going in circles, overlapping, piling up and starting over. I used to feel like there was something wrong with me because I didn't have the "my-life-has-never-been-the-same-since-Jesus" story. Like maybe I really wasn't saved, or maybe I wasn't filled with the Holy Spirit, or like because I strayed I couldn't pass "Go" and collect my $200 and lose my turn (Monopoly joke). Every testimony I've ever heard is a story of before and after with the "happily ever after" ending. I got to thinkin "God how in the world could you ever use someone who has loved you since they were a little girl yet screwed up time and time again, sometimes on purpose?" And I grumbled some more "I mean you're God, full of love yet full of expectations. You died for me and you're waiting to take me to Heaven to live with you for all eternity yet I'm a total and complete mess most of the time. How on earth will I ever get this right?" Then Jesus spoke.

I was taking a bath recently and when I'm bored I often pick up random things to read. (okay so that's weird) So I'm holding my shampoo bottle and I turn it around. I scan down to the ingredients and can't pronounce a single bit of it. My eyes fix on the directions that read "for best results apply shampoo to damp hair. Massage into hair and scalp. Rinse with lukewarm water and repeat. Follow up with Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner." I laughed to myself and said "why on earth would you need to repeat the steps of washing your hair? How ridiculous and repetitive. I mean my hair is clean enough after one washing. This has to be for morons who can't properly wash their hair." Then like a flea on a dog my eyes jumped back to the words "Rinse with lukewarm water and repeat." It was like reading the red text in my New King James Bible.

I must have held that shampoo bottle for 20 minutes while the Spirit spoke to my heart. I learned that God doesn't operate like Monopoly, He likes spaghetti A LOT and that repeating steps 1 and 2 lead to a closer walk with Him, and clean hair. :)

Thank you Lord for meeting me where I am, for coming after me when I'm lost and for loving me enough to show me that the ridiculous and the repetitive are the way to your heart. (Hebrews 10:22 "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." 1 Cor 1:27 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.")