We are having a good number of windows replaced around our house the next few days.  As I am sitting here watching these guys rip away the old;  it occurred to me I am watching a picture of life.

These windows needed caulked and painted a long time ago, and because they were not, that lapse of care allowed for environmental elements to compromise not only the windows, but their surrounding support structures, too.  The more they take out; the more decomposition years of neglect exposes.

Disregard transitions the process of restoration from superficial to deep rooted.

I am a lot like those windows.  Whether it be my health, my relationships, nourishment of my soul…neglect creates a threshold for degeneration in all those realms.  Once rot sets in, over time it runs deeper and deeper through those areas,  just like my windows.I can unknowingly arrive at a place of deep disintegration simply from a failure to consistently maintain.

The demands of life can keep me distracted and busy.  It becomes easy to disregard soul maintenance above all things.  When I become negligent in my time spent with The Lord, unwanted impostures take root in my heart.  You may know some of them? Anxiety, worry, and fear are a few of the familiar ones.

My mind and heart require daily nourishment and cleansing to protected me from destructive paths.  Proverbs 4:23 illustrates this so beautifully ~Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Part of guarding my heart requires consistent, fruitful nourishment.  It is not an efficient process, but it is highly effective.

When I neglect my spiritual well being, days become exhausting.  Life is already difficult. It is essential to be intentional so that I may weather storms without the threat of deep-rooted destruction.