CLEANING HOUSE

By Omari Jackson

Becky Wilson knew it was time to clean her home. The past belonged to the past, and the future would represent her, forever! But could she just forget the past, and forge ahead, not ever thinking about what had gone before? Was she able to do that and leave her ghost behind?

At times she felt there were others who were born to give other people more headaches. And there were at times she would imagine that life itself deserved to be forced to do what one wanted.

Marriage, the institution of it, she never had the idea to imagine could turn out to be bitter. Not that she was naïve she would not want to accept the reality that all matured adults were aware of. It was just that when life was treating you so nice, it would seem to you that you were special and would not meet with it discouraging part.

Now she knew, and she was glad that she had come to know at the time she had all senses correct.

That was why when Angelina paid her a visit, the only friend who had always understood her worries; she opened herself up to her, on what all she had gone through, and her new resolution in life.

“Was it that bad?’ Angelina’s face had blushed, and her teeth held together. Becky could understand her shock, for she knew how much she had loved the man in her life. It was not that Samson had turned out to be a monster all of a sudden.

“It was that bad,” she said, “it began when he came a year after I had arrived in the US.” The mere fact of making reference to her past churned her stomach. It had been six years now, and she had been able to replace the hurt with love, and the physical emotion that came with it had been replaced with compassion.

“I cannot believe this,” Angelina said. It was not that Angelina lived in a perfect world. No, she had had her share of unfaithfulness and physical abuses, but to hear Becky’s own story from the lioness’ own mouth, she could only wonder in amazement.

“On several occasions I went into coma,” Becky told her friend, “One time, I thought I would not survive it.”

Her friend’s eyes misted with tears, and moving closer to her, she lowered herself onto the chair next to her. The two-bedroom apartment was larger than the usual one she had known, and that, she thought, gave Becky more room with her daughter, Shania.
“He associated with some friends,” Becky continued, “and on several times he told me how there were good women waiting to marry to him.” Becky lowered her head when she said that, and Angelina, seeing what was happening, moved in to give her the comfort her friend crave.

“I know you’re a stronger woman now since the divorced,” she told Becky, who was still in an emotional roller-coater.

“It’s been six years now since the divorce,” Becky told her friend, “At such a young age, could I have ever imagined that I would be a divorcee?” It was a legitimate question but with the world becoming an increasingly difficult place, Becky could not, but accept the reality to accept her fate.

For now!
“Now I’m ok,” she said, “I’ve lived here as a single mother for the last six years, and you would imagine that I’m enjoying my life.” Her friend had looked at her, with surprise.

“I know you’re doing fine,” she said, “your work and your current educational pursuits should be enough to occupy your time.”

“I’m allowing myself sometime to reflect and to re-organize myself as I’m doing now,” Becky said, “Maybe tomorrow, I mean after a couple of years I’ll consider that part of my life.”

“Right now your daughter needs you,” Angelina reminded her, smiling.
Becky also laughed, and her eyes brightened.

“If you want to know how I managed all these years,” Becky said, pulling from her handbag, which was on the table beside her, and spreading a paper she had removed with care.

“Read this,” she told Angelina”

Cleaning House
Last Week I threw out worrying, believe you can do the same; it was getting old and in the way.

It kept me from being me; I couldn't do things God's way.
I threw out a book on MY PAST; believe you can do the same;
(Didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with NEW GOALS, started reading it today.
I threw out hate and bad memories,
(Remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too, threw out the one from long ago.
Brought in some new books too, called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, you should've seen the dust.
I ran across an OLD FRIEND, I hadn't talked to in a while.
His name is JESUS, and I really like His style.
He helped me to do some cleaning and added some things Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE, FAITH and LOVE,
Yes... I placed them right on the shelf.
I picked up this special thing and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT- its called PEACE. Nothing gets me down anymore.
Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble there just isn't any space.
It's good to do a little house cleaning, Get rid of the things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter; maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ELSE!!!!
May the Lord open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you will not have room enough to receive it all.
Malachi 3:10.
May the Lord bless you exceedingly abundantly above all you could ever hope for.
Philippians 4:19.

When she got through with the note, Becky’s snoring was echoing in her ears, and her face shone brightly like an angel’s. Angelina felt glad that her friend had found Christ in her agony.

She herself would also clean her house, she thought, and maybe find a way to rejoice in Jesus.

There was a comforter nearby, and she pulled it to cover Becky, hoping that Jesus would look after her.