Lesson from the Laundry

Today I chose to do the washing. I could have waited a couple of days or so for better weather, but …
I looked out and saw a cloudy sky, with a small patch of blue, and a hint of the sun’s ray. But the deciding factor was the breeze. Enough to wiggle the trees.

Perfect.
I can always bring the washing inside if it starts to look iffy; hang it on the horse. Put the horse outside when the clouds disperse.
Washing in, washing out, washing in, washing out …
Some people stress about doing that. All right, I do too.  Ever watching the weather …
Silly, really.  If it gets wet, it gets wet. I have other clothes! If it stays out till nearly dark, that’s OK too. It’s not my preference – my dear mum’s advice echos through my mind: “Bring your washing in before nightfall…”
But, still …
A neighbour’s washing got left out for a couple of days in a row a while back, through a storm, then sunshine, then rain. They didn’t seem to stress about it. It eventually dried and they took it in.

It occurs to me that my approach to my faith journey is not unlike the attitude that I bring to laundry. When it’s sunny (things are going well), I happily trust God with my washing.  But sometimes it’s cloudy … Oh, oh, a storm is on the way.  What should I do?  Bring it in?  Leave it out?  Oh, my … I find myself doing the in and out washing two-step.  I lay down my problems, Lord …
“Be anxious for nothing,” he says.
But I take them back up again, until, nope, I lay them down …
Oh, no, now it’s pouring and I missed getting the washing in. Where did that storm come from?

More stress!

I have to remind myself, God sees the storm too, is with me in the storm.  He’s not worried about it, or the washing for that matter.  He knows the turbulence will pass, and the washing and I will come through just fine.

Hmm …
How much does my laundry dilemma transfer to other things in life?  Quite a lot.  It’s part of my psyche.  The washing is trivial, sure. But if I’m to adopt the whole analogy I must learn not to stress about things.  This thing or that thing or anything!  Stress not, Keri.  It all comes out in the wash …

I really have to think about this.

In the meantime, I’m smiling as I watch my clothes looping and dancing in the breeze against the cloudy sky. They even look joyful.

Keri P