My washer and dryer are right by the kitchen table, in a long closet.
Just enough room in there for the appliances, cupboards up on the wall above, and a couple laundry baskets (on top of said appliances).
Washing & drying clothes for eight means this closet is in constant use.
Seth likes to help me. He helps push the clothes in (when I want them out) and he helps pull the clothes out (when I want them in).
Jacob, Ethan, and Grace know how to do laundry but believe it or not, *most of the time* I like to do it myself.
I just don’t like to fold and put away, so they help me most with those chores.
One of my beautiful friends, who is also raising a large family, sent me a sweet note and this photocopy of a card her mother (who also raised a very large family) sent to her. It’s in my little laundry area now, and brings a tear to my eye every time I stop….and read….and absorb the truth.
Celebration of Family
This is an ode to all the common
deeds in daily life that are done again, again and again which
knit the family together and make it holy.
A clothespin with GRACE written on it…..my daughter’s name. Or the quality, the spirituality of God’s GRACE.
His grace which gives me the strength to perform the common daily tasks, for Him. For my family. I try to remember the gift of His grace.
Seth is at that age. So curious and busy. I try to keep the doors to my washer (a front loader) and dryer shut at all times. Every once in a while I forget.
Last week I was upset, and crying……determined to not sit and be sad, but to do the next thing, laundry of course. What a soothing, mindless task it can be. I was quickly pulled out of the blues, and into the reality of life as a mama, and laughter, as I took wet clothes out of the wash…….and toys, and…..a raw potato, just as clean as can be.
I washed of all things, a potato! I chuckled over that all morning, and am chuckling over it now. Seth tossed a potato and all sorts of other things in the empty washer and I hadn’t noticed them at all until the clothes were ready for the dryer. I hadn’t noticed them until just the right time, when I needed a laugh.
I thought about God my Father, and how that little moment of pure joy (and surprise) was a gift from Him. There is purpose in every daily task, and smiles, and holiness, because this is what He called me to do.
Good to be Home 
what a beautiful reminder to have that saying in a room that you spend alot of time in…well in a space that you spend a fair amount of time. i’m sure that when you found that potatoe you were quite puzzled for a moment. but what a blessing to have that to laugh at. I’m glad that you are able to have a ‘helper’ in Seth…and hopefully one day he’ll get the sequence of taking out to dry and putting into wash right 😉 have a blessed day.
This is wonderful. I love how God uses your little ones, and of all things a potato- to bring you some cheer when you needed it. Finding a potato in the wash would make my day!!
This is so sweet! I think God truly does want us to find the glorious in the mundane! I JUST finished a post about my dryer! HA! http://www.amomentcherished.blogspot.comI hope you have a very blessed day. Your photos are just lovely. Seth is getting so big – he is sweet!
You just added a teary smile to my own laundry Monday. As I was reminded yesterday at meeting (our term for “church” because we meet with the body), God is a faithful teacher. And He’s teaching me through your sharing of your own family, joys, and struggles on your blog. Sarah
Just think, if you hadn’t found it until after the dryer, you might have had a baked potato!
I too usually don’t mind the laundry. But that is a very interesting way to get the potatoes washed up for supper. The picture of Seth’s feet on the dryer door make me smile.
I’ve read about poaching fish in the dishwasher, but washing potatoes in the washing machine is a new one! I’m glad you find happiness in those routine jobs we have to do everyday. I also enjoy them and find many things soothing because they are routine and the look AFTERWARD (clean folded clothes, vacuumed carpet, etc.) brings me peace and satisfaction, too!
I am always mystified at what I find coming out of my washer…last week it was what was left of a mad gabs book…mostly the part up near the binding – the rest was disintegrated into the load of clothes. Which then had the lint trap full at the end of that load! Thankfully I tend to do each child’s clothes in one load so the offending child that left the said book in the laundry basket was the one with paper-mache for clothes. The wonders of laundry…and dishes the never ending chores of being a family.
Oh my goodness, that sweet little boy of yours! A raw potato!!! LOLOLHave a great day, blessings!
LOL A very clean potato! Yes sure sounds like you have a constant flow of laundry. Good thing you like doing it eh! 🙂
Better a potato in the washer than a crayon in the dryer. LOL! I have little laundry helpers too. This is my first day home after being gone for a week, so guess what I get to do a lot of today?? Good thing I don’t mind it either.
