"THOU SHALL REVERE THE 'MISS LINDA'S' IN YOUR LIFE"

She comes on Tuesday's and Friday's for just a few hours to help me keep my house in order.

Her name is Miss Linda.

She is a beautiful African American woman who takes much pride in her work.

I remember the very first time I met her,(about 3 years ago), she told me she felt "called" to clean homes. I remember smiling and saying, "Really?! Hmm... that fascinates me because I just simply want God to give me the desire to clean. And you feel 'called?' Wow. That is really saying something."

She just smiled.

 She knew exactly what she was talking about.....(even though she knew it would take time for me to discover it for myself.)

What I didn't know at the time was that something very special would slowly be revealed to me over the course of that first year.

When I tell you that precious woman is "called to clean?" I mean "CALLED.".....not just houses either.

God knew exactly what He was doing when he put this desire to clean houses in her heart.

Over the course of that first year, I noticed something happening. She and I would be in the trenches cleaning together and I would feel so light and happy whenever she was around. I liked what she had to say. I loved her sweet brand of humor and I ADORED her faith and wisdom. It was way better and stronger than mine....and I admired her so much for that. She was what my grandmother would call, "Good people", "Just plain good to the bone." :)

Also, that first year, I noticed something else interesting happening... my children would get up to greet her with hugs when she arrived.

 ..... and my normally reserved husband would be in the kitchen talking and laughing with her.

I loved it!

When my mom, aunt or sisters would come in from Texas on days that Miss Linda worked, they would put their stuff down and sometimes hug her before me! Miss Linda would just laugh as I would joke about it. But everyone knew I really loved it.

One day, I came home unexpectedly and discovered what that something was that made her so special and so....well....divine. ;-)

I walked in and I could smell that clean, fresh smell so I knew Linda was here. I quickly made my way to Summer's room, where I could see her bucket out in the hallway. But JUST before I reached Summer's room, I heard Miss Linda talking and I assumed she was on the phone. So I turned on my heel to sneak away when I heard her say my Summer's name.

I stopped in my tracks, pressed my good ear close to the door frame and I heard her talking about my Summer in the sweetest way (to this friend on the phone....I thought.) I smiled as I listened to her verbalize her "wishes" for my child....her hopes and dreams for my child's life.....and then......I peeked into the door crack.......only to discover that she wasn't on the phone at all.

While Miss Linda was making up Summer's bed, she was praying for my child. I could hardly believe my eye (the one peeking through the door crack) ha! So I pushed the door a little more open and witnessed her praying and talking to God about my baby girl.

Can you even believe my good fortune?? This woman, who others may look at as "below" them because she simply cleans homes for a living is actually held up in the highest regard and highest esteem by my entire family because she does SO MUCH MORE than clean houses. She "cleanses" souls....from the inside out.

She took this one job (considered menial by some in our society) and she turned it into a mission of GREATNESS. She feels honored and privileged that God would use her in this capacity. She feels that serving Him in this way, one family at a time is one of the greatest gifts and blessings of her lifetime.

That day that I discovered her in Sum's room, I remembered tears stinging my eyes as I hung my head and thought, "This is what she meant. This is exactly what she meant when she said she was "called" to clean homes.

 She actually cleanses homes....and begins with the souls of the people who live in them.

I walked into Summer's room that day and accidentally startled Miss Linda. She saw I had tears in my eyes and looked confused as I gave her the biggest hug ever.

I admitted to her that I had just overheard her prayers and then asked her if this was part of her "calling" that she referred to that first day?

She answered, "Chile, I pray in every child's room of every house I work for. I pray for the marriages of every couple I work for. I pray to the house that it will provide the shelter and warmth needed to keep each family safe and secure. I pray to the walls that they may breathe in the love and then pour it back out to you all during those times that it's hard to remember.

 I pray. I pray. I pray....and then I pray some more.

It wasn't long after this occurrence that my normally scrupulous and "tight" husband decided that Miss Linda really should come twice a week, instead of once. Ha!

She was cleaning our home...and cleansing our souls....and we could not feel more fortunate for having her influence on our lives.

You just never know WHO God will use to send you His message. You just never know WHEN God will work a miracle in your heart. And you just never, ever know HOW this will change your life and make you want to affect others in the same positive way.

May you acknowledge the "Miss Linda's" in your life.

May you appreciate the "Miss Linda's" in your life.

 And may you work hard to the BE the "Miss Linda's" in the lives of those closest to you.

**Here's to you, Miss Linda....My personal Tuesday/Thursday angel. ;-)