Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Cleaning my attic brings memories of the past


Since summer began one of the things I have been trying to do is clean my attic. Of course I had to choose the hottest summer on record to try this. But if you ask my parents I'm always in the process of cleaning out my attic. This time though I mean business! This photo is of my cat laying on a pile of papers that are bound for the shredder. Over the years as bills have come in and been paid, I have put the statements in envelops and stuffed the in the attic. Now I'm taking them all and shredding them. It has been interesting to see what I bought a few years ago on the old credit card statements. And to read over old medical bills and say "boy I'm glad that is over." I'm also going through boxes and taking out all the books that have made it up into the attic. My church is having a book drive and I'm ready to get rid of all those books that have been packed away. Well at least most of them. Some of them I have to read one more time. The next book waiting for me is "Shell Seekers." I read this book a few years ago and thought it was wonderful, so I'm looking forward to reading it again. Some books you read once and you are done and others are like old friends and you need to visit them again and again.
Also while I've been up in my attic I have found pieces of my families past tucked away here and there. Little strawberry short cake dolls that still have the "berry" smell, trains, toy cars, videos (lots and lots of videos) and some different baby items I couldn't seem to part with. I've flipped through some of my old year books, and even looked at all the ribbons I won while showing my horse. I know why people keep things, as you hold some soft baby blanket, you remember your sweet young baby. But at some point I think you need to say to yourself just how much of this can I really keep. Or for me it's more, if I don't start getting rid of things there will be no room to walk in the attic. So it's time.
Work world: Yesterday my husband left for his new job, and was back home by 9am. My children greeted him, and I looked down at him from the stairs wondering why was he home. He said " Boy that was a short period of employment." My heart just sank, and then he said " Just kidding it's my day off." I could have killed him. Especially since today is our 14th anniversary!
So today he starts his long week of working 5 days in a row. He is doing much better and some of it comes from reading an article from our churches magazine. The articles title is " Continue in Patience." One of the quotes that he will probably have memorized soon is this "... Patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen- patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn't appear instantly or without effort... There is an important concept here: Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can - working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well! So in our new trials both my husband and I are working on being patient and enduring well.

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