This Is the Way We Wash Our Clothes... Early On Monday Morning

When I was growing up, we did laundry on Mondays. Only on Mondays. After breakfast, Mom and I headed to the basement where the washing tub, ringer, and two large galvanized tubs waited for us. Unzipping the bloated hamper hanging from the basement ceiling, we pulled out blue jeans, school clothes, dirty socks and a smell that made me want to dash back up the steps. (I lived with five brothers.)

One of us would go to the sink, run the water until it was scorching hot, fill two buckets with water, add Tide and 1 cup of bleach to each. Dirty diapers went in one; white socks in the other. A stick was used to mash the socks and diapers up and down, much like mashing potatoes by hand. They were left to soak.

During the soaking, we finished sorting: sheets and pillow cases from six beds, towels, chore clothes, nice whites, ordinary whites, and medium colored clothes--usually our school or church clothes.

When one batch had been run through the ringer from hot wash to hot rinse to cold rinse, it ended up in a plastic-lined laundry basket, carried up the steps and out the door where it was hung on the clothes line. If there was time in between the loads, we kids played hide and seek between the sheets and towels while the wind whipped everything about and the sun penetrated every fiber.

When winter arrived, Mom strung a clothes line from one end of the basement to the other, back and forth until there were about four lines. Being in such close quarters and without a breeze and sunshine, it took several days for the laundry to dry.

Obviously, the way we do a lot of things has changed; we are much more expedient. Looking back, the good thing about the process of doing laundry when I was a child was the fact that it took time. I had time to think, time to feel the sunshine, time to have a chat with Mom and a prayer or two with God. I will never forget the smell of fresh sheets at night. It was a reminder of a job well-done and a night of rest that would be peaceful.

Sometimes, I want to go back.

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Black Friday and Solitude

A lack of  contact with people is solitude. Ooooh, think of Black-Friday?

If you intend to be a Black-Friday shopper, you may be over-due for a little solitude come Saturday.

However, one doesn't need Black Friday to be inundated with noise and activities. Entering a sports bar on a Sunday evening, we heard conversations, music, and at least fifteen different television sets with various games and sitcoms.

In our homes, we have television--some of us, 24/7-- where actors or talk-show participants interrupt each other. Movies provide action-packed shoot-outs, accidents, etc. with complementary NOISE.

Phones blurp or sing to let us know of calls and text messages; computers do likewise. Depending on your work place--noises vary from ear-plug demanding sounds to constant chatter where cubicle offices are lined up for long stretches. Games? Concerts? Does anyone think all this noise is over-done?

When is the last time you heard the gurgle of a brook, the rush of the wind through the trees? Can you hear the tick-tock of your clock? If it were quiet enough, could you hear the snow fall?

Solitude
Saturated with quiet
And comfortable in my skin
I'm down to earth
Above the clouds
And somewhere in between
I'm content.

Be still and know....                  

Extravagant? Perhaps So....

One doesn't have to be wealthy to be extravagant....

During breakfast, I flipped on TV to see "Beautiful Homes and Great Estates." I was fascinated and appalled. The master bedroom had more square feet than our entire house. Shoes, clothing, and jewelry filled room-size closets. I considered that, even though I was "fascinated," I could not live comfortably in such a house with multiple fireplaces, bathrooms, and waterfalls.
At times, I've considered myself frugal, a minimalist knowing that things do not bring me happiness. However, I looked at my breakfast and reconsidered the word extravagant.
My meal contained eight different items: coffee, grapes, carrots, salmon, multi-grain bread, almond butter, kale, and oatmeal (with wheat germ, flax, cinnamon, dried blueberries, walnuts) topped with almond milk--which brings the total to 14 different food items.

Excessive? Extravagant? Seemingly so when there are persons who eat rice three times a day. And, we're not talking "Survivor."

Still curious about my frugal life, I counted the number of items used in my getting-ready-for-the-day routine. Let's see, there was toothpaste, floss, mouth wash, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, body lotion. Okay... I'm forgetting the makeup today.

Something to consider-- Jesus tells us to care for widows, orphans, the poor. Although my food items are keeping me healthy and my getting-ready-for-the-day items are keeping me easier to look at and be with, I need to re-consider how I use my resources.

