When you measure your life in loads of laundry, it seems eternal. So long, even, that you find yourself feeling defeated sometimes. Like maybe life is too long. Like maybe, if you had a choice, you’d declare that this load, the one with 83 socks that used to be white but are now painted with proof that your kitchen floor is not clean, is your last. Period. Underlined. Done.
Oh, how easy it is to fall into this thought process. Variations of it sneak into my mind almost daily. (Let’s see… 4 kids x 12 years in school x 36 weeks per school year = 1,728 lunches to pack. Sigh.) And it starts to get ridiculous. I mean really. I estimated that by the time my youngest is off at college, I will have sifted through and matched upwards of 50,000 socks!
Oh. My. Stars!
The thought of 50,000 socks to match makes my mind swirl around as if my head were the washing machine and all 50,000 of those socks were in the same load.
I think about this almost every Tuesday because Tuesday is my laundry day. And I never get done. And the rare, miraculous days that I do get done, I try to convince my family to go naked for just the next 24 hours. Then, just once, laundry could stay done, but for some reason, no one ever agrees to that great idea.
And so I go back to counting socks.
Or undies.
Or spin cycles.
And I think that someday it will get better.
But then, God gave me a glimpse of what “better” looks like. If by “better” I mean less socks to match, or less loads of laundry, or fewer meals to fix, then “better” is coming. In fact, it’s coming more quickly than I ever imagined.
It’s coming in 12 years.
Now that we have four children, we consider our family complete. Our oldest is 6. Our youngest is 6 months. So that means that the next 12 years are the ONLY ones we will have in which all four of our children will be home at the same time.
That’s it.
Just 12 trips to the pumpkin patch. Just 12 summers. Just 12 Christmas mornings. Just 12 Easter Sundays. Just 12 family vacations. Just 12 random April 16ths.
Just 12 more short years until the kiddos I waited for for so long begin to leave.
And when I think of it that way, there aren’t enough socks in the world.
Dear Lord, Thank you for mismatched socks and for my wonderful children and husband who wear them so well.
Q: How do you measure your life?
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Dear Emily,
. . . Also, remember in your prayers those who will no longer need socks who were hurt in yesterday’s tragedy in Boston, or whose families will never have their loved ones again, as you pray for your own. I know I’ll be praying harder for my son and his wife, who have six, soon to be seven children, my precious grandchildren, as they feed, clothe, shelter, protect, give spiritual guidance, take them to church every Sunday looking as if they just stepped out of a band box, teach them about God, good manners, being good to others and each other – the list goes on and on. How God has blessed me with a good son and daughter-in-law who have given me six, soon to be seven, of the most precious possessions anyone could ever possess, grandchildren! How, I thank you, Heavenly Father, for your goodness, grace and mercy to us. Help us to understand circumstances such as happened in Boston yesterday and even if we don’t understand, help us to continue to live out our faith. Give us a spirit of trust in You, Lord, as we sort through such things as that, even as we sort through the socks of life in general. Amen.
Thank you, Emily, for reminding us of what matters most.
In His Love, Linda
Linda, that is so true! I wrote that several weeks ago and God, in His divine wisdom, scheduled the reminder for when He knew we’d need it most. Having anyone to wash socks for is a blessing!
-praying for Boston (and so many others) today!
Man. I needed to hear this. I have been feeling defeated lately by the never ending repetitiveness of laundry, dishes and cleaning. It gets so old so fast! But when you put it this way, it really changes the perspective, doesn’t it? Thank you for posting this. I needed this today 🙂
Thanks Stephanie! Having kids is a constant struggle to keep life in perspective. Us moms can miss the main point sometimes. I’ll remind u if u remind me! 🙂 blessings!
Emily, glad you figured out you only have 12 seasons left with all your children under one roof. I’m sure you’ve heard it said a million times, “they’ll be gone before you know it.” And, they will. Enjoy each precious moment. I only have one child, a 26 year old daughter who gave birth to my grandson 5 weeks ago. In seeing his face, I see my daughters face and wonder how is it that she’s grown up and had a baby? I envy the socks you have to match ; )
Good morning Emily…………at this season in my life, I measure my time by focusing on my priorities….God, hubby, kids-gran kids & my extended church family……I do my best to “”guard”” that time but I can tell you LIFE & all it’s mundane business shrieks out to move in & steal that precious, fleeting “”time””. And now that all 3 families have some of our gran kids in school it really becomes an issue of “”when”” do we get to spend time……..it seems like it takes “”intentional”” planning to even get to visit for just a couple of hours with alllll the busy schedules……but, focus I do because I know, really realize & understand how very important grand parents are to the kiddos for they are the support, backup & “”buffers”” to their kids, the parents. I remember & dearly miss the chaos of “”just getting them out the door”” to go to school or where ever……..now, when Im watching my kids with theirs….I just sit back & chuckle, (sometimes, I have to hide my face from the grands when the parents are “”admonishing””), because I remember……and like Linda said & I ditto, ” We are ever grateful for the way our kids are going & how they’re now raising their little ones.” We pray EVERY day for Gods continued guidance in all 16 of their lives…….trusting & in perfect faith, knowing His plans are perfect…….and while time is flashing by….He’s standing by & to Him………time is irrelevant.
Keeping close, in thought & prayer, these families of SandyHook & now in Boston…..praying time will heal & Christ will be their center. Thank you sweet Emily, my sister in Christ, (&all the Glo-girls), for your “”time””!
Keeping us all focused, on Him & “socks”. ;-0)