more laundry

There in the background is the hum and twirl of the washing machine, reminding me of the never ending creation of dirt and my never ending need to clean. I'm wondering if I had to wash all my clothes and household linens by hand if I would somehow be more absolved of my sins? I'd be more aware of my own dirt, that is for sure. Throwing piles of whites into a machine, pouring liquid detergent into a little drawer and pushing that into the machine and turning a few knobs doesn't connect me to the work of really soaping, scrubbing, kneading and rinsing my body's detitrus out of my wearables. Scrubbing my own clothes might just leave me feeling tired and sore. If I washed by hand, I might discover the miracle of a thing made clean, and that I could facilitate that purification, by my own hand! This Lent, my small "faith group" is looking at the way of forgiveness... I can make things clean by joining Christ in making all things new... by forgiving. I'm going to handwash a sweater right now! and ask for God's grace to forgive....