The Laundry

       There it was, my defenseless clothing being pulled under by that bully in the white tub of my basement, you know, the one with the really aggressive sounding name.  Ah, that’s right, it’s called the agitator.  Its sole purpose in life is to agitate the dirty laundry so as to help promote their cleaning.  (Whoever thought that something with such negative connotations could work out something so beneficial?)

       You ever try to avoid a little lesson the Lord’s trying to whisper in your ear?  This was one of them…  Okay, okay, so a little agitation in my life might bring out some good in me; knock a few chips off my shoulders, jiggle some of the dirt out of my fabric…  Just remember Lord, if I were constantly in the agitator I would become threadbare; it would wear me out!  I get the point though.

       When I was young I was pretty judgmental.  It was the ‘agitator’ of infertility that knocked some of that off and helped me to learn compassion for others who are all struggling in their own trials of life.  Big- necessary lesson!!!  Waiting so many years for children helped me learn a lot about myself, my own weaknesses, and my lack of true faith in which I had previously thought myself so strong.  It also assisted me in understanding our sovereign Lord.  Every trial I have been through has agitated more and more ‘dirt’ out of my life, thereby becoming a beneficial factor in my journey.

       I do not find it enjoyable or a thrill when facing trials and tribulation, and I often still try to convince the Lord to ‘snap His fingers’ and get me out of it, but eventually (usually after the fact) I realize it has caused me to grow and change by shaking more dirt out of me.  The end result of walking through the mess with or without the Lord is change.  I just think that with the Lord there is more opportunity for positive growth.  He will use the bad for good* and help us become the people He wants us to be**.  Hence my lessons in laundry are welcomed.

Lord, help me to remain in Your peace when I face adversity in my journey….

and to remember You walk with me as I face all the agitators- whether things or people- that work more of the grime out of my life.

*Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  KJV

**Rom 5:2b-5  …we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us- they help us learn to be patient.  And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.  Then when that happens, we are able to hold out heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us…

Value

{A little preamble here.  This is an older piece writing that I'd like to share from my heart to yours.

It is my thoughts based on the line "There's no way to measure what You're worth" from the song

Above All by Michael W. Smith.}

       What we give the most time, thought, and effort towards is usually that which is of most value to us.  Our first car, our first house, our friends, our family, our spouse, and our children tend to be the things we highly value.  These are the things that consume our lives.  How far would we go to protect our car, our house, and further still to protect those that we love?

       Our first car will break down, our first house will constantly demand maintenance, and our loved ones will fail us in unthinkable ways.  Yet still, these are what we highly value.  Over the years, the value of these things has faded to me.  Even food, water, and the basic necessities of life no longer seem important.  The air I breathe only serves one purpose for even it is sustained by my Lover’s hand.  My heart beats for Him, and my flesh lives another day for Him.  I am here today because of Him.  He has given me a life with Him that I never even dreamed of.

       When I consider what I would do for Him, I imagine that I could stand up for Him, I think I would fight for Him, and I even guess that I would die for Him.  These things seem a paltry sum to give back to Him for all He has done for me.  You see, life holds little value when your greatest desire is to be forever face to face with the Lord.  For me, the greatest challenge is to live the life that He desires me to live; to wake up again, knowing it is just another day I’ll not see Him face to face.  To wake up and realize once more that I won’t be in His literal arms, and that I cannot kiss His sweet lips, and still I must do what He has called me to do.

       How do you put a value on something so priceless, and how do you measure infinity.  There is no way, for He is worth more to me than even I can imagine.

Creativity

       Creativity was there at the beginning of time.  Gen. 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created…”  That very sentence shows God as the Creator* who sets into motion the universe and mankind.  Now, I’ve heard many people say, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body”, but I don’t believe that for a minute.  If God is creative as our Creator, and we are made in His image**, then it is only logical that we- each man and woman- are creative as well.  Perhaps the problem lies within our perceptions of what creativity is.

       A condensed definition of creativity is the ability to make or bring into existence something new through imaginative skill or to improve a thing, and while there is ‘no new thing under the sun’ (Eccl. 1:9) this likeness shows up in us in a variety of ways.  For some it is visually artistic such as painting, crafting, cooking, dancing, sculpting, decorating, music, writing, movie making, photography and many more ways most people accept creativity.  I believe every one of us has some form of creativity.  Here’s a list of creativity we don’t usually consider:

Unique car in Windsor.  It works- I saw it drive away!



-Mathematicians who can put formulas together to accomplish tasks I can’t imagine.

-Farmers who figure out when to plant, harvest, and how to do it for the best yields.

-‘Homemakers’ with ability to organize an entire family and/or save money.

-Planners of:  buildings, weddings, companies, moulds, electrical/plumbing, etc.

-Custodians/housekeepers who clean and keep things running properly within time limits.

-Beauty professional who can help someone improve their looks.

-Drainage experts who figure out the best way to ensure proper flow for all concerned.

-Workers who figure out efficient production, or how to improve conditions/products. -Hospitality shown in meeting the needs of one’s guests.
-Friends who connect to others in exceptional ways.

       Decorating and cooking may not be my artistic outlet, but I express my creativity in ways unique to me.  We all do, and that is what is so great about life.  God created each of us to be distinctive and we all serve diverse purposes in this world.  How wonderfully creative of Him!



*Is. 40:28  … that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth…

**Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.