On Laundry

I was folding laundry yesterday while all the kids were napping. As I hung up Jeffrey’s work shirts I smiled thinking about how he wouldn’t have to worry about clean clothes tomorrow, or stumble around to find a shirt in the wee hours of the morning, when only he is awake and the rest of us are still warm in bed. 

Then I stopped out of shock that I could feel joy by doing laundry. 😳 I am constantly washing clothes. I’ve got a baby who loves to spit up and a daughter who wants to change outfits at least three times a day. It’s overwhelming how much laundry we have in our house these days. 

I thought back to when we were newlyweds and I wrestled with being annoyed whenever I washed Jeffrey’s clothes. I would think: “Wouldn’t it be nice if someone washed MY clothes. If they just magically got cleaned and folded without me lifting a finger.” Then on top of that charming attitude, I would feel so resentful if he didn’t fall to the ground and praise me the minute he got home and realized what I did. "Your clothes were dirty! And now they're clean! And I did it on top of work/kids/cleaning/driving around/breathing!" 

I knew this was ugly. So a few months ago I started praying God would show me how to find joy in serving our family. So much of my role as a mom doesn't give me much of a choice to serve--I simply have to for things to get done and for life to keep moving in a semi-organized manner. But how I serve is definitely a choice, and I found I was often doing the motions outwardly while under the surface I felt bitter, or wanted a load of affirmation for it. My prayers were for God to teach me how to serve in a new way. 

Yesterday I saw the smallest glimpse that He’s starting that work in me, through what else but LAUNDRY. I saw that instead of resentment that used to live in the quiet corners of my heart, I had instead grown in admiring my husband and the work he does for our family. This gratitude compels me to love him well, even in the littlest ways—like pairing his socks. 

As 2018 closed and I thought about what I wanted to bring into the new year--serving out of this place of overflow became my heart's cry. The truth is, I'm still quick to drag my feet when someone needs me. I often feel like my kid's behavior is an interruption to my agenda. I still sometimes look at the overflowing laundry basket and think...Lord I just don't want to today.

But still, I'm grateful for the glimpses of growth that cause me to stop in awe of how God is capable of transforming my heart, even in the most mundane everyday things like laundry.