Housekeeping and the Atonement

Admittedly, I am not the world's best housekeeper.  I don't come in 2nd place or even third.  Many days I don't even come first in housekeeping among the 6 of us that live here.  I like to blame my right-brained, creative side for the mess.  (It sounds much cooler than thinking I am in general a bit of a slob.)  As I've worked to improve this particular weakness, I have noticed a few things.

1.  When I open up the blinds, even when my house feels beyond help, light floods in and the mess suddenly looks manageable.

2. When I buckle down and clean up, I love the results.  I feel free.  I feel light.  I can dimly remember the mess that was my house only a short hour or two before.

3.  I cannot always manage the cleaning on my own.  I rely on the help of my kids.  My husband.  Occasionally my mom and even on occasion a friend has stepped in to help (usually with more organization projects or a helping each other out thing)

The more I think about it and the better I get at cleaning my house, the more I realize what a great analogy it is for the Atonement.

1.  When I let Jesus Christ into my life, my sins and short comings don't seem so terrible and definitely look more manageable.

2.  When I repent and/or ask for His help, I feel free and unburdened.  I know that I have made past mistakes put only know the joy of feeling clean and pure.

3.  I not only need His help, but the help of my family and friends to stay on the right path, to help make good choices and to keep me from giving up.

Little revelations like this have helped make gospel principles relatable for me and strengthened my testimony.