Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Expiration Date


The Expiration Date
Carol Condon
www.carolcondon.com


It is an overwhelming task to maintain the inventory of our home. The shopping list is added to weekly. Although I try very hard, many times I forget to buy a needed item and accidentally purchase something I already have. The extras are stored for whenever they will be needed.

One day I found myself in need of a bottle of Italian salad dressing. I knew I had some stored in the pantry. As I opened it, I noticed a strong, strange odor. I turned the bottle over and was shocked when I saw the expiration date. How could I have had this for so long and not used it? I got to thinking of all the other items in the pantry. How many more were expired? So, I took a few days and made it my mission to conduct an expiration date inspection. Was I ever shocked! I had a countertop full of expired items ranging from pain relievers and vitamins to canned goods and crackers.

My biggest shock came from an odor that I traced to our basement. We have an ancient refrigerator that we use to keep our extra cartons of milk and drinks in. There was a gallon of chocolate milk that one of the boys put in the door instead of on the center shelf. This gallon of milk sat forgotten. The carton had been opened and with each slam of the door drops of soured milk escaped spilling over time and gathering on the floor. My chore turned into quite an undertaking; however, I was so thankful to rid our home of these expired items. Many of them looked harmless but were unusable. The medicine bottles were no longer effective, the milk had curdled, the oil had turned rancid, the crackers were stale and the canned goods were no longer safe to use.

I got to thinking about life. How many items have been stored away forgotten and expired in the deep recesses of our lives? Hurt feelings, broken hearts, dashed dreams, failed relationships coupled with offenses and bitterness over unanswered prayers take up valuable space way past their expiration date. When was the last time that you conducted an expiration date inspection? Let’s commit our ways to Him.  In other words, entrust them to Him. We do not want to lose our effectiveness and become harmful to those around us. Take inventory today!

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5