Pages

Monday, April 26, 2010

Rosewood, Cocoa Butter and Jesus


Our 8 year old daughter, Alivia E'Lise has some very thick and curly hair. Sometimes I have to assist her with the shampoo and conditioning of it and a few days ago she asked for my help. Finally, we got all the conditioner out of it and I told her, "Okay, honey, hurry up and wash your body with soap, rinse off and then get out".


Gene has made himself the water monitor of our home and starts yelling "Turn off the water" in his loud authoritative voice if he thinks we are taking too long. Believing him when he says he will shut off the water himself we are quick to wrap our water time up at the sound of his voice. So to avoid that, I encouraged her to hurry. That is when she said this, "Oh I never use soap, so I'm done".

Huh?

Thinking I misunderstood her, I asked, "What???"

"I never use soap, I just go like this" and she demonstrated twirling underneath the running water.


"Ummm, you don't ever use soap Liv? That's disgusting."

She started giggling, "Nope, just water".

Oh. My. Goodness!!!!

What the heck?
When I released her to begin taking baths and showers by herself going off of her claim of being a "Big Girl", how did she miss the whole purpose of taking a shower?
I took a deep breath and had to go back to Shower 101 and re-teach the child how important it is to use body wash to cleanse so the body doesn't smell.
"No B.O." has become our new motto.
The picture above is from Easter of Alivia in her smellier days.


I should have noticed that our soap was lasting so long as the girls have a separate shower than the boys do so we're the only ones using it. Or I was the only one using it. Now that I'm aware though, this little girl better be smelling like a mixture of Rosewood and Cocoa Butter a mile away! I don't even know what Rosewood is, but by golly she better reek of it!


Don't we do that with God sometimes though?
We want change in our lives, but we just "rinse" off and by just rinsing off with the minimal to make ourselves feel better, we still stink of our sin.
We have to allow Christ to take our sin and cleanse us as white as snow.
We have to be in His Word daily and allow Him to live through us so that the scent we are left with is the sweet aroma of Christ Himself.

2 Corinthians 2:15 (NIV)

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.



I'm doing this 40 day devotional right now, "A Call to Die" by David Nasser and this is what I read this morning...

"When our sins are exposed in the light of God's presence, we feel ruined; but when we experience forgiveness in the depth of our souls, we become fresh, clean and new."


I don't know about you, but I want to smell just like Jesus.

And Rosewood and Cocoa Butter.


Those of you who expressed your sorrow over little Logan in my last post, we now know what took his life so suddenly. Unaware to his Mom, he accidentally took too much of the medicine he was prescribed. He must have thought if he took more, he'd do better.
Bless his little heart.
Thank you for your prayers for his family left behind.

17 comments:

Pamela (His maidservant) said...

Alivia is so beautiful and grown up in that picture. My sarah (age 10) was having trouble with her hair always looking greasy by the end of the day. I kept switching condictioners and then she finally admitted she skipped the shampooing step. Grief. Kind of like we are with God sometimes as you stated. Gotta love these kids!!

Great post as usural friend!

Believing Him~Pamela

Sita said...

Lelia, honestly girl, the stories you give about your kids crack me up---and yeah, I've had to odd "WHAT?!" moment with my sons--the things we assume, huh?

Loved how you applied it to our lives as Christians--we need the deep-cleaning, not surface wash-offs--the former usually involves discomfort to downright pain depending on the infection, the latter is lip service and go--the instant solution in our culture...

Thank you so much again...
Email me and let me know how things are sometime...
Love, Sita

Andrea said...

Lelia, I am laughing...having raised 5 kids and having to reteach this same principle a few times.
What a great analogy to our spiritual lives.

Blessings, hugs, and prayers,
andrea

Jennifer said...

How I love your blog! It just blesses me every time! I still have to tell both of my boys to use shampoo, soap, rinse, and brush there teeth! They are 12 &10! UGH!

Praying for little Logan's mom.

Yolanda said...

I remember to vividly last spring when Alivia called and told me that she had cut the band out of her hair. Now look at how pretty her hair is, and I'm thinkin' by this stage in the game, she is smelling mighty fine!

Love YOU!

Anonymous said...

Hey Gals,
This is Alivia here. Thank you for all the wonderful comments!!!!

Love,
Alivia


P.S. Even she told me about a week ago I still don't wash off with soap and when she's gone at night I don't brush my teeth!!!!But I do wash for God.

Lelia Chealey said...

Livie Lou...you are so funny!! Naughty, but funny!! I guess I need to quit my night job to keep an eye on you! ;)
I love you my little girl of God!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

A beautiful, stinky analogy all rolled up together in one post to remind me of a valuable truth. When I'm going to get clean with Jesus, I'd better go all in!

peace~elaine

Cindy said...

This brought a smile to my day and also was a great reminder to make sure I smell of Jesus!

Donna said...

Alivia is a beautiful young lady! Thanks for sharing her story and then bringing it home to us about smelling like Jesus!

Laura said...

Lelia,
It has been too long, my precious friend! I miss you. When I saw this picture of your beautiful girl, I could not believe what a beautiful young lady she is growing to be.

I had to read your previous post too, after your little post script. I am still crying quiet tears. Oh, friend. Life is so unpredictable. Yes, let's hold them while we can.

Your heart is beautiful.

luv,
laura

Vickie said...

I am smiling at this post because I remember going through this with my now 15 year old. KIds are so unbelievable. Thank God for the treasures He has given us.

You have a beautiful daughter.

blessings,
Vickie

Jill Beran said...

What a great post! Thanks for sharing and giving me heads up for the day I turn my little ladies free in the shower!! They sure keep us on our toes and I am so thankful for the lessons God teaches through them and reminds us of as well!
BLessings,
Jill

LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE...GOD'S GRACE said...

Your little Alivia is growing up and is quite the young lady now! Even at 8! So pretty!!

~Beth

LisaShaw said...

So sorry to hear about little Logan. Read and prayed for his family.

Your daughter is beautiful. I'm so glad I was able to visit with you today dear sister.

Praying you and your family are well.

Hugs.

Unknown said...

Just wait until she doesn't even want to take a shower.

Paula V said...

What a cutie patootie. I happen to see her adorable anonymous comment too. You naughty girl Liv. This was months ago, as I'm behind....so do you use so now months later????

Love the cute dress. So precious, you cute thang.

Love your analogy and correlation to life. How very true. Guilty...me guilty. Raising my hand.

Love you LeLe.