Bending down, picking up, spilling over, piling on top, folding and smoothing, straightening up, putting away, stacking high, spilling over again, carrying across the room…..repeat.
And repeat again.
Piles of dishes dirty in the sink, heaps of laundry dirty in the hamper.
The two mounds that never end, an eternal cycle of pile, scrub, rinse, dry, put away, stack, fold, repeat.
Then there are those 3 glorious minutes where all the glasses are sparkling in a row, all the silverware is neatly put away in its drawer, the plates and bowls are stacked and gleaming, the sink is bare, the dishtowels are drying.
That one lovely half hour of the week where the laundry is folded in smooth stacks of cotton softness and linen freshness, the washer and dryer are silent, the hampers are empty, the baskets are bare.
Those are the moments I work towards during the other hundreds of minutes each day. Even if those moments never actually come, the dream of appreciating them is always there.
Clink. Clatter. Swish. Tumble. Spin. Splash. Thump. Click.
One dish at a time. One load at a time.
Always trying to reach for those moments of completion, those moments of rewarding quiet and order.
Listen. Do you hear it?
The sound of tasks being checked off. The sound of the cycle slowing to a quiet halt. The sound of calm after the bustle. The solitary moment of peace before the pattern starts over and the pile starts to build again.
That personal moment of satisfaction that every homemaker longs for if only to savor it for one, two, three triumphant seconds.
Clink. Clatter. Swish. Tumble. Spin. Splash. Thump. Click. Hum. Sigh. Breathe.
Deep breath, faithful homemaker, you can do this.
You could perform these repetitive patterns in your sleep so why not use these mindless tasks to your advantage? Make the most of the mundane and the ordinary. Live through these moments intentionally and your tasks will carry a sense of noble purpose.
Pray. Think. Reflect. Work. Serve. Sacrifice. Love. Listen. Accomplish. Dream.
Persevere in making your house a home for your family, for your friends, for yourself, one dish, one load, one hard-working moment at a time.
Did you enjoy this post? Check out From My Kitchen Sink.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” Philippians 4:8.
Such a sweet post and such a good reminder! It is SO easy to just want to “get through” everything, but yes, EVERY moment of our day can be sanctifying and satisfying.
Thanks for your comment 🙂 This post was/is a reminder to myself so I hoped maybe others would find it inspiring too 🙂
A dear friend once explained why she liked to hang clothes on the line instead of throwing them in the dryer . She explained that she is reminded to think of and pray for each family member as she touches and takes the time to hang each ones clothing peice by peice. I thought it was sweet and it can be applied no matter how one does the laundry. The investing of time into caring for our loved ones, whether it be brushing their hair, making them healthy food or folding their clothes brings us closer to them. Making ourselves present in the moment of what we are doing for our family and purposefully appreciating them in our lives makes the chores seem a little less burdensome. As a mom of older ones as well as younger ones and as having lost loved ones , I know that it is only a matter of time before we aren’t cooking their meals or doing their laundry anymore. What my mother wouldn’t give to be able to do my dads laundry again. What joy I get to make a meal for my adult children. Enjoy serving them. It is a gift to us.
Thanks Denise! Great words from the wise 🙂 That is a great idea with praying for each family member through the laundry!