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



An Unlikely Gathering

 

 
 

It was an unlikely gathering.

Unlikely because normally time would not allow.
But on this day time opened wide.

Unlikely because normally I would stress about dotting the I's and crossing the T's.
But on this occasion God prompted me to follow His lead.

So while I snipped the basil off I said, "Ok God, you lead, I'll follow".

 

I sent a few texts out.
One to a friend who I knew loves my Tomato Basil Summer Salad (which did not even have that name until after this unlikely occasion occurred)! A warm response of excitement was received. Really? Yes, Really!
I would like to make you a salad!
And then God prompted again. "You know another friend who is home alone this evening. Why not invite her to come over and share my bounty that I have sent as a blessing". So I sent another text and extended an invite. And God said, "Why stop there? Take my lead and see who will come if you just extend an invitation. I have opened the time, provided all you need, just open your heart and your home". So I continued to share invitations, to a neighbor, to a friend I have not seen all summer, and then to our entire morning Faithfully Fit class that just happened to be filled with new faces on this particular morning.
You want to talk about unlikely! It was the first summer morning class I had been able to attend. All summer long family matters and work issues and vacations have interfered with me seeing the sweet girls during morning class. But on this morning I was able! I will willing, ready and able. And so with a little hesitation (only because the "have to be in control of the details" person inside me was creeping out) I sounded out the invitation for anyone who would like to come! Come to my house and lets do some cooking! And all afternoon as God would place someone on my mind I would trust and respond.
And two minutes before six the doorbell rang for the first time. And then we began to gather.

And my kitchen began to fill with laughter and the wonderful aroma of food and God's blessings!

I gained a true respect that evening for women like Rhee Drummond, better known as the Pioneer Woman, who show others to cook, photograph each step and clearly explain the process. It's a ton of work! (I highly recommend her cooking blog, cookbook, TV show and recipes as they are easy to follow and tasty!)

 

This little group of friends, some new, some old, joined hands in my kitchen for prayer and God said, "Thank you for following".

 

We chopped. We told stories. We sautéed. We laughed. We learned. We shared life.

 

When the evening came to a close we all prepared to go our separate ways and they wanted to clean my kitchen. I said it's Ok! Because really, it was. On this day, in that place, all was well. It was an unlikely evening. But God cleared the way, arranged the timing, prompted those who He needed to gather and all was well! His blessing were bountiful!

This is the day the Lord has made, Rejoice and be glad in it!

Now I'm no TV cooking star, and though I have a recipe or two in a church cookbook, I am not a cookbook author. But I am a girl who likes to turn on the stovetop and stir up some madness! And I am a girl who loves Jesus. So from this point forward, when the unlikely happens again, I will be calling, texting, posting, inviting and I hope you will say yes! You just never know what the Lord will cook up when He's in your heart and you let Him into your kitchen!
~ Jodie

 

 

 

 Tomato Basil Summer Salad

Fresh vine ripened tomatoes ~ your choice of type: cherry, heirloom, roma
Olive Oil (tasting/finishing oil)
15 Basil Leaves ~ cut using a chiffonade technique (into long, thin strips)

Quarter or slice your tomatoes. Drizzle and toss with olive oil. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Finish by sprinkling basil on top. Enjoy all summer long while the tomatoes are fresh! It's just not the same when you can not get "real" tomatoes.

 

Wednesday's Challenge

A challenge.
Sometime life itself is a challenge.

A challenge to see the joy, the great purpose.
...

But recently I learned that our eyes must be searching in order to see.

Eyes that are fixed on the pain of this world are destined to be disappointed. We do, after all, live in a fallen world.

But with eyes open to see joy, expecting the unexpected....

We see. We feel. We experience life...life abundant.

We taste. We see.

Our hunger gives way and we are full, when we look to see the blessings.

Blessings poured into our cup.

Fill me up Lord, Fill my cup;

Fill it full to overflowing!

Fill me up Lord, Fill my cup.

Fill it full to overflowing so when I pour out your blessings others may see

Joy

Pure Joy

Your Joy

Your Love


Today, I just challenge you to walk with eyes wide open, looking for the joy amidst the pain.
The four leaf clover tucked in the weeds.

The flower still blooming.

The sun peeking through the clouds.

The coolness of the breeze.

The sweetness of life........taste and see........that the Lord IS good!



Blessings spilling out, fill your cup,

Jodie

...my cup overflows... psalm 23:5