Laundry. Heaps of laundry pile in baskets, hampers, and sometimes onto the floor. It’s never-ending. Over and over again, day after day, there’s laundry greeting you as you go into your bedroom, bathroom, basement, or laundry room. According to this statistic I found from the Bureau of Labor, the average American woman spends 17 minutes per day on laundry. If this is true, then the average American woman will have spent eight hours on laundry over the course of a month which translates into almost 100 (what?!!) hours per year. That’s a lot of laundry and a lot of time.
When we spend so much time sorting, loading, unloading, resorting, folding, and putting away, it gets so easy to grumble. I mean, imagine what could be done with almost 100 hours of extra time each year! It gets easy to say things like, “Where does all this laundry come from?” Or perhaps we think something along the lines of, “Why is there so much laundry? Who is responsible? I wish it could just do itself!” I know I’ve thought some of these as I fold shirt after shirt and then turn to look for socks that match. Again. Notice: underlying each of these thoughts is a form of discontent or maybe even searching for someone (or something because it’s ALWAYS the dryer’s fault!) to blame as I resign myself to picking up a pair of pants, fold, and give up on finding that sock. Who needs matching socks anyway?
Then one day I noticed something. I had a choice. Not a choice of whether or not I do laundry—clearly it’s not going ANYWHERE, but I had a choice when it came to my attitude. Laundry is, for better or worse, here to stay, but my grumbly attitude can—and should—go. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11 “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” so I suppose that means even if I am in a state of doing laundry, I can learn to be content.
Contentment is one of those things that I am not naturally blessed in. Like most of humanity, growing up I always wanted something else. I remember getting those Christmas catalogs in the mail and put big, dark circles around practically every single toy and gizmo in it. After all, I wanted to make sure that my parents knew exactly what I needed…er…wanted. Not that I didn’t have toys. I had lots. I had toys spilling over the bin in my bedroom and an overstuffed box in the basement. And that didn’t even include the outdoor toys and video games. I remember my mom telling me over and over again, “You need to learn to be content.” I always figured it would just “click” one day. Sadly, this just wasn’t the case, and I’d venture to say it isn’t the case for most of us.
Eventually, as I got older and realized how incredibly wise my mom is, I realized that I really did need to work on contentment. Either that or I’d be living next-to-broke in an unending quest for the latest and greatest. Isn’t that how it is? Something new hits the market, and you just have to have it? And this excitement over this new shiny thing grows from something I want into something I believe I need in order to be happy. And therein lies the problem. If this is my mindset, I am ALWAYS going to be searching for the next thing because I need something outside of myself to keep myself happy. Talk about a vicious-go-for-flat-broke cycle!
The answer is so simple and yet so incredibly hard at the same time. Find happiness from within because then you will always be happy and won’t need that temporary feel-good fix from the store or “BUY NOW” button. And how do we do this? Moment by moment choices. These choices can include Scriptural meditation, I’d suggest selecting a verse that specifically speaks to whatever struggle or pressure you are feeling at that particular time, engaging in positive experiences to build relationships and memories, and identifying and replacing thought patterns that compel you to drain your bank account. As always, seeking out a professional to help may be well worth your investment.
But ultimately, for me, finding my satisfaction and happiness (aka contentment) within my heart in Jesus is always the answer. As I have learned to find the answer for my emotional needs in Him, I have come to learn that I am never disappointed…and never left wanting for the next high ticket item. And therefore, I can learn to be content in all circumstances…even laundry.
Laundry, rather than being an annoying never-ending task, has become my secret time to spend with the Lord and soak in His presence. I mean, as a mother, when else do I get to be alone? And what’s more, as I pull out this daughter’s shirt and that daughter’s skirt, I can see it as an opportunity to pray blessings over their lives. So rather than spending almost 100 hours out of the year grumbling—or trying to not grumble—I can spend it joyfully blessing my family and reminding myself how grateful I am for each one.
And what’s more, studies have shown that as positive emotions, such as contentment, are cultivated and grow, we as human beings become more resilient to negative emotions and their impact on our lives lessens. These positive emotions can undo the influence of negative emotions! And when this happens, our thinking is more likely to be broadened, we are able to envision greater and more possibilities, and are more likely to take steps toward our goals. Hmmm…I guess “godliness with contentment [really] is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
And…BAM! Laundry time got awesome. Just like that. What new idea or adventure will your next load of laundry inspire?
“American Time Use Survey.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/household.htm, December 16, 2016, Retrieved 12/07/2020.
Fredrickson, B. “Cultivating Positive Emotions to Optimize Health and Well-Being.” Prevention & Treatment, vol. 3, no. 1, Article 0001a, March 7, 2000