Lost the Spark?

*It's kinda long, but hang with me on this one. . . .

It has been raining here for what seems like weeks!  We have not been given much of a break with this rainy weather.  I'm not really complaining mind you, cause I absolutely know it could be worse.  How in the world could I be whining about a little (ok. . . A LOT!) of rain?  Especially with all those people who lost their lives in these terrible tornadoes in the South.  Then there is still that tsunami and earthquake in Japan that still have people homeless and searching.  I'm thankful for the rain, that means no wild fires, right?

So, back to the point. . . .
The grass in our yard was way out of control, as was the grass in almost all the yards in our neighborhood.  Earlier this week we had a very short window, when we were actually home, of no rain.  My best girl goes out to conquer the jungle that has become our yard, but to her surprise the mower will not start.  She works with it for a little bit as she watches the storm clouds coming our way.  So, being that our front yard is fairly small, and someone planted a WHOLE SLEW of little yellow flowers, that turn into tall white puffs, in our yard and didn't tell us, she proceeded to race the weather for time.  She took the weed eater out and told that yard who was boss, did her best to at least trim the weeds down a little.  That was only the short term fix.
Yesterday she decided to give lawnmower a little tune up.  My girl, she sure is one handy person to have around!  As I am sitting in the office editing pictures for this, I hear can hear that old familiar sound.  Pulling the cord to start the mower, a slight rumble. . . . then nothing!  It's quiet for a few moments then I hear it again, and again, and again. After about 40 minutes of listening and praying, I went to check on her.  I offered to give her shoulder a break.  I began pulling, and pulling, and pulling. . . NOTHING!  We brainstormed, she had cleaned the oil filter (I think that's what it was), put new gas in it and did a few other things that I don't know about. Then I asked her if she had checked the spark plug.  She pulled the little cable off and said, "Yep, it looks good!"  I then said, "Oh no honey, the other side of the spark plug, pull that thing out. If it is all dirty it won't work." 
SIDE NOTE:  I have not idea how I knew this.  I must have watched my dad do this when I was a kid cause really. . . . I barely know how to check my own oil in my car.  I'm sure I was NOT meant to be a mechanic!!!

Sure enough when she took it out it pretty much looked like this, covered in oil, grease, dirt, JUNK and GUNK!:

She got that puppy cleaned off and the lawnmower started right up, first pull.

That whole incident got to thinking.  So often we hang onto all the JUNK and GUNK that life throws at us.  Storing them away as to not be bothered with them right now.  That "junk" or "gunk" can be any number of things and very different for each person.  It's kinda like those old hurts you just can't let go of, that one someone you just can't forgive, that grudge you carry from 15 years ago, the anger from a relationship gone bad. . . . whatever it is, they just get stored somewhere.  Somewhere, where you can go and get them off the shelve at any given time, to do with what you will.  So often, we keep them stored up there, waiting for that "rainy day" when we might need to pull them off that shelf and use them. Sometimes that looks like just a reminder to yourself as to not get hurt again, or it may look very different.  We may keep it stored up as a reminder that you hate someone, or that you can use it to control someone, to repay someone for hurting you.  Sounds kinda harsh doesn't it?  But you all know it is true.  We are human, we hold on to things like that.  I'm not saying it's a good practice, but it is what happens sometimes. 

So, I got to thinking.  If we store up all that old "junk" for so long in the shelves of our hearts then I bet we start to look and act like that dirty spark plug.  We can't make life spark, so to speak.  It contaminates our very being.  Turns us hard, causing a shell or concrete wall in some cases to be built tall around us not allowing any life or energy in.  Just like that dirty gunky lawnmower spark plug. . . the life is all gone out of. 

The good news?  Glad you asked!  All we had to do with that nasty old spark plug was to clean it off.  It was nothing really. . . very easy!  All we have to do as humans is keep those shelves cleaned off.  Don't hold on to things that corrupt, hurt, shame, blame, etc.  You know those things. . .   What is the good in it?  The more "gunk" you allow to be stored the longer and harder it will be get it cleaned out.  And the more you hold on to the more spark you will lose.  You've all seen those people who have lost the light in their eyes, they wear an almost natural frown, their sky is always falling.  How much fun is that? 
Think of how amazing life can be if we just quit storing all that bad "junk", and just let go.  Keep that light in your eyes, that smile on your face, and that spark in your heart.  It will be that, that sustains you when life throws you more "junk".  It will be that, that keeps you in check to say, "Nope!  I'm not storing this one!" And as easy as that. . . . it is gone!

Have a great Sunday, my friends!  I think I'm gonna reflect a little and make sure my shelves are cleaned off, and my files have been purged!  Need to make sure there is room to allow all that is good and loving in!