Spring Cleaning - Part II

Last week I was very busy getting the house ready for Easter. Somehow, it all made sense to me for the first time in my life.

Here's what I mean:

For years, I wandered through my life with doubts about God. I became a true believer in 2002 and started going to a non-denominational church, and then in 2005 joyfully returned to the Catholic Church in which I was raised. In 2006, for the first time, I went to the entire Triduum (the Masses held from Holy Thursday through Easter). This to me was just the most wonderful way to anticipate and celebrate Christ's Resurrection.

This year, during the days before the Triduum Masses, I was getting the house ready for company on Easter Sunday. With the help of the whole family, we did a thorough house cleaning. We were all so pleased with the results. As I worked, I tried not only to think about welcoming company, but also to be welcoming Christ upon His Resurrection. It was very satisfying to think of preparing not only for company, but to prepare in all ways for Christ: the cleaning, the shopping, the prayers, practicing choir music, and the Masses.

Among other things, we:
1. Shampooed the hall carpet runner, and Robert's carpet.
2. Cleaned Robert's room (a major undertaking).
3. Washed the curtains and swags in the parlor and sitting room.
4. Dusted thoroughly, including running the Swiffer around the ceiling for any cobwebs.
5. Managed to find a place for everything, and put everything in its place (although there were a couple of bags of papers that were not really put away properly, rather shoved in the storage compartment under our Captain's bed!)
6. Vacuumed, mopped.
7. Put out decorations, such as bunny candle holders with pastel tapers, an Easter Lily plant, and some baskets.

This combination of faith preparation as well as home preparation made for an entirely beautiful Easter Day. The entire house was clean, rather than cordoning off one room with massive piles of junk thrown into it, hidden from the eyes of guests. I felt so peaceful that even in the evening, after the company had left and we had our own quiet family dinner, I was not stressed as I cooked and served. It all just felt right!

Alleluia, He is Risen!