the laundry's fault

I wish I spent more time studying the Bible, but I can't because of the laundry. 

Maybe for you it's meal prep, or the dishes, or school. For me, on this particular day, it was the laundry's fault I wasn't able to dig in like I wanted to. 

I'm a mom. I own a hair salon. I've got drop off, pick up, occasional play dates, lots of stuff at church. I write a blog, and I'm working on a video option! Plus a few other things. All that being said, I'm primarily home based. 

2 of my 3 are in school, but due to drop off and pick up- I have a 4 hour window of being home. I try to start a load of laundry before we leave, and if I'm up early enough, it makes it to the dryer before we leave! In that 4 hour span, I can get it folded/hung and put away. I do a medium sized load (or 2)  of laundry a day so that way I'm not falling victim to Laundry Mountain. I actually like doing the laundry! 1- you put it in each machine and THEY do the work. 2- if you let it sit too long you can rewash quick or dry again so easy! 3- despite taking a few minutes here and there to switch over, it takes minimal effort until the end! and with medium, frequent loads, it never takes TOO long. 

Hearing that probably makes you wonder why it's the laundry's fault I can't dig into the Bible when it's such an "easy" task. On a day that I start with my Bible, and everything else comes later, laundry moves QUICK- even on bedding day! On days I don't start with my Bible, or I'm really feeling God speak to me and I feel like I can't/won't/don't want to hear Him... those are the days laundry seems to take a little longer, therefore keeping me from digging in. In this season of life, it is hard to find a chunk of time to actually spend time reading, reflecting and meditating on the Word. But on these days, I'm struggling to even open the Bible. 

So the only thing the laundry is at-fault for, is being less convicting than what God is going to tell me when I open that Bible.

I wasn't born yesterday, and I have talked to enough women to know that when we face something hard, we look for a distraction; even if it's unhealthy. So I know full-well that the laundry is a distraction, an impediment on my time with God. On those days, my laundry is a sin. HA as I wrote that I meant in my heart of hearts that it is a sin because it's knowingly pulling me from God like an idol. But I think a lot of you out there, especially the ones who hate laundry, audibly said "AMEN!" 🥴

ANYWAY

When I am plugging my ears because I have decided I'm too _____ to hear what God has for me to do, I realllllly do the laundry to show just how ______ I am and that I aCtUaLlY "don't have the time". <-- Yet another cringey thing I get to confess in the hopes that just one of us out here grows closer to God as a result of.... but that's me and this is my walk. Like I said, laundry is less convicting. That school uniform isn't going to tell me I need to let go of what someone said, and grow from it rather than be bitter. That hoodie is NOT about to tell me how I need to have a shred of grace to the babies God has go graciously blessed me with. That Bible though.... that Book; LIVING WATER. Yeah, THAT book is going to convict me in the best and hardest ways, making the cozy pile of #2 I'm sitting in actually start to smell and not seem so cozy after all; resulting in me having to step out of my comfort/safety zones and abide in HIM instead of my feelings. 

It isn't the laundry's fault you're not digging into the Word, or spending more time with other believers, or playing worship music rather than the latest pop hits. It isn't the soccer schedule, or your work schedule, or the bath you have to give your cat. We're real good at justifying our sins that aren't all bad in-and-of-themselves. If a "good thing" is pulling us or keeping us from God, it. is. sin. .

So friend, I ask you to look at your chores, all the things keeping you busy, and ask yourself if this is a task that NEEDS to be done right now, or not. If it does, can we pray and/or worship WHILE we do it? 

YOU are the 1 He left the 99 for. God has a part in every detail of your life; welcome Him in to every detail.