Fast forward to my days as a young mother of five children, three in cloth diapers that when poopy were rinsed in the toilet before they got to the washer. Laundry was an endless chore - and washer and dryer were in a dim, dank basement. No sunshine, no breeze, no neighbor to keep me company! I kept my sanity by NOT focusing on mounds of impersonal dirty wash. Instead I focused on the person each dirty sock or pair of pants or blouse belonged to, imagining my small round-faced children, catching the scent - or smell! - of them in their clothing.
In spite of tissues or crayons undiscovered in pockets, (ANOTHER LOAD TO RE-DO!!) or grass stains that I had to pre-stain or soak and scrub, somehow the exhausting task went more quickly because of the tremendous love I felt for that particular child - or spouse - who owned that clothing, who I wanted to get it clean for so they could wear it again. I was doing ordinary work, but the love strengthened my aching back, soothed my frustration at the SAMENESS of it all. I imagine young parents today, bowed down by two or three family jobs between them, can understand the truth that laundry never ends, and only love can lift the laundry basket.
I guess God is tempted to be frustrated by the SAMENESS of the recurring ways we get our minds, hearts and souls dirty with sin. Do we ever learn?! But we're not impersonal laundry to Him. Over and over, He looks into our faces and hearts, tenderly gathers up our bruised and battered beings, cleanses us with the sun of His love, drys our tears with the wind of His Spirit. "Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in Your abundant compassion, blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.... wash me, make me whiter than snow." (Psalm 51.)
I need to add a p.s. here - I know many who still love to dry their laundry outside - and from what I hear tell, cloth diapers are back in style!