Pressing Prayers

Once upon a time, someone told me that she’d heard that I iron everything – including sheets and towels. I laughed. It’s not true, you know. I don’t iron sheets, towels, washcloths, underclothes, or socks. Everything else, though – yeah, pretty much. The above mentioned items, I DO throw in the dryer & they usually get into their rightful places fairly unwrinkled. I hate a wrinkled towel! Probably would iron one if I could figure out how to do it without smushing the nap. ....
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I don’t know why- I just have “this thing” about wrinkled clothes. I don’t want my kids going to school looking like street urchins, and I don’t have a particular desire to look like a bag lady. My husband usually irons his own clothes. I’ve noticed, though, that more and more he’s wearing camouflage, and it pretty much, well, camouflages wrinkles. Could be he’s onto something….....
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Since I have this thing about wrinkled clothes, I guess it’s a good thing that I don’t mind ironing. I actually enjoy it. I didn’t ALWAYS enjoy it. It was once one of those necessary chores that I tolerated and tried to make the best of. So, usually, I would iron and sing or hum. (Good thing my laundry room is at the end of the house all by itself!)....
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One day, while ironing and singing, it occurred to me – HEY! This is the perfect time to be praying for your kids! I mean, really…I’m just standing there, pressing wrinkles out of increasingly not-so-miniature clothing – how much concentration is required? I can do something else while my hands are busy. While my physical hands toil at their pressing, I could fold my spiritual hands in prayer – pressing in close to beseech my Father on behalf of my children. ....
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So began my Pressing Prayers. ....
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I use those few brief moments every day to pray for each of my children from head to toe, front to back, top to bottom, inside and out. As I iron the front of a shirt, I pray for them to have hearts of compassion, to love like Jesus, to be pure in heart, passionate in worship. As I press the iron to the area of the shirt that covers their hearts, I pray also for their future wives. I use this time to pray for their physical health as well as their spiritual health. I pray as the Spirit leads me – never the same way each day. Some days I pray that they learn to breathe life deeply, taking in everything that comes their way with hearts that are thankful to the Creator for His Creation and for the life He has provided for them. The Spirit of God knows their needs and never fails to aide me in my prayers. ....
I pray that their appetites would be for things righteous, that the Word would be their daily bread. I pray for joy for them, for faithfulness, and kindness. ....
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When I iron the back of their shirts, I pray for strength and for boldness. That they would have courage to stand whatever trials they face as they grow and as they live their lives for the Lord. I pray that they always know that their backs were never meant to bear burdens, but that the Lord is the bearer of our burdens. I pray that they take upon themselves His Yoke and are never yoked to sin. I pray for them to have the “backbone” to do what is right, even when it’s not popular. ....
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I iron their sleeves and pray that they’ll be ‘gentle giants’. Manly men who will have strong arms that are gentle and eager to wrap comfortingly around someone when the need arises. I iron their cuffs and pray for their hands to be loving and tender, diligent to their tasks, hands that – like Jesus – reach out to the lost and hurting to offer friendship, love, and help. I pray that they have hands that eagerly lift up in worship, regularly fold in prayer, and rest each night in peace.....
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I iron their collars and pray for their minds to be renewed day by day. I pray that rebellion would never tempt them, that obedience would be their first response, always. I pray that their eyes are fixed on Jesus, that their heads are unturned. ....
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When I get to their jeans, I pray for strength to stand – that they would stand and be counted as ones unashamed of Christ. I pray for their steps to be ordered of the Lord. I pray that their legs would carry them wherever the Voice of the Spirit leads – that they would walk always in the Purpose for which God created them. I pray that I have to replace their jeans often because they’ve worn out the knees bowing in prayer. When I press the front of their jeans, yes, I pray for sexual purity. When I press the seat of their jeans, I pray that they would not be content to sit around waiting for the Kingdom of God to come – but that they would be up, moving, going, actively working to bring the Kingdom of God to touch the earth. ....
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I pray for their feet – that they would be beautiful in carrying the Gospel with them. That they would run with endurance the race marked out for them. I pray that wherever their feet carry them, that they are surrounded with favor as with a shield.....
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As the Spirit of God leads me, I pray. Oh, yes, sometimes my Mom-flesh gets in the way of listening to the Voice of God. Sometimes I pray selfishly. “Lord, as I iron this pants leg, I pray that You remind him to take out the garbage without being told repeatedly – or else I’m going to break the leg that goes in here…” Sometimes, I pray less “spiritually-minded” than other times – there are all sorts of needs in their lives that I use this time to cover in prayer. ....
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They don’t know that each morning when they don their clothing for the day that they’re putting on garments that have been bathed in prayer. They sometimes comment that their clothing is still warm from the iron. I usually smile to myself and think, “That’s the way love feels.” They don’t have to know. The Lord and I know, and that is enough. And now you know. Shhhh…don’t rat me out! ....
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I’m not a “super-spiritual” person. I am a follower of Christ who believes in prayer. I’m uncomfortable praying in front of others, I don’t like to speak to a crowd & people who ARE more spiritual intimidate the dickens out of me. But someone said to me the other day, “I hate doing laundry!” and I thought (but didn’t SAY!), “Oh, dear. You’re missing out on something special….” That’s when this blog began to form in my mind. (I don’t mind laundry either! I enjoy the scent of the freshly laundered, warm- from-the-dryer clothes – it reminds me that my prayers and praises rise up before the Lord as a sweet-smelling fragrance….I pray sometimes when I fold and hang clothes, too….but I couldn’t think of a catchy phrase for that! Heeheheheeee). I write this blog NOT to be braggadocious (is that a word?) but just to say that any mundane task can be turned into something special – a time to spend in prayer, or a time to reach out a hand, or even a time to just withdraw & recover from the day – if we’ll take our eyes off of the task at hand and put them where they should be in the first place….fixed on Jesus. Whatever we’ve done for the least of these….even this, Lord.

Blessings! ....