Finding My Calm

The Opposite of Calm

The other day the teenage cashier at Target asked about my morning.  When I told her I had done laundry, she asked, "What else?"  I responded, "Lots and lots of laundry.  Keeping up with laundry for a family of six is basically a full time job," and she stared at me blankly.  I don't blame her.  It sounds a bit crazy even to me, and it's my life.

I hate doing laundry.  It's my nemesis.  It's not that folding laundry is hard.  It's that it's never ending.  I folded and put away a good eight loads today, and tonight after my boys changed into their pj's their hamper was full again.  I wrote this post a little over a year ago about living with purpose even in the everyday, menial tasks, but I have to admit I've been struggling to find joy in my daily chores.  

Today a friend posted on Facebook about her rough morning and losing her cool with her kids.  After several people commented with understanding and encouragement she commented that she was going to "start some laundry and get my calm back."

For some reason the words she chose tugged at me.  I've been having trouble finding my calm lately.  I love my boys fiercely and wouldn't want any life other than the one I have, but let's be real.  Calm is not a word in our vernacular.  It's not something I experience often.  The words my friend chose made me realize that I need to take responsibility for finding my calm.

Guess what?  Of all things, when I fold laundry, I am calm.  I know I said I hate it, but I think I'm looking at it all wrong.  Instead of seeing it as an insurmountable chore I need to remember it as the place where I find my calm.  When I fold laundry I close my bedroom door and blare my favorite music, worship music.

This morning I posted an image on Instagram from the book Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio.  The quote read, "The antidote to fear is faith, and the soundtrack of faith is worship."

When I worship, I refocus.

When I worship, I take my eyes and mind off of myself and my own frustrations and exhaustion. 

When I worship, I find my calm.

Find Rest

Mark 6:31 - Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

It might seem silly to call folding laundry rest, but this is the stage of life I'm in right now.  I'll take what I can get.  So next time I see a giant mountain of laundry (most likely it will be tomorrow), I will look forward to sneaking away to my room and folding it in peace.

How can you find your calm today?

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