Tag Archives: Life Choices

Remaking…

Pandemic, Things to ponder...., , ,

Pause.

Projects.

We are at home. Like many of you, really at home.

Perhaps for the first time in ages.

At our house that has meant projects.

House projects for my hubby.

Mostly writing for me.

This last week, I took on a project to remake an old family dresser.

The chest is sturdy, but made from an era when all wood furniture was dark.

Dark has become so foreboding.

It was time for a change.

I had a plan, however when I started sanding the finish from the old piece of furniture, the wood spoke something different to me.

Plan abandoned.

I kept on working.

As I was doing the finish coat, I found my mind wandering to memories of my father.

He was the one who introduced me to wood and with great supervision, would allow me to work with him in the basement.

Those thoughts bought a smile to mind.

For those of you who know me, there aren’t many times I speak of my dad.

My memories aren’t very pleasant.

In the last few years, I’ve been learning about how we can remake our memories.

Instead of replaying in your mind the same sad stories, stop those thoughts and replace them with more pleasant memories.

I’ve been working on that memory project for a few years.

It doesn’t change any realities, but it changes what my first thoughts are when thinking about my father.

This weekend wrapped up a remaking project and contributed to an ongoing remaking project.

It’s never too late to work on remaking…

My House…

Pandemic, ,

…sits high above the road, with peaked ceilings and lots of windows that allow the sky to enter and be part of my daily life. That could mean blue skies with white clouds, or grey skies with dark angry clouds waiting to dump something on me. Some days it simply means living in a cloud with the ability to see very little. Cloudless nights are the best when the stars are sparkling against the navy background, appearing so close I think I can reach out to grab a couple just for me.

Watching the clouds race across the sky
Evening Colors filling the sky

My house has been filled with unique aromas the last two weeks as I’ve allowed my creative side freedom to explore recipes from a Turkish cookbook a friend gave me before departing this valley I now call home. Distinct aromas and unique flavors from combinations of spices I’ve rarely used before. I never knew how much dill changes the flavor of beef; or tomatoes when skinned and deseeded, cooked with stock have a less acidic taste. These flavors are different and fun from how I normally cook—not strong or spicy hot, just different. We’ve found the food to be hearty and very filling. The cooking has been an adventure, but also exhausting. Most of the meals are labor intensive in their preparation. I now understand why the dishes are most often undertaken for company as a way to honor someone with a meal. So I can say, I’ve been honoring my husband, honoring us, honoring that we have each other to share this time with. I may have one more Turkish meal in me for this season, afterwards the book will go back on the shelf and I’ll return to meals and culinary delights we’ve enjoyed at different times or try something completely different.

I walk the switch back driveway down to the mailbox and last year’s dead grasses and the sage brush are still moist from last night’s snow. The fragrance of sage hits me and reminds me of first moving here eight years ago and the wonder I experienced the first time I opened the door and smelled sage. I was so surprised and then surprised I hadn’t expected this. Our property sits on hundred-year-old sage plants. How could I expect to be surrounded by this plant and yet not smell it? The pleasure of the aroma and memories of that naivety always bring a smile to face and are part of what makes me feel safe to be at home.

I savor the simple pleasures. It’s a way to keep the pandemic at arm’s length from me. To date, we personally know of no one who’s succumbed to the virus. A piece of me wonders how long that will be my truth, and I push those thoughts away. I’m aware each of us, collectively everyone, is being touched by this pandemic and the impacts will be long and far reaching. I push away the thoughts about how long it will be before we return to our normal activities.

I push away…

During this time of “Sheltering In-Place,” I’m part of a writing group. The group is writing about this time, fears, feelings, concerns. Different prompts and readings are used to generate inspiration. Sometimes I’m surprised at what surfaces. None of us in the group have experienced a time such as this. I’ll be sharing some of my writings generated from the group. You'll find them under the menu option, Writing Categories and then Pandemic. Feel free to leave your comments or write you own thoughts.

An Interesting Dilemma to Ponder…

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I recently read an article from the Washington Post about millennials who nix their parents’ treasures. I can see aspects of this story from both sides.

Several years ago, my husband and I performed a major downsizing effort to move west. It was an interesting experience. We have a large gaggle of adult children. Of things we wanted to find new homes for, some of the kids took a few things. We were surprised at several large family pieces we had no takers for. We sold those pieces of furniture, as they were not going to fit in our new life. It was a bittersweet revelation to us. Sad the heritage of the pieces won’t be maintained. Proud our kids could make those decisions and not take the pieces they didn’t want or couldn’t use just because they thought it would please us.