AMEN!!
Even when I have not the energy to do anything, I’m always doing laundry. It’s easier to keep up then to catch up.
This made me chuckle to Shan! Thanks for sharing!
So funny! I like the folding but not the actual waching because it is all the way down in the unfinished basement, but it is so so so much easier to pray when I am folding clothes or doing the laundry. Janet was just asking my why I do not use my dishwasher and I said it was becuase I pray best when I can be doing something with my hands.Seth is so cute, soon it be Sarah putting surprises in the wash for you!
I love that picture and saying Shanda! So dear. Your cute little laundry girl picture is sweet too. I laughed out loud over that potato…too funny…and so very clean. I always loved dumping the clean wet clothes on the dryer door and telling David to push them in back when he was at that constant companion stage. Our washer/dryer are in the kitchen too…but no cupboard so I try to put a table cloth over them, but they are usually covered with all the extras My David washes his own clothes now. He recently washed his ipod…eek! He thought he had checked all the pockets, but has two identical jeans and realized he only checked one. He was able to put it in a jar of raw oats and soak up the moisture enough for it to work. But it runs low on battery fast, and the car will not recognize it any more.
Yesterday we found 2 sausage links in our washer. I just love life’s little surprises!
laundry is my least favorite chore~ i just keep the doors closed until it becomes a necessity.. like no one has any clean underwear left!! ;)i read a quote recently that said, “If Christ doesn’t reign over the mundane of our lives then He doesn’t reign at all.. the mundane is where we live.” – Paul Trippit’s easy to forget the million little things we do every day as a mom, matter! i liked your very last sentence – “because this is what HE has called me to do.” knowing that makes all the difference doesn’t it?wishing you a happy week~ full of all kinds of other fun surprises!! 🙂
I had to laugh at the potato in the wash:) He was giving you a hint that he wanted them for dinner.
I try to remind myself of a dying lady’s testimony that she wished she was strong enough to do her laundry for her family. It sure keeps me focused on the task at hand and thankful I am healthy and able to do laundry and meet the needs of my family. BTW:.. that is a wonderful idea… now I know how to save time washing my potatoes just stick them with my laundry..and look how clean it came out! That is multi-tasking and saving time! Thanks Seth for the great idea! 🙂 I washed my hubby’s cell phone 2x now and it still works! The last time it was in the wash… Mike tried to call. We heard the phone ringing but couldn’t find it…. lol. Cute post.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful little saying. I will be reminded of it whenever I do laundry, which seems to be a load every day.What a good way to clean potatoes! LOL Have a great week. Jessye
“There is purpose in every daily task, and smiles, and holiness, because this his what He has called me to do.” AMEN!What a great way to know your potato is really, REALLY clean! Please then Seth, for making me smile this evening.
Too Cute! A book tumbled out of our dryer today as I pulled out the load of laundry!! It was very crisp!!! Have no idea how it got there? Probably my 2 year old somehow !
Love it! Did you use fabric softener on that potato, too?
I have heard of people washing chapsticks, wallets, and even cell phones, but never have I heard of a potato! How funny. I wonder if it had made it to the dryer if it had cooked it? You could have then enjoyed a delicious ‘baked’ potato! God is good.
the Lord must be trying to get something thru my thick head… I read this post (clean rocks) on laundry today, too!! thanks for the picture of the card… I may make something for my laundry room! I NEED the reminder!!!
What a funny story about the potato! I love your reminder that we can enjoy little “unimportant” tasks as a noble task unto the Lord. Thanks for sharing!
Your posts always either make me laugh or cry! I loved this “There is purpose in every daily task, and smiles, and holiness, because this is what He called me to do.” I absolutely dread housework and I usually just wait until the last minute because it HAS to be done. I was out to lunch with a friend last week and she asked me what the one thing would be that would make my husband want to come home. I told her “a clean house.” I guess God used that to inspire me and I’ve done more work in the last 5 days than I have in the last year I think! Our house is almost company clean. Thanks for the encouraging words, even if you didn’t know they were for me!
Wonderful post Shanda. I have to stay focused to do it all unto Him.
Eternal loads of laundry and daily dishes…with God as my companions it makes such a difference