Recently, I ended up stooped over my dryer, head in my hands, sobbing. My 10-year old son walked in the laundry room, “Are you okay?” I replied, “It’s just been one of those days that nothing went right. I need help.” He smiled, “Sure.”
I was hunched over the dryer because it was the last task I had to do that night, but I simply could not force the filter into place. The door would not shut, so I couldn’t start the dryer. My son helped me investigate. After about 15 minutes, we got a flashlight and figured out the problem.
All 10 years of my son’s life, the life of the dryer, we had been accumulating refuse and even treasures that made it past the filter. All of it was lurking underneath. But on this day, we crouched together with kitchen tongs and a flashlight and pulled out wrappers, straws, pebbles, and also dollars, a plastic cactus, even a diamond bracelet. By the end of the excavation, we were laughing and hollering at our trash/treasure hunt. This became the highlight of my week. Ever since the dryer has worked like a charm.
I learned something that night: Our hearts have filter systems too. Even when the filter works, sometimes over the years there can be a pile up of pain and purpose pushed down for far too long. This affects our function.
What is hidden in your heart? There are times when we need to stop and clean it up. We need loving helpers and a whole lot of honesty. As we get our function back, we will surely come across some treasures waiting to be found.
Joy Howard
~Christ Fellowship