For us, or at least me, the downsizing project proved to be unbelievably liberating. We kept things with the most meaning to us, and things that would fit in our new home. It’s been good for me to travel lighter and have fewer things. Others who have gone through a similar process also talk about the freedom, which comes from shedding stuff. Perhaps the younger generation has it right. Hold onto things lightly and embrace life.

Yet I wonder if they may someday recognize the loss of some of the things they’ve passed on. We do genealogy research, so we have many photos, scrapbooks and family historical information. I have framed my great-grandfather’s original citizenship paperwork. There is only one original. I hope it will have value to someone in the family, as it is part of our roots as Americans. But I don’t know.

I’m sensory. I enjoy visual pleasures from art and photography; the fragrances of food cooking, flowers blooming or even autumn in the morning air stir me to life; the sounds of wind blowing through the tree leaves adds another dimension to the meaning of autumn for me; holding a book and actually turning the pages is part of the story coming to life; enjoying an old piece of furniture or dishes I remember seeing my grandmother use takes me back in time to her kitchen. Can one savor all those emotions without some of the things from those times?

For clarification – I do believe embracing life and all it has to offer is of far higher value than clamoring after ‘things’.

I look forward to some fun discussion. I don’t think there are any ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, just different perspectives on this topic. Now for the questions:

1. As the parents, we aren’t ready to part with all those things yet, so how do we discern which things those kids might want later?

2. If you don’t want things, what method do you use to save memories for later enjoyment?

3. Are things of historical value important to you? Why? or why not?

4. How do you embrace life?

Have a great day — and enjoy life!

My Opportunity to Give Back…

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Living out west has given me a totally different appreciation for water and how important it is for life.

Something broke within me this year when watching a video of a mission trip to Haiti with Poured-Out. I’ve prayed for and supported others on specific mission trips as God has guided me, but I’ve never before felt the call to actually go on a mission trip. All that changed this year.

I’ve learned that in Haiti, it’s estimated 1 in 5 children die before the age of 10 due to dirty drinking water. I have the opportunity this summer to be the hands and feet of Christ for these individuals in Haiti. I will be traveling to Haiti with a group from our church, ‘The Orchard’ to partner with Poured-Out. We will be installing water filtration systems and sharing the love of Christ with individuals in desperate need. Our focus will be in the rural areas of Haiti reaching the communities and people who have not yet received aid and desperately need clean water.

As my friends, it will be a blessing to share the adventure with you and I’m asking for your help. Please pray for each member of the group. You can especially pray for me that I will trust God to help me overcome my fears and see His glory in this trip. Above all, pray God would be glorified throughout this journey. I’m expecting great things and consider it an honor to be able to serve beside other believers to help improve living conditions in this area. I also hope the local people will witness the love of Christ in our actions. Poured-Out is a nonprofit organization focused on under-reached communities across the globe in need of clean, safe drinking water. Their current focus is in Haiti, where the need for water has grown exponentially since the 2010 earthquake.

In order to be a part of this opportunity, I need to raise $1800, which will cover airfare, insurance, room & board, the purchase of a BioSand Filter for a family, and travel while in Haiti. Please pray and if you feel compelled to help support this missions trip, please message me for the details. If you are not able to help out financially, please be a prayer supporter. I believe that God will use your prayers greatly!

Expect to see periodic updates leading up to and after the trip. Thank You for your Support through prayer, finances, or both.

 

Good or Bad – The Choice is Yours; the Capacity has been a Gift….

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I’ve been reading CS Lewis’ book, Mere Christianity. The following passage from the book has stuck with me.

“Why did God make a creature of such rotten stuff that it went wrong? The better stuff a creature is made of – the cleverer and stronger and freer it is – the better it will be if it goes right, but also the worse it will be if it goes wrong.”

I think of some people I know who have lives that are pretty messed up. In fact, they appear to be in a total destruction mode. It bothers me. Then when I read this and spent some time pondering the statement, it made me realize those people have a capacity to be good to the same extent they have chosen badly. It is all about life choices and God’s grace. I was left with the knowledge (or reminder); all I can do for them is to pray for them. It is not mine to change them. Oh, but the day God decides to change them, they will have quite a story to tell! May He give me the grace to patiently remain in prayer!

Feel Good versus What is Good

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I read the following quote on Jeff Moore’s Everyday Power Blog. The article contained much more information, but this quote is the one that stood out for me.

“Don’t make a habit out of choosing what feels good over what’s actually good for you.”
- Eric Thomas

How many times do we get caught up in our culture or lives making decisions simply based upon what ‘feels good’?

Do we even spend time thinking about ‘what is actually good for us’?

I know this last year as I’ve jumped off the ‘busy’ train and started to be more conscious about how I spend my time I’ve given thought to how growing more and more into the image of Christ should be lived out.

Do you ever think about these things and if so, how do you put it into practice?