Laundry Time

(Picture taken before SVC Pumpkin Fest, 2008)

I'm not fond of chores. But I'd rather do the laundry than the bathroom. Sorting the clothes into appropriate piles is easy to handle. Actually, that's kind of how my mind works anyway. Dark colors, light colors, whites, permanent press, delicates, towels - everything gets "classified," and we handle each pile of clothes differently. Length of cycle time varies, type or amount of detergent changes depending on the size of the load or type of fabric. To each, the process may be slightly different, but the desired result is the same - a clean set of clothes.

Alot of times, we don't want to do the laundry or don't have the time, so we let it just sit for awhile - longer than usual. Instead of dealing with the stench, we'll go out and buy or try something new. Eventually that gets soiled as well, and there it goes - on top of that pile that continues to grow ... more soiled clothes on top of the others as time goes by.

Isn't that how we handle life sometimes? We classify events and situations into categories and handle each one a little bit differently, according to the special needs surrounding that circumstance. There are times, however, we don't want to deal with a certain "pile" though, and it continues to sit there, more soiled events on top of the others.

What's in this pile of dirty laundry we sometimes neglect? Rejection from a loved one, bitterness about overbearing relationships, pain from the death of a child or the death of dream, a sanctimonious attitude toward a draining friend, hatred for an offensive brother, denial about our behaviors that feel out of control, anger about a spouse's extra marital affair, or maybe the fear from the thoughts of possibly having one? You add to the list ...

Left unattended - the piles of clothes just get bigger and bigger, and it takes longer and longer to sort through. Let's face it ... we've all got some proverbial laundry to do.  So why do we ignore it, bury it, and think it's best left unattended?  It only makes for a more difficult task in the long run. So before the "un-aired" pile of emotional laundry turns in to emotional baggage, we've got to block out some time ... some laundry time ... with the only One who can help us sort through all of our stuff and help us come clean.  

Cast your cares upon Him for he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7