Bringing "It" Up

When the time came to get a new vacuum cleaner, I went looking for info. One model caught my attention. It had a decent number of reviews on a decent variety of sites, many written in detail by people clearly -- and sometimes amusingly -- passionate about their vacuum cleaners. A few reviewers described it as a good machine, but with one significant drawback -- the canister is way too small. I looked awhile longer before finally picking up the one with the reportedly-too-small canister.

We got the thing assembled and went to work, and -- oh my. By the time I was halfway done with the main floor, that little canister was filled with dust, hair, little crumbs of doggie snacks left by our careless canine, even glitter. (Seriously, glitter! Where did that come from??) I had to empty the canister twice that night. Perhaps those reviewers were right, and this otherwise-quality machine has a major design flaw.

Sirius contributes much to the collection...

Then again, maybe the issue isn't with the machine. Perhaps the issue is one of mismatched expectations. After all, our house is clean, right? I should be able to vacuum all day long and still not have a a bucket of dirt, right?

Nope.

There is all sorts of stuff I don't see beneath the surface, and to blame the vacuum for bringing it up would really be missing the point.

And oh, how like life. Even when it seems that everything is humming along smoothly, a discerning "vacuum" can bring up quite a variety of stuff not apparent to my unaided eye. Though I may not always like what I see, to place blame on God or the others around me for bringing it up (whatever "it" happens to be) would really be missing the point.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

(Psalm 139:23-24)