Laundry

OK, so this is my new blog. If you are just joining, I used to have another blog - )well I guess I still have that one too) where I recorded our adoption journey. I could have just changed my old blog, but since I was paying an annual fee for hosting, I thought it was best to just move to a free blog site.

So, what will I write here? I don't really know, but I will try to let the Lord direct my thoughts and share snapshots of our famliy life.

Today the topic is Laundry. With three kids, you can imagine that laundry is a never-ending chore. It is also a chore that the kids DO NOT like any more than I do. But, still, it must be done. We try to get some control of the laundry situation on Saturdays, it does not get all the way done, but hopefully they will have clean clothes on Monday morning for school.

One of my biggest challenges with the kids is getting them to put the clothes away after they are finished. All too often the clothes end up hiding in the back of the closet - never having met a hanger, or stuffed into the drawers in no particular order. When it comes near the end of the week the kids are telling me that they can't find anything to wear. My biggest problem with this situation is the lies that try to cover the laziness. "Did you put your clothes away correctly, on hangers or folded in your drawer?" I ask. The answer is always 'yes'. I ask again, just to give them a second chance to redeem themself - "If I go to your room right now will I find everything put away correctly?" It is only when I head for the stairs that they finally fess up, or run past me to get there first.

I have struggled with this dilemma for a long time. Sometimes I get angry with them, punish them for lying, make them put everything away properly, take away some privleged video games or something. Sometimes I just don't have the energy to fight it and just pretend I forgot to double check the closets/drawers. Sometimes I confiscate any clothes that were not put away - this only works for my daughter though, and only sometimes - boys just don't care that much.

Today is a new day!

Today I need a new strategy. It took me a little while to figure it out, but I am hopeful that this one will work - at least for a little while.

I took every bit of clothing from their rooms, clean or dirty and piled it all in the upstairs gameroom. It was a huge mountain! When we were all home in the afternoon I told them that they would now wash, dry, fold, hang and put away every bit of it. First they were to bring it downstairs, then sort it into laundry piles, take turns loading the washer, and dryer. Then I helped sort out any clothes that do not fit, too worn, refused to wear, whatever. I watched diligently as they folded, using this opportunity to re-teach 'Folding 101.' Then, as each load finished they put things away, neatly, beautifully.

I told them that since they all three had been lazy about taking care of their clothes that they would all three go through this exercise this time. Next time, however, they have a chance to either keep their clothes put away (and not go through this again) or start all over and wash, dry and put away ALL of their own clothes again. I'll let you know how it goes next week.

God does this to us sometimes, doesn't he? When we have been hiding things away (our sin maybe) in places that it shouldn't be' things that need to be brought into the livingroom of our lives - not in public, but shared with those who love us. He gently prunes away those things that aren't fitting, or that we refuse to let go of on our own. Then, he helps us to get it all put back together, neatly, beautifully.

How is your laundry?