If you don't hear from me call in the troops - I might be burried under a montain slide of laundry.

I've had a swirl of things I want to write about but my laundry pile; Mount-Never-Rest as we call it, has been calling my name. Actually Dear husband running out of clean underwear and Dear Daughters having only one pair of clean jammies which they are now wearing today has been calling my name. So here we are, laundry? Blog? Laundry, blog? Laundry, blog? Can't I do both?!! Well as my Dear Husband said you can't have your cake and eat it too. First of all I don't get that saying - if you have cake, what's there to do but eat it?! And why have cake if you can't eat it? Hmmmm

So I'm busy doing my laundry which IS piled sky high and I can't help but feel a bit grumbly over it. So much laundry and if that wasn't enough Dear Son isn't feeling well and has been throwing up at night. Throwing-up on clean blankets only adding to the ever increasing, slowing decreasing pile. Isn't that how it is? You diligently work at conquering that mountainous pile of laundry only to have disaster befall otherwise clean laundry only to put you further behind thus taking 1 step forward and 3 steps back? Whew. Rant over. I am now repeating myself. We have already established that my laundry is way backed up - backed up to the point that I could easily bury my family of 7 including our dog under it. If we go missing or you don't hear from me - you'll know where we are.

But back to my grumbling. I'm grumbling and feeling a tad annoyed at all this laundry. Why do we have so much clothes? I should get rid of it all and only keep the bare minimum. Oh ya - I've done that a few times but it always comes back. Something about having 5 kids, hand-me downs and thrift shopping.

As I sort, fold and wash that still soft voice - you know the one - it is ever so gentle yet ever so powerful. It speaks to me, grabs my attention and catches my thoughts. Here I am grumbling and grudgingly doing my duty, the mundane yet important house hold task of laundry and He is there. I'm grumbling over too much clothes while so many have none. I'm being self-centered rather than Christ-centered.

Here's what happens when I'm self-centered rather then Christ-centered: I grumble, I feel sorry for myself and forget to be thankful. I become aware of all my struggles and what I need to do and everything I'm failing to do. It becomes a heavy burden I can hardly carry and distorts everything I say, think or do. I'm thinking of me and seeing me through my eyes. And all I see is a big mess everywhere and not just laundry or dirty dishes or a floor that needs to be vacuumed but a heart full of dirt.

When my heart is grumbly and I'm not in a state of thankfulness how can I possibly see Him? He who has given me so much? And truly I do have much to be grateful for. My children have clean clothes to wear (most of the time) They can play in all kinds of weather and attend any occasion and be appropriately dressed. More then that we have all we need to meet their needs. We have plenty to be thankful for. Truly a thankful heart is a happy heart.

There's many with so much less. A Christ-centered heart gives thanks, prays and seeks Him to be used for His glory. It folds, washes and sorts laundry neatly into piles as a way to bless Dear Family, it sets aside a pile for those who are not as fortunate and not because it has too much but because someone has not enough. Because Christ came that He might give not receive.

As a mother who wants her heart set after His I was reminded of my ministry. Yes there is LOTS of laundry and yes it'll keep coming but when I serve my family in this mundane task I also serve Him. If my heart is thankful and I Christ-centered I can be in a place of peace - no matter how much laundry I have.

I fold, wash and sort. Thank-You Lord, that You do the same in my heart.