Staying The Course

Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she was going to have a pretty important child.  She said,"Yes."  Now move to the scene in the stable.  It is cold, dark, dirty and a seemingly unimportant place.  Will Mary stay the course?  Would you?  Yes, she did.  She believed that God was at work and present in that stable scene.  The Annunciation times in our lives can be pretty powerful and convincing experiences of spirituality, a God at work in our midst.  But there are other times and tasks in which we seem to be ignored, or sense a lack of self-importance.  It can be messy, dirty and difficult work for which we get no recognition.  Do you believe God is at work and present in your life in those times?  Is cleaning or maintaining your living environment, room, a time when you recognize the presence of God?  Is cleaning seen as Holy?  Or is it just something to ignore as beneath you, or a time to grumble about messy people around you?