Monday, February 9, 2009

Laundry: a lesson in contentment

Yes, this is true, as much as I see myself a participant in the laundry war, it is teaching me contentment. The sink is still low to the ground, the tub can only handle about seven pieces at a time – unless it is jeans which mean only one at a time. The rain is still falling most every day, and the shape of our clothes - well who cares? They still work and fill their functions.
As I stand out there sorting, filling the tub, soaking, scrubbing, rinsing, wringing, and handing – I realize that I am blessed. I have people to do laundry for – I have a beautiful family. We are all healthy and able bodied enough to go out and get dirty on pretty much a daily basis.
We have enough clothes that I can wash some of them and we will not be without something to wear if the current load does not dry for a few days.
No socks are lost to the washing machine monster, if I put two socks in the tub, there are two socks to scrub, rinse, wring out and hang on the line.
Yet as much as laundry is teaching me about contentment, I am learning that it is more of a feeling rather than a conscious thought. Contentment allows me to focus on other things, my mind is not occupied with wants, desires, urges to acquire, needs to consume and accumulate, jealousy of others material and personal blessings – I am free to more fully walk in the light of Jesus and do the work that God has purposed for me. However, when I begin to think about how content I am, the step to a sense of righteousness is not far away and bang, I am back wallowing in malcontent.
I am taking baby steps on the life long journey towards complete contentment – a destination I will not reach until the day I stand in the presence of Jesus Christ.

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