When the laundry hamper's full, but your heart feels empty

It is always amazing to me how "stuff" can get in the way.  I don't mean clutter, but rather jobs. Tasks. Agendas. The to do list.

I find myself getting caught up in the oh so unimportant things of life, when there are so many other valuable things that I should be focusing on.  Today my laundry hamper is overflowing.  I have no snack food in the house for school snacks.  The floors need vacuuming and washing.  The furniture needs dusting. . . and my list goes on and on.

As I lay in bed this morning, I started thinking about all the things that "need" to be done.  Now panic didn't quite set in, but it started to feel overwhelming.  I started to think negative thoughts.  I started to feel that no one else in the house was going to be doing any work today, expect for poor little 'ol me.  Yup, I was having a pity party.  You see, today is a holiday here in Manitoba.  Family day to be exact.  Yup FAMILY day.  And I knew just the way I was going to spend family day - DOING LAUNDRY!!!  And every one else was going to be lazing around doing nothing!  I had the day "figured out" perfectly.

All the laundry hampers gathered into the laundry room were screaming my name.  And as I went down and sorted through the mounds of clothing, I started muttering.  I started grumbling.  I started seething.  Everybody else had nothing to do but me.  And oh how my heart started to crumble. . .

But you see, it was all in my own little "poor me" head.  As I sat and sorted the laundry, I remembered what I used to do way back when we were waiting to adopt a baby.  We had been picked by our birth mom, and so I had purchased a few things in the event that the adoption did proceed.  I remember folding the tiny little socks and praying for our baby.  That God would direct his/her path wherever it brought them.  I remembered folding the little onesies and praying that God would have control over his/her heart.  I remembered folding the little sleepers and praying that he/she would grow up to be a strong child of God. The wash cloths, the blankets, the towels.  Every item I laundered with joy and anticipation.

And here I sat today - remember - it's family day - grumbling about the laundry my family had generated.  The very thing that I had prayed for for so long, I had!!! I had two wonderful children that for years I never thought I would be able to enjoy.  For 12 long years, I begged God for a child.  And that day, 12 1/2 years ago, as I folded an unborn child's laundry - a child I wasn't sure would become mine, I prayed that God would allow me to have a child or two.  I remembered thinking that laundry would always be such a wonderful task because it meant I had a child!!

And here I was, buried in my own self absorbed thoughts when I was reminded of those days.  I was reminded how I had longed for a child.  I was reminded how I thought laundry was a blessing.  And so as I foldED my sons pants, I prayed.  As I folded my daughters shirts, I prayed.  As I folded my husbands work shirts, I prayed. I rejoiced.  I became thankful.  For here, in the middle of a pile of laundry lay so many blessings.  The floor was littered with them.  The floor was filled with past activities.  The floor was brimming with happiness.  With Joy.  With answered prayers.  And with each load of laundry I did, I praised.  Because each load was another load of evidence of how God had blessed me.  With an amazingly patient husband.  A beautiful daughter - inside and out.  A son with a soft and gentle spirit.  All of who have brought me such joy.

And suddenly the laundry room became a mountain of praise.  And as each pile of clothes was laundered, I was reminded that God had blessed me so incredibly much.

And just like that, the hamper was empty, but my heart was full!!!

Psalm 136:1-5

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his loving-kindness continues forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving-kindness continues forever. 

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving-kindness continues forever. 

Praise him who alone does mighty miracles, for his loving-kindness continues forever. 

Praise him who made the heavens, for his loving-kindness continues forever.