By DAWN REED
In Titus 2:3-4, the apostle Paul instructed the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands. I’m one of those “older women” nowadays. One of my favorite things is helping young marrieds know that they can make it-with God’s help. Not that I have it all together; I don’t. But I know what God can do!
My beloved and I just celebrated our 40th anniversary. If you’d been around back in 1980, you probably wouldn’t have put any money on us. I had so much baggage I could have worked for American Tourister. He had issues, too. We were quite young and ignorant. Didn’t have much sense. Didn’t have any money, either.
I wish I could tell you that I’ve always kept my cool over the years. That I took the high road and went to my prayer closet when things were tough. That was something I had to learn. While I know NOW that’s the best plan of action, there was one time when I lost my ever-lovin’ mind.
I had been at home most of the day. In between dropping off and picking up our kids at school, I was babysitting two other children. They were gone and I was getting supper ready, going over homework and such. There was a ladies’ meeting at church I needed to get to ASAP.
After apparently an excruciating day, my beloved came home late from working at KY Power. Long hours and tough customer situations continued to hang over him. He was frustrated, tired and in a terrible mood. Getting out of his truck, it played out like a country music video…
When he reached the garage, he saw stuff that didn’t belong to him. It all belonged to ME. There was a car seat, boxes and other clutter that just rubbed him the wrong way. He gathered up every single item and parked it right inside the laundry room door. (There was quite a pile.)
I was innocently inside the house with HIS children, oblivious to the mountain that was forming in the other room. “YOUR STUFF IS IN MY WAY!” he barked loudly, closed the door, and went back to his business.
My head started spinning and it felt like my hair was catching on fire. “You did not just do that!” I thought as I quickly walked to his closet. “Two can play that game!” I grumbled and grabbed armfuls of his dirty clothes, walked-no…STOMPED, through the house, through the garage to where he stood in the driveway. In a moment that was not like me at all, I THREW HIS CLOTHES IN THE ROAD!!! “Your stuff is in MY way!” I bellowed as I marched back through the garage and into the house.
I hurried to get ready for my ladies’ meeting at the church. As quickly as possible I was in the van backing out of the garage…right over his clothes! I looked him square in the eye as I switched gears and then floored it, sending underwear, socks and other clothing flying like bullets. I yelled something stupid out the window like, “I’m not going to be the one to pick it up!” and was gone. I drove the minivan like I had stolen it. What had come over me?!
Meeting over and on the way home, I wondered what I would do if the laundry was still in the road. “I’m NOT picking it up!” I told myself and then repeated it out loud. Pulling into the driveway, I was relieved that it was all gone! Not a sock, pair of underwear, or shirt was to be seen. Whew!
That was 25 years ago and the only time it ever happened! Thank the Lord, we’ve both grown up plenty over the years! God has been our glue through thick and thin. These days, we try to focus on 1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient, love is kind”…and I try to keep the dirty laundry INSIDE the house!
The devil always fights a good thing. He doesn’t want any family to stay together or for homelife to be easy. Newlyweds or oldy-weds, you can do this! Press on and do NOT give up! NOTHING is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)!
October 29, 2020 at 07:05PM
https://www.kentuckytoday.com/stories/being-married-and-dirty-laundry,28732
Being married and dirty laundry - Kentucky Today
https://news.google.com/search?q=Laundry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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