Socks, shirts, towels, oh my!!! These self-multiplying piles of laundry will keep me on my toes. We are a family of 6 (the oldest is off to college) and if I didn't know it for a fact, it would be my prediction these enormous piles must represent a dozen people! Between the gym clothes, pool suits and towels and regular clothes, the 5 of us can pile it on!
Last week, I was out of town for 3 days at the YOU Lead & Living Proof Live Conference with Beth Moore and Travis Cottrell, which was wonderful by the way. In preparation for me being gone, I prepared some meals for the hubs to easily serve up and made sure all laundry was clean. All this work 1.) because I am the one who does all the meal and laundry in the home and 2.) honestly, I didn't want to be bombarded all weekend with questions: Where's the Pam spray? Do we have cinnamon rolls? Where's my other purple sock? Have you seen my cargo shorts? How do I make....?
All went according to planned! Hubs and kids had all they needed and texts were only I Love Yous and Miss Yous. I should however have thought a few more days ahead in my planning because I was exhausted physically and emotionally. This girl needs more than 5 hours of sleep and it needs to be solid sleep for me to function well the next day and that was not the case this weekend. Thank The Lord for His strength and endurance to stay alert and engaged despite my sleepiness. Saturday nights return home is a blur to me. All I remember was getting into my comfy pjs and plopping down on the couch with the kiddos cuddled up like a pile of puppies. Completely filled and completely drained in every way!
The following day was a full day of church and baseball (which happened to be back up on the mainland 2 hours north) and Monday was my bday, so no cleaning or house duties happened this day either! Tuesday was errand day to replenish the pantry and asses the upcoming house duties, baseball schedules and homework assignments. Tons of laundry needed to be done by now. With a house full of this many people using several outfits a day, it adds up! Even though the oldest does his own laundry, I will chip in depending on his schedule with school and work and this was a week he needed my extra help, so I did one load for him.
It was overwhelming. Standing in the middle of my house taking a 360 degree inventory of all that needs to be done in order to be caught up, will be the very reason I leave the house and go for a walk or work on a random project. So that my mind can stop freaking out and feeling overwhelmed. Calmly and ready to hit it head on, I make my list and get to it, doing all I can without drowning under it all. It's just what happens when you don't stay ontop of it all or plan accordingly. When laundry stays continually rotating through, food is planned for, time for rest is alloted, schedules are managed, when chores are distributed and shared, life at home is less overwhelming.
As I sat there buried under the pile of stinky little clothes, grass stained uniforms and damp towels, hungry with no clue what remnants were left to prepare for my family, gazing upon the floors needing to be swept and mirrors needing to be wiped and toilets...well, let's just say they became first priority...my heart was grateful for grace. Oh the grace of God to look upon my mess surrounding me and accept me into His arms. How wonderful to not have to "clean up or catch up" in order to immediately fellowship with Him. Sitting there on my dirty floors, amongst dirty clothes and a pitiful attitude, He sat down with me.
Friend, you do not need to clean yourself up in order to invite Him in. He is unaffected with what surrounds you. Nothing will prevent Him from answering your cry for help or fellowship. Such a mighty God, His sweet fellowship will restore to you a joy to get "it" done whatever that may be in your life today. He is a God of Rescue and a God of Refuge and Strength. Though you may be weak and overwhelmed, Grace will be your strength to accomplish what needs to be done.
So, if it has been a long time since you have been in church, prayed, had a quiet time with Him, confessed sin, fellowshiped in His name with other Believers, read your Bible, I encourage you and remind you to call upon Him now! There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Romans 8! Shame, embarrassment and condemnation are from the enemy who seeks to kill and destroy! John 10:10. Right where you are, amongst the piles of all things dirty, He is with you even so, to help you clean! Psalm 51:10-12. Call out to Him and He is faithful to answer!! What wonderful news! Bless the Giver of Grace! My we find ourselves overwhelmed by Grace and not by this world.
Father God, bless us in our mess and redeem us out of the weights that pull us under. Thank You for the grace you extend so abundantly for Your children. May You find us faithful to answer the calls You place in our days just as You are faithful to us. Thank You for Your Kingship and Your Friendship with us. You truly are our Refuge and Strength. Holy Spirit draw us away from temptations of this world and bring us into the shelter of Your wings that we may fellowship and worship instead of freaking out and worrying. There is no greater Name than Yours Alighty, The Great I Am, Pit Redeemer and Strength Saver, Compassionate Christ the Lord. We thank You for the Gift of Grace amongst all this stinky stuff of earth. May we be a sweet aroma to You in all we think, say and do. We worship you from the Sanctuary and the Laundry Room, in Your Sweet Gracious Name, amen.
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