I love folding laundry, and other lies I tell myself.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  I absolutely love folding my family’s laundry.  I know, right? Go ahead and start polishing that statue of me. Make sure to get my halo just right.  My children will rise up and call me blessed.

Let me set the scene for you.  It’s 3 o’clock.  I’ve done all the fun things with the kids all day.  School work is finished.  I’ve just tucked them all in for an hour (or two) of video games.  I grab my overflowing pile of laundry and announce, “Mommy’s going to fold laundry in my room.” The children generously praise me for being so hardworking and loving them so much.  I plop down on the bed, turn Netflix on, fold a sock.  The End.

Sitting with my laundry while I binge on TV makes me feel semi-productive.  Sure I’ve watched 6 episodes of Fixer Upper, but I also folded this sock and I’m clearly still working because I’m. sitting. next. to. a. pile. of. laundry.

I find myself telling similar lies in my faith life.

“I’m doing so many things for you, God. Aren’t you impressed with all the church I’m attending? With my kids!? I’ve got those rugrats there every week. Every week, I tell you! I smile at people. Even when I don’t feel happy,  I still smile.  Isn’t that self-sacrificing, God? I volunteered at the place, before, remember? Such good times!  I’m doing alright.”

But I’m fairly sure real faith looks a little different.  It looks a lot more like a heavily pregnant woman riding a donkey across the desert because she said yes to bearing the savior of the world.  It looks a lot more like Moses going before a king and asking the impossible because a burning bush said, “I AM.” It looks a lot more like pouring out expensive oil and tears at the feet of Jesus.

It looks HARD.

But here’s the catch of lying to yourself.  Sitting next to the laundry isn’t enough to get it folded.

Sitting next to real faith isn’t enough to get things done either.  If we aren’t doing hard things, we aren’t doing it right.  Real love requires sacrifice. And sacrifice hurts.  There’s no formula because God calls us to different hard things. Forgiving wrongs. Loving the unlovable. Serving the poor.  Caring for the forgotten and neglected.  Love is action.

Sitting in close proximity to real faith isn’t enough.  We have to dig in, and do the work.

 

 

 

 

Washing Socks

Frustrating. Annoying, Tedious. Never-ending. These are the words that come to mind when I think about tackling my laundry.  The piles and piles of laundry that three little boys and two adults can have is staggering and overwhelming at times.  It’s not a chore I like or look forward to, in fact its a chore I usually put off until everyone is down to our “second string” wardrobe.

Yesterday, though, I did laundry and it felt holy and sacred.  Yesterday, the clothes I washed and folded felt like prayers being sent up. Yesterday, doing laundry was not a chore, it was a privilege.

My sister and I spent yesterday morning washing laundry at Clean of Heart. Clean of Heart is a much needed ministry that provides laundry and shower services to the homeless population of Columbia,  They provide a place where men and women can come to feel clean and fresh and renewed. Most of the homeless shelters in Columbia do not have the capabilities to provide a laundry service. So people may find a place to sleep and shower, but then they have to put on dirty clothes.  Serving at Clean of Heart was a beautiful experience.  The director and other volunteers truly modeled what it means to be a servant.  Every action was filled with love.  Each person who walked through the door was treated with dignity, respect, and esteem.  Laundry and showers are not the only services provided at Clean of Heart.  They are providing hugs, conversation, homemade treats, understanding, smiles, and coffee (ahh, truly after my own heart). If you would like to be a part of the amazing work Clean of Heart is doing, they are always in need of donations. Here is a list of items currently needed:

Putting together blessing bags for Clean of Heart to distribute to their clients would be a really great way to get your children involved in the giving/serving.  These are Ziploc bags filled with things like travel size toiletries, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, comb, individually wrapped snacks, Chapstick, and packages of tissues.  I think it’s important to instill from a young age the lesson that ALL people are important and worthwhile.

Jesus set the example for us when He knelt before the disciples and washed their dirty, cracked, and calloused feet. He taught us there is great beauty in serving one another. He told us:

  “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”  John 13:15

Jesus washed feet, so I will gladly and joyfully wash socks.