Joy in the Laundry, Really!

A text received from my husband..."Washing clothes. What is your saying? Joy in the Laundry?"

I'm married to an "Army-man". He's not always away from home, but this night he is and he's doing his own laundry.
I reply, "Yep! Are you feeling the joy?".
"No. Missing home.".
That tugs at my heart!

I wake up today and strip the sheets off the bed, knowing only one side is really in need of washing, the other side has been missing it's normal occupant (and I have too). But alas, there is laundry to be done so here I go! My thoughts go back to the text. I have become fairly well-known for saying there is JOY IN THE LAUNDRY.
It brings a smile to my heart when others remember.
But what is it really all about?

Well unfortunately for years I spent time moaning and groaning over piles of dirty laundry that needed to be washed, dried, folded, ironed and put away. I mean really there were loads upon load and I never seemed to be able to catch up. There were days that it seemed to consume me as I would tug the dirty clothes to the basement, load up the washer and then turn on the dryer repeatedly to fluff the clothes I meant to fold the day before. It seemed worthy of complaint. But somewhere along the way I saw a blessing overlooked. Little arms and legs were running around in those clothes each day spilling jelly on their shirts, playing in mud puddles, drooling ice cream. And those little arms and legs were attached to sweet little blessings that were mine! (Now those big clothes belonging to my hardworking husband were also a blessing, but I thought you may get warm fuzzies if I showed you my little blessings!)

And while their little clothes with big messes turned to big clothes with bigger messes they were still blessings filled with joy to be treasured!

 

I wrote these words in an email sent in February 2012:

 "I have gone from despising the mounds of dirty clothes that need washing to enjoying my time folding the fresh loads falling out of the dryer. What happened to my distaste for the dirty, stinky socks and underwear? I began to look at the chore as an act of love toward my family and well, not a chore."

 

There is Joy in the Laundry!

 

And there is more, more to my Joy in the Laundry. There is Jesus!

Jesus stands ready to wash loads and loads of dirty laundry every day.

Our laundry.

We approach his feet, stinky and unclean.

He reaches out and removes the dirt and grime of sin.

He makes us clean.

An act of great love.

Not a chore.

A gift of love.

 

 

"Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness" Psalm 51:7-8

 

So when the piles seem endless...(like this pile to be ironed that has been waiting over a week), don't worry, don't complain.

Look for the joy.

Look for the blessings.

 

 Spend more time here! Jesus doesn't mind if you are wrinkled! And if you throw that load in the washer before you sit the machine will be working for you while you enjoy sweet moments in the Word...finding JOY!

 

Joy in the laundry!
I just can't wait for that Army-Man to get home so I can wash his clothes!
~Jodie