I am lifting my vow of silence....OK, so there wasn't any vow in place, but I haven't blogged for a week now. Time to put laundry aside for ten minutes...so while the chicken is marinating...I'll write! (Trying a new recipe called "Tropical Chicken" tonight...I'll let you know how it goes!)
Laundry is my least favorite domestic chore. I can't seem to keep up with it. If it was just about the washing, well...but then there's the folding, carrying it up two flights of stairs just to cram it into some already overflowing drawer or closet. ( Too much stuff or Lack of space....that's another blog topic). Vaccuming...now there's a chore I love! Quick results, the room looks instantly better, yeah! Laundry, not so much. I am not a whiz at stain removal to begin with. I have started air drying alot of my girls' clothes (thanks for the inspiration April!) just to make sure I'm not inadvertently "setting" any stains my kids have left on their laundry. I get really frustrated when the stain doesn't want to lift. My thoughts turn to how much this item cost, how many years, months or days we have owned it, and what financial loss am I seeing. My mom claims Spray-N-Wash will clean anything. Not my experience. Others say Oxy clean. Again, not my experience. My current usage involves Zout, and a Banana-smelling product called Stains-r-out. Fairly successful there. But once those stains have been through the drier there just isn't much hope. But today as I was scrubbing away at some grass-stain, chocolate stain, tomato-based stain, and who-knows-what stain, it gripped me that Jesus has lifted my stain....completely. I never have to work at removing the dark blot on my life that I could never wash away on my own. What a thought! What a truth! I am clean forever because of Jesus. No more stain. He cleansed me of it.
So as I finished scrubbing and threw the clothes into the washer, I thanked God that I don't ever have to "do Laundry" on my heart's stain. God has washed me and I am whiter than snow. And I realized that although I stand cleansed before Him, I take up the task to try and lift my own stain many times. By trying to work harder, better, serve more...and condemn myself when I can't achieve this. This is idolatry...to think I can "rid myself of one dark blot." I am not a savior, I am not a stain-lifter. I am a sinner, saved by God's grace. Thanks be to God!
"May I never despise His death by fearing (doubting) its efficacy for my salvation."--from the Valley of Vision
2 comments:
You always have such great application, Kristin! Thanks for always pointing your readers to truth.
As a funny side note, I'd much rather do laundry than vaccuum! :) Although I confess I do laundry for one person, not a big family! :) Somehow vacuuming drives me nuts because you can never get it quite perfect...I know, doesn't make sense! :)
Great blog entry!
I'm not a huge fan of laundry myself. I'd take that task over doing the dishes any day, but still...not the favorite. Zout is definitely a good find! It's a keeper. Oxyclean is perfect for nasty Blue Dog. Makes him whiter than snow. So, who knows, maybe God has used a good does of Zout and Oxyclean combo on me. The stain of my sin sure is a doozy!
Like you, I am so thankful for the cross and for what Christ has done for me!
Love you, Friend!
Julie
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