Inside

"He has made everything beautiful"

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Okay, I know this is totally a first world problem*, but I had so much trouble deciding what to wear for Easter. 

{ *Not familiar with "first world problems"?  Google it.  It's eye-opening. }

When we were growing up, my mother tried to always buy us something new for Easter ~ most years it was a new dress.  But my budget can't keep up with that tradition.  So I stood staring at my closet, trying to find the perfect thing to wear.

The problem is that I want to wear something spring-y or floral or feminine.  But anything I have like that is lightweight and more summer-y than I want, 'cuz I'm going to be cold.  I'm generally cold in the morning, I'm generally cold at church, and I'm generally cold in any month that's not July, August, or the first half of September.

And maybe that crazy hot week we always get at the end of October/beginning of November.

Anyhow, so about seven empty hangers later (and clothes all over my bed) I had decided what to wear.  But I was kind of settling, you know?  Sort of: "This will do".

I told ya:  first world problem.

And then while we were driving to church, I realized how really dirty my car is.  The last time it was washed was the last time it rained.  And that was awhile ago...  And I wished for a moment that on Easter, a day of resurrection and new life, that my car was clean.  It just felt like it would have been appropriate.

But I quickly realized that the things that were bothering me were outward.  Deciding what to wear, and noticing my dirty car are external conditions.  Easter is about being cleansed and new and beautiful on the inside. 

I've been a Christian all my life.  I can't remember a time when I didn't acknowledge God as my Lord, and when I didn't know that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was for my sins, and my salvation.  But I was thinking today about people that I know that became Christians later in their lives.  Sometimes new Christians are thrown when things go wrong in their lives.  Like we think that when we give our lives over to Him, everything is going to be forever awesome.

We still have trials, difficulties and pain.  Christians lose loved ones,  have car accidents and job losses, and painful diagnoses. 

What matters, though, is on the inside.  We are changed when we ask Him to be the Lord of our lives.  My life might not look like I want it to externally, but my heart is His ~ imperfect, but clean and beautiful in His righteousness.

~ "He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

and righteousness from the God of his salvation" ~

Psalm 24:5

~