Me and My Sister's Kirby

Meet Rara's Kirby

Truth: Ever since my back surgery, I haven't vacuumed much. The good news? My carpet hides my cleaning failure well.

Part of the reason is simply because my Hoover is very old.

Even with a clean bag, my house smelled more like dust after I vacuumed than before, setting off Sam's allergies. Pushing the contraption hurt my leg. Letting it run made Sam sneeze. So it stayed in the front closet.

But when everyone was coming for Thanksgiving dinner last November, I longed for a deep clean. I'd been studying vacuums on the Internet and Kirby's - even refurbished Kirby's - ranked high. Since my sister has one and Sammy's allergies wouldn't calm, I asked if I could borrow hers to attack the dust mites and all other evils lurking in my carpet. She agreed and Sam stopped by to pick it up.

We cleared the living room furniture and plugged that Kirby in. I knew Kirby's were heavy but didn't anticipate it being quite as heavy as it was.  My sister had a newer model that I'd read was supposed to be easier to push. But when I started to use it, it felt like I was shoving 20 pounds of bricks across my carpet.  I wanted those dust mites and all other evils gone bad enough that I pushed till my leg almost fell off.

By the time the boys and I left for the farm the next day, I was in bad shape. But my house was clean; my carpet, vacuumed. So relief carried me above the pain.

When I talked to my sister about it later, she asked if I'd pushed the bottom pedals. "What pedals?" I asked. "The ones that make it self propel, " she answered.

Truth: I didn't have to exhaust my leg to vacuum the carpet. That reality became clear when I borrowed it again this week. Because this time, I pushed the right buttons and it moved across the floor with ease. I vacuumed on a day my whole left side hurt and it didn't make things worse.

Sometimes I get bogged down by everything but trudge forward with my 20 pound (or more) load. As I lay awake last night I heard,  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 28-30)

His yoke is easy? Really? His burden is light??

That's what he said... and that's what I learned from my sister's Kirby this week.

Light. Easy.

Gentle. Humble.

Rest.