There is something so "formless waste" about laundry. Sitting there in a heap. Helplessly waiting for order to happen. Call me crazy, but I like folding laundry and putting it into all its little piles. Unlike dishes, which are a kind of Pauline thorn in my side, laundry always gives me a little thrill - of calling order out of chaos. God letting me experience the joy He knows when saying "Let there be!" in my own finite way.
So much of us is mystery and wondering why we 'do that which we do not wish to do' or why our hearts are so blasted "tortuous" sometimes...well, most times. We are helpless to 'sort it all out' and it never seems to get folded in neat little piles. We perhaps need to surrender to the 'chaos' that will always be us. And that takes a humility we need to pray for desperately and it comes with a lot of sighing at the end of the day. We are the pile, the heap of chaos on the floor. We long to be FOLDED and put away.
But so many things we do in a day, especially if we are moms, are like little gifts that let us in on the joy God has in setting our chaos to rights. He gives us the satisfaction of folding, sorting, putting in drawers, bringing this order and a "job well done" feeling as we sit on the bed for a bit with a quick nod of satisfaction - of a job completed - seeing that it is good! Simple and straightforward. These little creations of order on our part are like tender little consolations that God gives us - allowing us to be in control of something smaller and making it into something right and good that can actually BE completed. It helps us to love the order God calls forth in the greater creation. Our completions help us to believe in His. All His secret sorting and folding and putting everything to rights as the world slowly unfolds to His Will. We don't see it - we hardly ever see it - but He is working away on the heap that is us.
We get depressed sometimes at the ongoing chaos - the chaos that reigns sometimes within ourselves - it is almost as if Jesus has to re-word His admonition: "if YOU know how to bring order to your little chaos's, how much more will your Heavenly Father bring order out of you."
So, in the end, laundry is a hopeful little thing. Something we can complete. Something that brings joy in the completion - without mystery or question. A little parable of sorts that gives us hope that our unseen chaos is being sorted quite nicely by the God Who loves us.
Laundry piles. I know. Strange. But I must get my inspiration where I find it! I don't get out much. 😂 So, God comes to me.
Enjoyed this and whole heartily agree! Reminds me of St Teresa of Avila talking about how Our Lord is present amongst the pots and the pans and as you have so fittingly pointed out even amid the laundry as well. How good Our Lord is to us! Thank you.
I am so glad that you are able to "get my inspiration where I find it!" otherwise none of us would be here now reading and enjoying these stories. I am hoping all are inspired like you.