April 19th, 2010
What do you Think of…
Ironing?
Did I just hear you utter up a sigh or perhaps a groan? Well, ironing is one of those things that, in our home, needs to be done and done to the glory of God. After all, God loves you, and He considers you worthy of the very best. If we didn’t iron, that would signify that we think ourselves not worthy of the time spent ironing our clothes. I love putting on fresh, clean, wrinkle-free clothes every morning.
The task of ironing our clothes is extremely easy in our home, as we hang all hanging up clothing on clothes racks, which dry in our sunroom during the summer and in the loungeroom, in front of the fire, during winter. We live very close to a dirt road, and our clothing was forever being covered in dust, and besides, it is more practical – the coloureds don’t fade nearly as much, either.
My daughter does the majority of the ironing in our home, as my son HATES ironing, and would rather pay his sister to iron his clothes. I think that he figures he can earn more by designing web pages, and his sister doesn’t mind, as she gets paid to iron his clothes, but he has been taught to iron, too. Just recently we have had discussions on why we iron our clothes and why they need to be wrinkle-free, and these Bible verses sprang immediately to mind. We need to instill a good work ethic into our children so that they can teach it their children and their children’s children.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:27
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. Proverbs 31:13
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Proverbs 31:24
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2: 4-5
Perhaps you could pray for the person whose clothing you are ironing, or even pray for missionaries while you are standing there. This would be making good use of the time with which God entrusts us – redeeming the time, so to speak. In Bible times, linen was worn, and if you have ever worn linen, you would know that it is extremely prone to creasing. To iron linen would have taken a very long time, and is very hard work. The advantages of linen are that it is moth-resistant, repels dirt well and keeps perspiration away from the skin.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5: 15- 16
It is important to teach our children how to care for their own clothes, so that they will always look their best. If they were applying for a job, they would be judged on their appearance firstly and foremostly.
Who does the ironing in your place? Perhaps you buy clothes that are crease-resistant – do you iron at all? Do you consider yourself worthy of the time spent ironing?
I am a daughter of the King of Kings, seeking to live a godly life and mirror the love of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
hmmmm….not my favourite job and only do it for the few clothes I buy that are not crease resistant!
My dh does his own ironing, for which I am so…..thankful!
I do my dd’s when necessary only, otherwise, it’s mainly wash and wear:)
I’m a little like Rosemary… the majority of my (our) clothes or wash and wear. The few things we have that would require ironing (like work uniforms) don’t need to be ironed because we hang them out immediately on clothes hangers. They look perfect and uncreased. If left the machine too long though (like if I forget or couldn’t get to it quick enough), then we need to run an iron over it.
My daughter does her own ironing, if she needs anything ironed. My son, well that’s another story lol. His clothes don’t need ironing usually except the occassional button up shirt once in a blue moon. I, or his sister would then do it.
Ironing is not a big thing in our house, thankfully
Hi Rosemary,
Hmmm – what are we doing wrong? Most of our clothes need ironing.
Do you see the photo of the ironing at the top of my post – that is three days’ ironing!
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Amanda,
Did you see the photo at the top of my blog post? That is three days ironing!
You do really seem to have drip-dry down pat. Lately we seem to have more ironing than ever before, but I think it’s being left in the washing machine for too long.
Hmmm – it seems that we need to rethink what we are ironing.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Jillian,
yes, like Amanda, I don’t leave the clothes in the machine for too long and I find that hanging them out to dry neatly reduces the amount of ironing I need to do. Same with putting them away, I get them off the line and hang up most of our clothes in the wardrobes. This also reduces the amount of ironing that needs to be done. Other little items like underwear etc go in drawers.
Then again what’s passable here without ironing might not be to your standards:)
oh, I just noticed the towels in your pic….you don’t iron towels now do you?
surely! 
I agree with the attitude you mention that we should have and to develop in the children. Like the other ladies, I must say that I don’t have much which needs ironing. Good button up church shirts and my skirts mostly.
