The Creepy Dryer

Yesterday, we were blessed by a great gift from Tim and Mandie. They finally decided to attempt a remedy for their crowded laundry room, and replaced the washer and dryer with “stackables.” They brought us their nearly new washer and dryer and took away ours. I had been concerned for some time our washer and dryer were not long for this world(do dryers wheeze—ours did). I had worked on both the washer and dryer previously(not terribly hard) but both were feeling their age. As I recall, the washer took us through Tim and Joseph's middle school, high school and college years. From there it went to Livingston for 11 years and today a year after moving to Round Rock was still going. The dryer was a little newer bought from my brother when he was running a store in Eldorado. It was the one that whined and groaned and left us wondering when it would quit. So, Sunday's call, and Sunday's arrival of “new to us” appliances were wonderful gifts.

I remember in the early days of pastoring, I wanted to live out the family work ethic and provide for my family by the labor of my hands. I found it difficult to accept honorariums for weddings and funerals, and gifts from members in the congregation. One of our dear friends in the church took the time to tell me that congregational giving to the pastor was something we needed to humbly accept and be grateful for. It was a lesson I would struggle with for years. It just was not in my “family DNA” to depend on others.

However, through my years as a pastor, I learned the joy of gratitude for others sharing with us out of their love and abundance. At first it was stuff from the garden, then it was money for gas when my dad was sick, then it was a watch from my alma mater, and again and again, it was kindness beyond description. The take away from those years was God was faithful to provide for his servants.

So, this gift came at a time when we were talking about purchasing a new washer and dryer. (One can date the age of their marriage by the appliances they buy along the way). Tim and Mandie's decision was a blessing.

However, having said that, I have discovered one small problem I will remedy this week. The dryer is “creepy.” In newer homes one of which we are leasing, every square inch seems to be spoken for. In this house, the washer and dryer sit together in a tiny little space between two doors. One opens from the house to the appliance room, and the other from the appliance room to the garage. It is tight. Not so much horizontally, but depth. And we discovered the dryer creeps forward. Anna made the mistake of going into the garage and could not come back in because the dryer creeped forward and blocked the door. Fortunately, she could go around and come in the front door.

I have never owned a creepy dryer. So this is a new experience. However, someone somewhere has anticipated this particular issue. So today we ordered “creepy less” applications which go over the legs of the dryer and solve the problem.

There is a part of me that wishes there were such easy solutions for the brokenness people bring to us. “All we need to do is order this simple fix, and “waalaa” your problem is no longer a problem.”

When the Scripture tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made, it speaks not only to the intrinsic value(we are the people for whom Christ died) but our virtues and vices which can be deep rooted and complex. In fact, it is the fact we are fearfully and wonderfully made that reflects the profundity of the depths of some of our struggles.

A creepy dryer, not a problem. A broken life so much more complex, so much more compelling, and so much more an opportunity for the grace of Christ and the healing of Christ.

Wash your hands, wear your masks for others, mind the gap, and be kind.