We did laundry stripping this past weekend (if you follow me on social media you would have seen my bathtub full of linens). As we satisfactorily washed the majority of our towels, I thought about the importance of home. You may think this is a strange connection to make, laundry stripping and your home, but bear with me, the rope that ties these two together is strong.
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The joy of really cleaning, like a deep clean, is not something I would have found exciting when I was a young adult. Sure I cleaned and took care of my belongings but I didn’t look for ways to deep clean.
Now, tackling a tough cleaning project almost sounds like fun, even for a “hand me a coffee and let me write” kind of gal.
I also was motivated by the fact that I have a strong sense of smell and some of my towels were getting stinky. To avoid replacing every dishcloth and bath towel, I decided to try stripping them in the bathtub.
Laundry Stripping
This is my laundry stripping recipe! Try it for yourself.
I followed the simple 2:1 ratio for ingredients.
1/2 cup powdered detergent
1/4 cup borax
1/4 cup baking soda
And a bathtub full of hot water.
It was so easy. We tossed in a load of towels (enough that would fill a washing machine) and after letting it soak for a few hours we transferred it to the machine for a rinse and spin cycle, dried them in the dryer and voila!
We did 3 loads which took care of almost all our towels, or at least the ones that were desperate.
Oh did we feel accomplished! Towels that smelled clean, like really clean and neatly folded away in the linen closet, it is a happiness only adults can understand.
God provides all good things. When we grow in faith, we learn the importance of home because we see the blessings God has given us!
Other Things Adults Enjoy
What is it about adulthood that makes the weirdest things enjoyable?
I’m not sure if it’s because I want to feel accomplished in at least some small thing. After all, most days with kids running around I have to wrap up cleaning jobs before I feel like I’ve finished them. Or maybe it’s the settling of home, where you have established yourself and your routines and now you want to make things last year after year.
Whatever it is, the life stage you find yourself in, some activities rise to the top of the to-do list when they once stayed near the bottom.
Things like cleaning windows, wiping baseboards, vacuuming under the couch, cleaning a vehicle, baking double (or triple) batches of something to freeze, stocking a freezer with meals, pulling weeds from a garden and so on.
Other activities from outside the home create new excitement too. Finding a really good deal on chicken or cereal, watching the trees change over the course of a year as you walk or drive by everyday, discovering a local coffee shop that you love.
At one time you might have walked by these things unnoticed but now they command your full attention (or part of your attention).
Why is this? What makes home be such an important fixture in a not-so-young adults life?
Psst…guess what! My latest book is available for you to purchase from Amazon. A devotional with pages to doodle, colour and record prayers, it is perfect for finding rest with God on those busy days!
The Importance of Home
Not all of us are drawn to home the same way, some crave adventure or change, some have a wandering spirit.
Inevitably those sojourners marry someone who roots themselves like a tree, making home a place of comfort where they intend to live out their days.
But regardless of who you are, home becomes important for adults. Especially when children are part of the equation.
God puts a settling on your spirit, a calmness and contentment that makes you want to plant gardens, clean grout and hang pictures. I think it is because a Christian home has to be rooted in Christ, it needs stability and consistency.
We strip laundry to make it clean, to make it last and to be good stewards of our belongings. It is something we feel we must do, because God created us to be beings of the home; His home.
Each home looks different, big or small, tall or short. The home may change, uprooting and moving as life requires. But when a new home is established, beds made and books put into shelves, we restart the process of making the space “home sweet home.” A place where God is present, where we cook and clean and laugh together as a family.
We fill our homes with God’s blessings but more importantly His love. We are reminded of his goodness and the fact He will never leave nor forsake us.
A Christian home. A Godly home. A peaceful home. A loving home. A home for God.
That is why home is so important for adults. It is a place not just for them but for their family as a whole. The quiet retreat at the end of the day, the refuge from the turbulence of the world, the renewing of one’s soul because God is present in the home.
The importance of home lies in the importance of our faith. When our lives are filled with God, our homes become an extension of that. The care we put into our belongings shows that we care about what God has blessed us with. And we share this with our children who learn about a God who fulfills promises when we serve Him with willing hearts.
This is why home is important. This is why we do laundry stripping and other weird adult things that suddenly become fun as we age. We are filled with the sense of contentment that comes with family and living a life for God. Our homes are His home too and we want to build a place that glorifies Him every day.
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