Summer Breeze…

teacuppamela.pngAh…… an unlikely title, given that we had a major lightning and thunderstorm here last night. And I do not like lightning and thunder… even less! And rain? Wow… lots of rain. I saw the only way to enjoy it was to have all the hanging flower baskets taken down and set out in it… that was the only good thing I could see in yet another rainy day this summer! Well, that, and the beauty of the green everywhere(!) today.

So… I was ironing… spraying away and ironing item after item while listening to the radio. Every once in a while I listen to a station that plays love songs and all that stuff… and somehow it makes the job sweeter, not just bcz I’m ironing my husband’s shirts and thinking all about him, but the songs take me back to places we were when we first heard them. Now, many are songs I don’t know for there was a long period in our marriage where I didn’t or wouldn’t listen to any secular music at all. And you know… during that time I would almost laugh out loud in a grocery store or elevator when I would catch myself singing along with whatever was playing. Too many times of that and I realized that the music was not inherently evil… and yada, yada, yada. So — if that’s offensive, I don’t mean to be… it’s just that I have decided that for now, for this time, for me — some occasional “sappy-love-songs-station” music passes muster. I may change my mind tomorrow.

So, anyway, I was listening along and heard… “summer breeze… makes me feel fine… blowing through the jasmine in my mind… see the smile, waitin’ in the kitchen, food cookin’ and the plates for two…” I continued to iron… smiled at the memories and realized: there sure are a lot of memories that blow through my mind… lots of them… lots of smiles. I laughed as I thought about that song and how a few years have passed since it first came out. Funny… thirty-five years isn’t all that long now. I continued to iron away and when the next shirt would be set down on the board… a new song came on and with it… more sweet memories. Sometimes I listen to praise music and sing along… sometimes I just have complete quiet — I love complete quiet, too. I’m able to work out lots of things when I do chores in complete quiet. Ironing makes for some really great times of reflection. I have my Bible memory work on a clip-board on my kitchen window-sill and I stop and read a line, repeat it and continue ironing… reflecting on the wonderful truths of the Word.

Ironing straightens out a lot of things — not just the clothes or the closet with fresh wash. No, ironing gives necessary time for getting thoughts straight and for concentrating on the person to whom the garment(s) belong. Now, maybe that’s self, but probably it’s others, too. If it’s self, then perhaps, self needs some straightening out. Probably the word “perhaps” was not the right choice — perhaps I should’ve said: if it’s self, then self needs some straightening out. We’ve all got some wrinkles that need addressing. I think ironing’s a great time to think on stuff that needs ironing out. Just like praying at the dryer, praying at the ironing board is a sweet time. Sometimes the LORD reveals things to me that I’d simply miss unless I stopped to fold or iron. Just like loads and bundles of laundry and ironing become piles and mountains, little wrinkles or messes in relationships unattended grow into mountains. And for both things, it’s just amazing how easily they’re addressed and taken care of.
Maybe you’re the sort that gets a little low from time to time or maybe you’re the sort that needs to be reminded of just how sweet your life really is (and has been) and just how blessed you really are. Maybe you need to iron some shirts and get some of those thoughts straightened out. Maybe there are some wrinkles in a relationship that need to be ironed out. Maybe a sweet time singing and praying is just what you need today. I know I did.

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0 thoughts on “Summer Breeze…

  1. I spend my ironing time praying for the person I am ironing for. Usually my husband! And I listen to the radio some. Most often I get out an old hymnal and sing at the top of my lungs. I really miss the old hymns as we don’t sing them much at my church anymore. I really like your idea of putting up some scripture to memorize! Let’s make the most of our ironing time!

  2. Isn’t it funny how songs are sort of timeless — and yet, so easily ‘transport’ us back to the very place we heard the song. I guess that’s why I also should write a disclaimer… I need to be careful what I’m listening to and why! Bless you, Marissa!

  3. I made a CD for myself just the other day, just music to listen to in the car, & I included Summer Breeze…good memories there!

  4. Okay, this *almost* makes me want to get the iron out, lol.
    I read your blog a few years ago but then it slipped through the cracks and I found it again just yesterday, through Lady Lydia’s blog. I’m glad to be back.
    Joanna 🙂

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