Being at home all day with dad doing mostly mechanical work helps a lot. No work or school uniforms.
My dear mother used to do my ironing once a week when they first retired to town and my boys were babies. Back then there were lots of little girls’ dresses and more shirts to iron for dad.
I do manage to get a backlog at times. Praying whilst ironing is a good suggestion.
“”Did I just hear you utter up a sigh or perhaps a groan?”"
Yes, an enormous groan and sigh. Did you hear it? I saw your picture, gave my sigh, and then read your opening sentence. How did you know that would elicit a groan?
Jillian, I don’t drip dry! I just hang it out as soon as the machine has finished, using a coat hanger. Once they are dry, they go into the clothes rack. Wella! Wrinkle free clothes. T-shirts etc we don’t iron or hang on hangers. Just our work clothes, and my going out ones. Our work shirts must be good quality material I think. Yep, I hardly touch the iron. Praise God lol!
Wow, I have never seen a post like this in blogland Jillian. Well said! This concept should apply for all other chores in our lives.
Yes, I still iron our clothes and I don’t fuss over just buying clothes that requires “no ironing”. Just today as I got up I was thinking of my iron that needs to be done. DD does most of the iron for me in the summer time when I am busy with canning and gardening. I do have a lot of iron to do, for we like to buy cotton for summer and DH works in an office, so he needs to dress nicely.
Have a great day!
(((hugs)))
Katia
I love to iron…almost never do though!
Ironing is not my thing. Fortunately my hubby will iron to if needed. I usually only pull it out when I am sewing to flatten hems and stuff.
I don’t ~ think about it or do it. From the machine to the cupboards we hang & fold in such a way as ironing isn’t necessary. It’s a job I loathe & I won’t iron for others. The only exception is Ditz’s choir uniform [B&Ws] & she prefers to do that herself. Nearly all our stuff is cotton too because of skin allergies so I am really careful about soaps & any products that contain a perfume. The principle remains good; everything we do is to be done for the glory of God. ☺
Hi Rosemary,
Some of our clothes simply wouldn’t be wearable without ironing.
Have a wonderful week,
Blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Rosemary,
We only iron the ones that go into the kitchen.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Ruby,
We wear only dresses and skirts – well the girls do! lol This means much more ironing for us.
My husband wears shirts when we go out, and his cotton farm clothes need lots of ironing – I love him, and I need to look at him, so he needs to be well dressed.
Praying while ironing makes ironing much easier to do. I enjoy the result of a job well done.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Amy,
LOL – I heard your groan and sigh from here – most people hate ironing.
I enjoy doing all things to the glory of God, though, and I take satisfaction in a job well done.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Amanda,
You must have an excellent washing machine, for ours brings them out full of wrinkles. There are some clothes that I have that don’t require ironing, but they are few and far between, as I love soft clothes, especially when my allergies are flaring up.
Have a wonderful and blessed week,
Love, Jillian ♥
Hi Katia,
Our children aren’t allowed to do anything, unless it’s done to the glory of God, and I apply the same standard to myself, too.
Thank you.
We buy most of our clothing secondhand, so we can’t really afford to be fussy about what needs ironing – we are just grateful that our heavenly Father clothes us.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Therese,
We iron frequently in our home – about three times a week, but I like seeing the results of a job well done.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Tricia,
I love ironing, as the end result justifies the effort put into it, but then, each to his/her own.
I don’t sew, as we can buy clothing cheaper from the op-shops, and we have some excellent ones near here – the best thing is that they are usually pre-shrunk, although I have purchased some delightful skirts brand new just recently for $1.00.
Have a wonderful and blessed week,
Love, Jillian ♥
Hi Ganeida,
We have problems with perfumes, too, and just recently, the tissues that we were buying were placed next to laundry powder – they stinketh!
