Monday, September 27, 2010

Dirty Socks, Dirty Hearts

Like many Type A Moms, I like to plan ahead.
I like to make lists.
I like to be organized.
I like to remember everything.
I like to plan things that make life not just organized,
but special.

When traveling as a new Mom,
I easily figured out I had to do conquer Mount Washmore
just prior to packing.

Do laundry too soon,
and you have nothing to wear. 
It's all packed.

Do laundry too late,
you're washing when you should be packing.


Doing the laundry first was a no-brainer
in learning how to travel with kids.

All moms do that, even the ones who aren't
 feverish, frantic list-makers-crosser-offers.

But, as a young Mom,
I learned the hard way I was forgetting a major step.

FIND
all the dirty laundry
BEFORE
you finish all the laundry.

The first place you check,
is the dresser drawers.
Yea, I know clean laundry goes in the dresser,
but my kids don't alway get that concept.

Oh, don't forget checking
 between the wall and the bed,
under the bed and 
under the covers.

Check in the closet.

If they're girls, look in all purses, backpacks, boxes
and anything they would pack to travel to Europe
in their wild imaginations.

Look in the toybox, the front hall closet and all vehicles.

The amazing thing about this process is,


that even though you thought you were "caught up" on laundry,
you could find enough to keep you outta' trouble for a long time.

This was one nameless child's dirty laundry stash.

When I completed this process when all six kids were at home,
it became a scavenger hunt.

Not only did I find all the dirty laundry,
I found many other treasures, like
my fingernail clippers,
my scissors,
my ruler,
my stapler,
my library card,
my flashlight,
my water bottle,
my toenail clippers,
my favorite pink fingernail polish,
and
my missing socks.

Only after the Dirty Laundry Scavenger Hunt,
was I really ready to do laundry.

If conquering Mount Washmore
is a beautiful reminder of being washed and made whiter than snow,
doncha' think searching for the dirty laundry
also has spiritual significance?

Psalm 139: 23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

When we dig into God's Word
and apply it to our hearts,
 dirt will be revealed
and treasures will be found.

I found all the dirty laundry,
washed and packed.

Now, I'm searching my heart.
Ya' never know what dirty socks could be lingering
in those dark corners.

**********
Today I'm linking up!

Follow my trail of dirty laundry to



5 comments:

  1. Hey Momma Mindy....what an awesome post. I love how you have brought out the word relating to allowing God to search our hearts. It's so easy to pick up a wrong attitude, to be selfish, but staying in His word and keeping our hearts open will always wash those unwanted dirty laundry away. xxxx

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  2. How true Mindy!

    With laundry there is always more, so too is our need to constantly come before Him asking to search us and to show us what needs a *fresh washing* in us.

    xoxo
    Kimmie
    mama to 8
    one homemade and 7 adopted

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another great "parable". Thanks Mindy!

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  4. Love that verse! Yes, dirt will be revealed but as you said, treasures will be found!

    Yes, it's amazing what you can find when you go looking around.

    This last week my 17 year old cleaned his room, and while he was cleaning he found $33! He had stashed it away and then forgot about it, lol!

    Thanks for linking up.

    ReplyDelete

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