Bathing Badges

Well, it's official. I am in full-on spoiling mode. I spent the better part of half an hour bathing a stuffed dog today. For those of you who see Paris frequently, you have most likely met Badges. Paris' "Grant Susan" (that's great-aunt Susan) picked Badges out for her last time she was in Texas. Nobody knew Badges would become "the toy," but that's exactly what happened. He goes EVERYWHERE with Paris. Needless to say he got filthy. I, of course, was afraid to wash the little guys for fear he wouldn't survive and....well then what would we do? So the hunt began. After looking many places, Graggie (my mom) found another Badges. Jackpot, we have a backup.......let the bathing begin!

I read the tag. It said surface wash only. Stink. I really wanted to toss him in the washer. Graggie advised against it. I consulted with other mommy friends. No one had ever attempted bathing a beanie, so I was on my own. We opted for the equivalent of a sponge bath. He doesn't look like new, but he is most certainly in better shape than he was an hour ago. Back-up Badges will stay safely hidden for now.......who know what the future holds as the newly clean Badges continues to go on adventures.

The whole thing got me to thinking about how Christ cleanses us from sin. Just a few days ago when I brought up the idea of bathing Badges, Paris insisted that he did not need a bath, he was "just fine." Then, she spilled some koolaid on him. There he sat with a glaring red stain. She decided a bath would be OK. Isn't that exactly what we do? We walk around thinking we're just fine. We don't see the filth that we gather on a daily basis. We might see a spot, but we think, "It's just a tiny little spot, it not so bad." After getting used to seeing that spot we'll even defend and justify it. Indeed, we begin to think it is "just fine!"

Then something will happen. Satan will work on us. Suddenly we find ourselves with a big red stain. Once we start looking we might even realize just how dingy we've gotten. So we go to our Savior and an amazing thing happens. He doesn't throw us in the washer to be twisted and spun, he doesn't hold us under in the sink until the spots disappear. Instead, the instant we confess and ask, he makes us spotless. It is the most gentle cleansing anyone will ever have. He's already suffered the pain and agony necessary for our cleansing. All we feel is our burden lift and a peace that makes no sense to our human brain.

The amazing thing is that when He's done, we are white a snow. We are better than we were to start with because of His precious love and sacrifice. Let us all remember to bath in His love on a daily basis, not just when we spill koolaid on ourselves.