I haven’t been able to avoid ironing, but if something needs to be done, it needs to be done to the glory of God. Usually I love ironing, but my back is very painful when I stand for too long.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Jillian, you are a Britian! Ironing farm clothes would not be a priority for me. Ain’t love grand1 My aunt had a husband and five sons and ironed all the farm clothes. I asked her once why that was as they were so grubby and crased within a short time and she said with so many men in the house, she just couldn’t fit everything in the drawers if they weren’t ironed!!!! A true martyr.
Hi Ruby,
Now, what if Jesus were to come back and we were in our unironed farm clothes? I would want to be dressed fit for the King of Kings.
Aren’t we, as Christians, judged by our appearance – shouldn’t we always be “fit for the Master’s use”?
It wouldn’t matter where you saw me – on the farm or in the street, my clothing would always be clean, tidy and wrinkle-free.
Just my standards and reasons for what we do…not trying to be judgemental on anyone else.
Have a wonderful and blessed week,
Love, Jillian ♥
Wow, who would have thought a post about ironing would get women so excited, lol!
A good friend of mine used to iron absolutely everything, even down to the underwear. I found that strange, but each to their own
Our machine is about 13 years old now…it’s a Fisher & Paykel. I bought it because of it’s ‘spa’ action (I think it was called), in that it doesn’t have the middle column thingy… it was supposed to be gentler on clothes and therefore do the job with less wrinkles. I can attest to it’s claim. I will buy another like it when this one bites the dust. It has just kept going, and we have never had to have it repaired, or maintained. Good value for money (it cost about $500 and something).
We don’t have a lot of good op shops around here, but I always buy my clothes on special. Rarely ever pay full price. A (approx) $15 shirt (wash and wear/ wrinkle free variety) lasts me years. I don’t have a large wardrobe of clothing, just faithful clothes that keep going and going. I think of the Israelites whose sandals and clothes never wore out in the desert.
God is certainly good!
I was recently given a lovely longish brown skirt. It was brand new. The best thing about this skirt (and I love wearing it to church) is that it is also iron free. Why is it iron free? Because it is a creased (on purpose) fabric. Rich dark brown and very comfortable.
My most expensive skirt is a black lined skirt which I wear to work… it was about $60 but is of a very good quality fabric. It NEVER creases, even after wearing it all day! It says to ‘dry clean’ only, or drip dry. Of course I never do
I wash it in the ‘delicate’ cycle… and then hang it out immediately. It is one of the best skirts I have ever bought. And it is a tax deduction 
My work shirts are supplied by the company I work for. As is my daugther’s. Her uniforms cost the company $500+ dollars. Excellent material, no ironing needed (if hung out immediately).
We certainly are blessed because we (husband, me, daughter) can claim reimbursement for the laundering of these clothes (certain amount per load), at tax time!
Hi Amanda,
Perhaps my next one will need to be a Fisher & Paykel. 
Our washing machine is a Kleenmaid – they work very well and last about twenty years, but yes, they do crumple things hopelessly, and it does have a centre agitator.
We don’t iron sheets or bedlinen, but the tea towels and hand towels that are in the kitchen get hopelessly creased, and I have to sit at the table and look at them, so we iron them.
I do have some “creased on purpose” clothes, too, especially a lightish green peasant style skirt, and it looks great. I have lots of skirts that don’t need ironing, but children’s dresses usually need ironing – why they don’t design them using better materials is beyond me??? *shakes head*
Thank you for sharing about your washing machine – definitely food for thought! (((Amanda)))
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Jillian, yes, mine is a peasant style too lol. Couldn’t think of the style before… and ‘centre agitator’… couldn’t think of the right word for that either. Ahhh, my memory is suffering a bit lately lol!
Love and hugs!
Good pont, Jillian. You are obviously much more particular around the house than I!
P.S. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We each must have the wedding garment to enter the marriage feast on that great day!
