Laundry is not my favorite activity. I pondered giving it up for lent. Think of how much more time I'd have to spend with Jesus if I didn't have to be folding clothes?! I love the idea of laundry, clean clothes, warm towels, the sense of accomplishment when it's all done. But it takes so much effort to make it all happen. You have to wash all the clothes, fold and put them in the laundry basket, but then the hard part... getting them upstairs and put away. At first I wanted to blame it on my mother, many times of the 18 years I lived in the house I watched her do the same things. But there comes a point where you can't blame your behavior on another person and you have to accept and acknowledge the way you are. I don't know why I'm not motivated to do laundry; it does not come naturally to me.
It didn't always used to be this way. It used to be worse. I would wash a load and leave it in the washer for two days only to have to wash it again. Then I would wash a load put it in the dryer and leave it in dryer for two days only to have it wrinkled and a mess. Nowadays I'm actually getting it all done and in the basket folded, but I seem to be just transferring the basket of clothes around the house. It goes from on top of the dryer, to the kitchen table, when it gets in the way it makes it to the stairs and finally up into our bedroom. It usually sits in the bedroom until Jerod says something about how nice it would be not to have to search through the pile for some black socks or clean underwear...
Despite my love hate relationship with laundry, the Lord is working on my heart. It isn't about the laundry itself. Doing laundry, and actually putting it away is a great way to serve Jerod. It is nice to have clean socks in his drawer in the morning when he's half a sleep getting dressed. I have been praying so hard for a new heart. I have been praying to view doing work in the house differently. I am selfish, when I was single I could leave clothes undone and it was my own fault if I didn't have clean socks. But as a wife I am called to put Jerod's needs before my own. I desire to view taking care of our home and Jerod as a privilege, how awesome that I can serve Jerod in the way I take care of our home! It is such a blessing to me when Jerod is happy and feeling cared for. It is hard, my selfishness so often gets in the way and I have other things I think at the time are more important. I pray daily God would give me strength and energy to take care of Jerod and our home well. And, God is faithful! If I don't get everything done Jerod is patient and kind. The more I ask for new desires the more God is growing me, changing me and convicting me of my sin sooner.
Proverbs 31: 12 and 27
She does him good, not harm all the days of her life.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
I so desire to honor God and Jerod. This so connects. When we serve Jesus out of only duty and ritual, we miss the point of Christ. We should not look at serving Christ as a burden, but rather it is a privilege to serve the Lord. It is a blessing that despite the Lord not needing us, he chose to give us the gift of Christ and call us to live out the Gospel. What a joy and blessing that is! God uses us! Even though I am a sinner, God is in the business of changing hearts. And praise the Lord for that, other wise Jerod would sadly never have clean clothes to wear. I live a blessed life :-)
dmj
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