I’ll let you in on a little secret: I love doing laundry.
I know. Don’t hate me.
What is considered never-ending and the most mundane of tasks by the general population, I find deeply satisfying. I love the sight of fresh-smelling, neatly folded clothes and the knowledge that they will wrap my family in warmth for the next week. I love being victorious over stubborn stains; so much so, that on more than one occasion, my youngest traded shirts with a friend at school who spilled something on theirs and was afraid to bring it home, dirty, to their own mom! She said to them, with confidence, “Let my mom wash it; she LOVES stains!” Perhaps more than any of these things, I love the way that finished laundry opens up the week ahead; it provides me with an empty hamper and a clean slate.
You must be wondering what has me thinking about laundry on this, the first day of a brand new year. I guess it’s the fact that I spent yesterday mentally going through 2008, the good, the bad and the dirty. And then, I found this verse:
1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV
No matter what has gone before, by faith we are WASHED CLEAN in the name of Jesus! Even more than my most-trusted brand names of laundry aids – my Tide, Downy, and lo, even my OxyClean – the mighty name of Jesus is the most powerful of all, able to clean even the worst and most ground-in stains of the heart and mind. What good news as we look to the new year! Our slate has been cleaned and, if you will, our hamper has been emptied!I’m praying that as I go through this year, my laundry will be less soiled and the hamper will not be as full when I sit on this day in 2010. However, I know that if I find myself sporting a laundry challenge, I can hand it over to Him with confidence. Like me, I believe He finds great joy in the removal of a tough stain!
I’m praying for all of us that we will stay continually in the cleansing name of our sweet Jesus in 2009, leaving us emitting the fresh and beautiful fragrance of Him.
Ahhh…wash day!
Melinda, I don’t think you are crazy to like doing laundry. I don’t mind at all and most people think I’m crazy when I say I like to iron. I want smooth, sweet smelling pillow cases.
Sue
Melinda,
I also enjoy doing laundry and it gets done from start to finish. No piles and certainly no laundry left in the dryer because I love how my clothes smell while still warm. Fresh!
Just like we are after repenting!
I’m sending you an e-mail.
Love,
Ylanda
I love to do laundry too. Others laundry. My cleansing has been a slow prod, but I am beginning to see the growth of a slow and deliberate obedience. So many stains. So many remembrances I wish to wash away. So very thankful for a God who washes purer and more fully than me.
Happy New Year~elaine
Oh my goodness, could you PLEASE come to my house and empty my laundry baskets? We have a NEVER ENDING battle! Funny you should write about this today. I was thinking how as believers we are washed cleaned daily. Then, there are those that wake up on the New Year hoping for a better year, trying to forget the year past. My prayer is that they come to know our Savior and don’t have to wait for a “new year” to begin again.
Love you so-
Jennifer
Happy 2009,
What a great connection! Praise the Lord we are washed clean and made new…thank you for sharing!
Blessings for a beautiful New Year!
Hate you!?!? I LOVE you!!! You are my new best friend. And you have an open invitation to come to my house to satisfy your laundry love ANY. TIME. YOU. WANT!
I’ll give you a key…
BUT, if that photo was taken of YOUR laundry room, I hate you.
Melinda, I love it that your daughter brought a friend’s tough stain home to you 🙂 You’re a laundry hero! 🙂
Your post today made me think of an old hymn: “Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow, No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Thank you, Jesus, for making us white as snow!
Have a wonderful 09, Melinda!
Oh, I wish I liked doing laundry…that would make my life SO MUCH EASIER!
I love your parallel. I’m so thankful to have been washed by the blood of the lamb.
It’s nice to meet you – this is my first time to your blog. I love your design (my daughter is a blog design fanatic, and she’d like it too!)
Have a peaceful and joyful 2009!
Lynnette
PS Join me on Wednesday for “Wednesday’s Walk Down Memory Lane”. It should be a fun way to begin documenting memories!
I hate laundry… but it will now have new perspective for me thanks to this wonderful post! I’ll be back often. I love your writing style! 🙂 I love the way you are able to see spiritual principles in the ordinary things of life. Isn’t wonderful of the Lord to give us physical pictures of the things He’s trying to impress on our hearts? May your year be blessed with more of Him!
We always joke in our family that my brother-in-law is “Mr. Laundry”. He knows how to get any stain out of anything and he actually enjoys helping my sister by doing all the laundry.
So glad that God’s mercies are new every morning and that He washes me whiter than snow – don’t even need bleech!
Blessings,
Joy
Great post! One thing I got in the habit of doing when my boys were small and I struggled to find quiet time: I used my laundry time to pray for my family. As I scrubbed stains and washed, dried and ironed, I prayed for each family member I was washing clothes for.
I look forward to reading more of your blogs!
Melinda,
I don’t mind laundry, but my true love is washing the dishes by hand. It gives me stillness as I gaze out the window talking to God about my burdens. How ironic that a mundane chore can bring us to that slow state that God so desires us to come to so He can get our attention.
Happy New Year dear friend ….
Lisa