vote: Proud or Ashamed? :)

So, I was vacuuming our family room today, the kids snack/TV room and looked over at our popcorn dusted couch (from the afternoon snack) and thought I'd be a glowing example of Martha homemaker and vacuum the cushions off quickly while I had the vacuum going preparing for company...then I thought maybe I'll just pull them out a bit and....oh wow, look at all these crumbs under here, and oh wait, there is a  hidden "shelf" filled with sh*#! that I didn't know about!  Needless to say I gathered two lip glosses, an old keychain, numerous coins, and enough popcorn kernels to make another batch from beneath this hidden pouch of rubble in my couch!  And here I thought I'd spruce the place up quick, and low and behold there was a hidden world of filth that had been lurking for months maybe even I hate to say it, years! Unfortunately for me, bills and valuables do not tend to fall or be stored in pockets of children :) And I know some of you, like my sweet friend Meg, would say, I vacuum under my cushions every Friday...apparently I should not be proud at all but rather embarrassed to be posting this...
I was reminded of the human condition, or just my own heart, where we try to do something great, or confess pride, or straighten up here or there and we fall into a larger pit or flaw we were completely unaware of .... and hear God smiling down at me saying, "It was there the whole time, you just didn't see it." Scary how those stinky habits creep into our lives and they traipse around our attitudes and hearts unannounced and one day out of the blue you say something like, "Lord give me more patience" and what began as an honest confession and willingness to spruce up a bit becomes a season long project of self-realization that isn't so pretty...  Thankfully God has a sense of humor and loves us despite our hidden hearts that "look" all tidy on the outside.  There is not a day that goes by that I am "worthy" enough to profess Him, but he lets us participate anyway, knowing each one of us, on our best day, are still saved by grace alone, and Lord, for that we thank you!
All I can say is that if there is ever a mystery smell in our house that I can't figure out I'm going to the couch! :)  It's as stinky as my heart is, if I saw it from God's point of view! :)