A mother was stopped at her son’s bedroom door with a warning on a new door hanger. It was a cartoon drawing of a dog with nails dug deep into the carpet as it held on for dear life, with teeth clinched and eyes bugged out as half of its body was sucked into an upright vacuum cleaner. Encased in a circle with a big line drawn through it with bold lettering were the words, NO VACUUMING!!
One might expect that on a teenagers door, but not a pre-schooler. But this mom knew all too well why her son had an aversion to vacuum cleaners.
It was a cold, icky winter day and she needed to clean out the car for upcoming guests. Instead of freezing in her driveway, she decided to go to a nearby car wash and use their super duper vacuum cleaner. With her three year old rescuing toys from the back seat, saving them from certain death, she maneuvered the hose to the back seat and they met in the middle. In an instant the super duper hose sucked up one of her son’s brand new gloves right off his hand. She knew she was in trouble, not only because he loved his knew gloves, but she had teased him and jokingly threaten to suck up his toys if he didn’t pick them up. Not only that, the fear on his face told her he thought he was not only going a glove, but might just lose a hand to the super suction.
She laughed, he cried and the vacuum quit as time and money ran out. In desperation and guilt, she found the dirt trap, opened the door and sifted through the crud until she found the glove covered in filth. Eventually the glove went into the wash and disappointment was replaced with a smile. Saved by the wash!
There are times in life when we are just living life, minding our own business and in a split second we get sucked up by the vacuum of despair, disappointment , or defeat. Without warning we’re tossed around like a whirlwind and covered in the grime of frustration and begin wallowing in self-pity. But there is hope and a way to be rescued from the calamites of life. Allow God to dig you out, dust you off and wash you clean in God’s love. The stains of guilt will disappear as we become purer than snow. Cleaned and ready to begin a fresh start. Saved by the wash!