It's Thanksgiving week. Let us each be thankful for our many blessings and with joy give freely to others who are in need. .... and always, always give praise and glory to our Creator God, the first and greatest giver.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The Sky Is Falling

Henny Penny, also known as Chicken Little, is a tale about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end--all starting with an acorn falling on her head. The phrase "The sky is falling!" is often used in the story....

Well, the world is coming to an end.
I haven't had an acorn fall on my head, but I have listened to the news lately, and I don't like what I hear.


The Bible hints at when this will happen; however, Only God knows. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matt 24:36

Should we panic as Chicken Little did?
God has taken care of us so far...
Grab someone's hand with your hand. Let Jesus grab your other hand and as Ram Dass stated,
"We're all just walking each other home." God will get us there in spite of what is going on in our earthly home.

Letters From God

I find letters from God dropped in the street,
and everyone is signed by God's name,
and I leave them where they are,
for I know that others will punctually come
forever and ever.
       Walt Whitman



Discovering Whitman's beautiful poem, I was reminded of an Alpha Writer's assignment: Use the first line from an already-published poem and change the rest to be yours. So, here goes....

I find letters from God dropped at my feet,

The first dandelions of spring

A maple leaf perfectly formed

A gathering of snow flakes

Each signed with yours truly, respectfully yours, or love you forever....

And the notation RSVP.
       Kathleen Stauffer

      

How often do we not RSVP when admiring God's incredible creation?
Whitman tells us that "others" will punctually come--forever and ever--so God gives us lots of opportunities to respond.

There are things about him that people can not see. . .

But since the beginning of the world

those things have been made easy to understand

by what God has made.

Romans 1:20

It is November. A frosting on the earth is a promise of heavenly flakes to come. We prepare to be thankful for the harvest; we prepare to soon celebrate a birth that changed the world.

With new beginnings

God calls us

continually

to respond to his love

because He first loved us.

 

Taken care of that RSVP to God yet?

It's never too late....

but why wait?

 



A Forever Love

Unable to sleep, I penned a poem at 3 a.m.....Sometimes, God needs to get me up in the middle of the night to get His point across.

A Forever Love

When the Creator of the universe established the sky and sea
He knew about me.
With my name written on His hand and a little mystery
He knew who I could be.
Time passed and I came to be
Formed in His image and created to be free.
I grew wild, weary and unable to see--
     O’ Lord, my God, I have no worth without thee.
     But by Your grace and with me on bended knee   

     I'll eventually understand what You mean to me....And humbly start eternity.

 

Who Would You Call?

Who would you call if you knew your time was limited? I considered family members and pictured their reactions. This was somewhat depressing... so I considered longer...

One of my dearest friends came to mind. I can tell her anything. We laugh at things that are difficult. We dry our tears in front of each other. And although we are grown-up, we hold hands like little girls. I could spill everything on her, and she would help me manage it--somehow. Even if it was just to say, "I love you."

What more could I ask?

Part of our calling is to reflect the love of Jesus. We need to celebrate each other--no matter our circumstances...and call God, the Creator, the Great I AM and simply say, "I need you." Unlike a friend or family member, He is already there. You don't have to make a phone call, text, email, or get in your car to be with Him. Besides that, He understands your pain. And, yet, He still wants to hear from you. He created that special person who you can call when things are tough, but He still wants to hear directly from you.

Considering all things, it seems we are each living on limited time.
Call your friend today. Let her know you appreciate her.
Get down on your knees and let God know you need him, love him, and appreciate Him, your creator.

I AM --What does it mean?

I Am that I Am is the English response for God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name (Exodus 3:14). I Am means "to exist, to become, to be done, to happen."

Or, in other words, He is, He already was, He is to come. Rev. 1:8
Or, in other words, He is EVERYTHING.

Not to be disrespectful, but to make a point, I ask, "What difference does this make?"

I answer my own question with--

 It should make all the difference in everything I do and say...
and the way I feel.

 There is a desire for eternity in my heart.

 All the hidden treasures of knowledge are here in the I AM.

 Therefore, let God tend to each soul...

and fulfill our individual destinies.

Trust in the LORD forever for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock Eternal. Isaiah 26:4