Lay Flat to Dry

I was doing some laundry. I’d looked through my closet and picked up several sweaters and pullovers that I’d been wearing when the weather had gotten chillier. (Of course, right now, it’s like springtime outside.)

I gathered up the heavier things and put them in the laundry basket. I also picked up a gray pullover (with a nice tall collar that really keeps my neck warm). I piled them up and then stopped to check their care labels. I very much like the labels that say to wash and then dry. I got to the gray pullover and read, with dismay, the care label: wash in cold water and lay flat to dry.

Nooooooo. First of all, I don’t really have a place large enough to lay a sweater down for hours while it air dries. Whyever would I have even bought a sweater without looking at the care label first?!?!?

Then I looked at the label in the neck of the sweater; the manufacturer. Eddie Bauer. I’d ordered it from their online catalog, and, I’m quite sure, the description of the sweater had not included the care instructions. I’ll not make that mistake again. But, I’d made that mistake now. And the decision I made was to wash and dry the thing, and see how it came out.

It came out great. It looked exactly the same as when I’d first put it in the washing machine. And now, after coming out of the dryer, it looked promising. I tried it on and, TA-DAH! It fit exactly the same as it had before.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that every piece of clothing I purchase that says “Lay flat to dry” is going to come out of the washer and dryer looking perfect. But, I’m avoiding the potential disaster by being diligent about checking care labels before I spend that money. And, if I’m ordering something that doesn’t have the care information listed on the website, I can order it and then send it back if it has that label that says “Lay flat to dry.”

yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.  Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Philemon 1:9-11

Thesaurus.com says “usefulness” is a synonym for “responsibility.” It is, I guess, irresponsible not to pay attention to the instructions for a garment to remain usable and useful. But, if I had to follow the instructions on the sweater, I’d have rarely worn it, knowing that I’d have to to through all the steps of making the sweater clean. Now, I can wear it happily, knowing that I can clean it whenever the sweater needs it.

And, I should also be looking for the useful people in my life, the people who help, encourage, and support other folks.