Whose Turn is it to Hold the Washer Still?

I have often praised the builder for the convenient placement of our upstairs laundry room. It’s right near the bedrooms and away from the main living areas. That sure makes laundry easier and keeps the unruly piles out of sight. Yet, at the same time whoever built this laundry room decided to put a slope to it for draining purposes as well as a short stone barrier around the area where the washer and dryer sit. Both have been the cause of much cursing over the years. And this past week pushed me ever so much closer to a sledgehammer. 

As I write this I’m questioning why we have never addressed this in the 20 years we have lived here. But you know as well as I do, something else always moves up the list of priorities. But nevertheless, the stupid brick barrier has always caused an issue with the way the washer sits. It’s rather hard to explain, but the short of it is, it’s a pain. We have four bricks in there to help the washer sit flat, but inevitably it will rock itself loose from its platform and get to thumping its way out the door (or possibly through the first floor ceiling) causing us a lot of 4 letter words frustration.  

Case in point … the other day I heard the washer attempting to run out of the laundry room and bolted up the stairs. The darn thing was smashing against the dryer and was completely caddywhampus (crooked for all you non-southerners). Well poo, I thought. I have got to get these sheets done so I tried to shift the bricks underneath, but ya girl just ain’t talented enough to lift the washer and assemble a brick platform simultaneously. Kind of amazed I was not pinned underneath the thing in my attempts. So, what do you do when your washer is self destructing? Well, you hold on tight with everything ya got and pray for the last 7 minutes of the load. 

You think I’m kidding. I assure you I am not. In fact, I was kinda proud of myself as I held on for dear life. Used the opportunity to phone a friend as well as provide visual evidence to hubby that we needed to remodel the laundry room. The last 2 minutes of the cycle were the most violent. Just when I thought my lunch was making a debut and my crown was gonna pop off my tooth, the washer stopped. Cycle complete. I survived the battle.

Ever feel like you’re getting tossed around, shook free of your footing, and slammed against one thing after another? Ever been holding on with white knuckles praying for things to change? Those times are not only hard, but scary. You’re not sure how to fix the problem so you just hold on for dear life during the madness hoping you come through it without displaying the contents of your stomach and all your dental work intact. 

Life sure has a way of kicking our rear end sometimes. I’ve got quite a few bruises from battles and not just from the ones with the washer. It’s during those times that I’m reminded that while situations may get rocky and I may be shaken to the core, I can count on the One who is my solid foundation. Oh I don’t always remember that during the fight. I usually need a friend to help me realize that though the storm may rage all around me, I can rest knowing He has it all under control. My job is not to freak out and grab the sledgehammer. Holding on tight may seem like doing nothing. But holding onto your faith is the single most important thing you can do when things get crazy. So whatever you’re facing, whatever is rocking your world, whatever threatens to tear you apart, remember He’s holding out His hand.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Matthew 7: 24-25