Hello Jillian,
I drip dry most of my work clothes (I also buy things that don’t need ironing – creased fabric is great), my sons steal theirs before they are ironed and my husband – he does his own. Why you ask. Just after we were married I ironed his trousers and shirts all wrong (I did it more than once), after that he decided to iron all his own clothes, which he does when he is about to wear them (he is happy with this arrangement!) So the only clothes I iron are my own and I also do that when I need them.
I don’t iron tea-towels, sheets, pillow slips etc…
As you may guess, I don’t like ironing!
God Bless
Jo
Hi Amanda,
It sounds like you need chocolate!
We bought our washing machine because the last one lasted twelve years, and then we passed it on to my mum. This new one we are hoping will last twenty years, for the price tag that came with it was enormous, and sadly we can’t even buy parts for it in Australia any more, as Kleenmaid have pulled out of Australia!
Love and blessings,
Jillian ♥
Hi Ruby,
Good point or bad point??? – I’m a perfectionist, and it isn’t always easy living with me, for when everything is perfect, it’s close enough!
Yes, we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness – just looking at things from man’s perspective – again.
Thank you for that P.S. – I shall need to pause and reflect on that, sleep on it, and probably toss it around my mind for a while.
Have a great week, my friend,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Hi Jo,
Clever you! My husband is more than happy to have me do his ironing for him, and likewise for me – he does an excellent job of doing the ironing, too.
We can’t afford to be fussy when we shop at op-shops, and while we have managed to buy some wonderful things that don’t need ironing, I wouldn’t let it put me off buying an item just ‘cos it needed ironing.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
Oh Ruby, you took the words right out of my mouth! I came back to say the very thing you said!!
I was reflecting on this whole post and the thought of looking good in ironed clothes for when Jesus comes (not having a go at you dear Jillian, but was just thinking about it) when I heard the still small voice of the Holy Spirit… He spoke to me of the wedding garments, garments that will never be moth eaten. His garments of righteousness. He spoke to me of being more concerned with adorning my heart with His nature and being clothed with humilty (1 Pet 5:5).
I know the natural has it’s place, but I believe the Lord is more concerned with our spiritual condition, for that is what He will see first when He returns/appears.
No disrespect to your post or comments Jillian
Just sharing what the Lord then spoke to me about after reflecting on this. Reason being, I am a mostly casual person clothing wise (when not at work/church/special outings etc). I was wondering if I should ‘up the anti’ so to speak (ie for shopping etc). He just reassured me on what He wants from me… then I saw Ruby’s comment and thought about the many confirmations we have been enjoying lately 
I do understand what you are saying though
Hi Amanda,
I am reflecting on what Ruby said, and you came along with the same words. It seems that our heavenly Father wants to really get the message across this time! I’m sure that sometimes He must think that I’m in need of reinforcing, for He brings the message in several different forms – hmmm, wonder what we’re reading for Bible readings tomorrow??? Perhaps He should use a brick next time!!!
Yes, you are quite right – God is more concerned with our Spiritual state than with our outer covering. *slinks away into the corner and eats Humble Pie*
I’m glad that you feel comfortable to share with me here.
I do so look forward to the day when we meet with Him, and to our eternal home in the heavens with Him.
Have a great week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥
No need to slink away lol. And Daddy God doesn’t need to use a brick (this time
lol). You are open enough to hear Him through other imperfect people (such as myself who needs the brick treatment often!), so no drastic brick treatment needed 
Bless you sweet friend…
ps. Yes I did feel comfortable, mixed only with a little nervousness
As we grow to know one another, that will go more and more. I believe in being transparent and honest, so what a blessing to find others who are of the same mind/heart. It is all about UNITY, one of my favourite words in this season of time.
Hi Amanda,
Thank you – you are a friend, indeed.
Sometimes I find it difficult to find the exact words needed so that the meaning is conveyed appropriately, but I’m getting better at saying exactly what I mean (without stepping on people’s toes, like I used to
)
I like transparent, honest people and I am happy that we are UNITED in one in Christ Jesus.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian ♥