For the last week or so, you could lump my blog in with those cell phone commercials that talk about the “dead zone.” Ain’t nothing much been happening around here…dead indeed! However, there is good reason for that. 

You might assume that I, like most everyone else, was busy with my family for the holiday, but I celebrated last weekend while my girls were home. So, this week was consumed with something else. A while back, I talked about the message God gave me about my health. Since that time, I’ve been trying a lot of different things to heed that warning, but finally, I found a doctor (thanks Jen!) that is taking things in a different direction than what I’ve tried in the past. I have begun a medical “cleanse”, which means that, while the rest of you were shoveling it in during your Thanksgiving feast, I was, um…shoveling it out. Sorry if that’s too much information, but, hey, it is what it is!
I was told that during this initial week, I might have a few flu-like symptoms as the toxins were being purged from my body. The reality has been that I, for all intents and purposes, had the flu. My body must’ve been akin to your basic toxic waste heap, because I was sick, I’m telling you…SICK. 
As I lay there lamenting my sad self, the following passage came to mind:
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.  1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV

Mine has been a physical cleanse, but what I’ve been going through is a really accurate picture of what happens to our hearts and souls when we purge ourselves of all the nastiness we take in from living in this world. While some of us may have experienced a negative reaping of these toxins we’ve taken in; often, we walk around with heavily toxin-saturated souls without truly understanding the harm it’s bringing us. That is, until we do the work to rid ourselves of the vile offenders. 
It can be hard, painful and tedious. Some of this stuff is so deeply engrained in our very fiber that it tries desperately to hang on and leaves us a little raw once it’s finally gone. But, like a physical cleanse returns the body to its original function, creating a clean slate; a heart cleanse returns the heart to the healthy state God intended – a space to be filled with Him alone.
After my initial, hardcore week of cleansing, I am gradually adding back only the foods that are completely healthy and nourishing for me. Isn’t this what that scripture is saying? Once we’re rid of the soul-toxins, we, like a new-born baby, should crave only “pure spiritual milk” to help us grow, replacing the garbage with whatever is true, right, pure, noble, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
I’m happy to report that, while I’m just coming out on the other side of this cleanse and I’m still dealing with some residual effects, I am feeling better. Maybe “better” isn’t the right word. I’m feeling right; a glimpse at the way I was intended to feel. I’ve also got a fresh desire to do some heart-cleansing, so my cravings will be for Christ and Christ alone.
Imagine if my whole self – body, heart and soul – were free of toxins and operating the way God intended? 
Now, that is worth the work of a good cleanse.