Brooms ~ Part II

Well since you're automatically now wondering about the spiders here (since my first Brooms post has a lot to do with those beasts), i will mention without hesitating that as I set down the laundry I carried inside this evening (because I left the basket in the house and was too lazy tired to go back up the stairs again to get it (even though I should for all the carbs we've been eating lately), I finally saw the big fatty spider slithering around on top of the pile. Yes slithering...it had nasty fluid-like motions with its legs. Hey come on, did you expect a one-liner about the spiders? From me? Ha!

But on a more serious note, other than one wolf spider by our "classroom" the other day, I've only seen very small spiders. I must say though, they are VERY fast. And they jump. They are hard to kill! 

Fortunately thus far, only Noe has been attacked by a spider. A very strange-looking green, big spider that reminds me of those sticky hand toys you throw against the wall...anyone remember those? anyway, a couple weeks ago we were in the village nearest the NTM center learning to weave morota ( thatch, from saksak branches), when this spider ran toward Noe, jumped onto his leg and started running up on his shirt! Noe jumped and brushed it off, and yelled 'something to the effect of' "What was that?!?!?!" I poured boiling water on my fingers later that day ( just for fun), but I still think I got the better end of the deal that day!

So speaking of brooms...

The girls and I enjoyed a cultural experience during our second week here in PNG. A group of us went in to a village and began getting to know some of the locals. There was a woman sitting on the ground surrounded by palm branches. We asked her what she was working on, and she replied that she was making a broom for her front porch. She invited us to learn if we had a knife. Not needing a second invitation, I walked over to Noe and asked to borrow his pocket knife. She showed me how to dig the knife in to the center of the branch, then run it along the middle stem to remove all of the leaf. By the end of this process, she had a pile of broom bristles to 'tie' together. (Brilliant!) We enjoyed learning and helping her for the next 30 minutes. Naya was doing it herself by the time we left- yes with a 'sharp' kitchen knife.

I don't have a broom of my own yet, but I'm looking forward to putting names of friends/fellow mothers, which I will see all the time...because the moment I am done sweeping the floor is ready to be swept again. Why is my heart the same way? Do you ever feel that way? The moment I'm done complaining and then working that out in my heart and before The Lord, another opportunity for complaining arises? Oh and as my children get older by the day, I find this principle especially true in my interactions with them. 

Anyway. Let's make it a point not to fight these battles alone but to purposefully share with one another (no I don't mean gossiping or slandering our husbands and children) and encourage one another to always be willing to pick up the broom and sweep that dust and dirt away again and again. If we let things fester, they will rot (and so will we). "Fester fester fester... Rot rot rot." We have the opportunity as Family members, as sisters in Christ, to help each other grow more and more into His image through the sharing of our struggles and the rejoicing together in our victories. 

Let's help each other (because sometimes we just really need help) to dig the knife in ALL the way to the center, the core...the root of our anxieties and burdens. And slide that knife all the way up until all that extra " junk" is gone and all that remains is a clean bristle which can be used effectively to make and model a clean, lovely "home" for our husband, children and loved ones.