Use it or Lose it...sentimentality dealt with!

Here is another post where I copy someone else's post because they say it so much better than I can! Her name is Kelly and her blog is 'imperfect homemaking'. What a great concept!

NOVEMBER 6, 2010 Use It or Lose It... As we passed the time at a farmers market one spring morning, a friend told me a tragic story. Her beautiful table linens, the ones passed down from her great grandmother, the ones with beautiful intricate designs and embroidery, the ones that where just to good to use.... ...were eaten by mice. The linens she had gently washed and pressed and folded and then placed safely in a drawer, each one separated by a piece of parchment paper.... ...Destroyed. Garbage. Gone.

Friends, use your good stuff: the antique silverware, the irreplaceable china, and yes, great grandmas linens. My friend was saddened to see her linens destroyed. Of course she was, they represented something important to her. But the only difference between when she had those linens and now is that now she's got a drawer freed up to fill with things she will actually use. Be it mice, or fire, or a dinner guest dropping it on the floor, one day you will be separated from all of your beautiful things. Accept this. Say good bye to all of those beautiful things. And then truly appreciate their beauty as you use them to serve the people you love most. Once you have already said good-bye, when that trying-to-be-helpful dinner guest drops a supposedly priceless heirloom and the whole room comes to a standstill and everyone turns to look and see how you are going to respond... you can smile. And tell them you knew that would happen eventually. No harm done, except for maybe a couple tears shed in the kitchen while the coffee brews.
 When my friend told me her story of the linens, I started to wonder if maybe the things we own, no matter how sentimental, are completely meaningless until we have used them to serve somebody else. Use your beautiful things. Use them to serve the people in your life who are truly priceless. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. {Matthew 6:19-21} http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/

 As anyone who knows me knows I have really trouble getting rid of things. Not everything, just anything that I think may have some sentimental value to me...which is pretty much anything that my family has touched! This post is actually not related exactly to that but her website got me thinking. I will save that contemplation for another post.

 Today I will state that I do try to use my pretty things as much as possible...but I do have things that are not used, Hobbs crystal and china that I will get out of the garage and use!!!I will try to use the linens that are too special to use and not to cringe when someone spills on them. I will try to say good bye before hand so that every time I put them away in one piece I can feel a bit of joy and happiness that I own such things of beauty.
 I will tell the kids the stories of the dishes and the vases and the linen, even if I have told them all this before, so someday if any of it is left they can tell it to their children. I will try to photograph and scrap the stories so it is easier to say good bye if necessary.
I will try, really I will try , to get my mom to share her stories and scrap them so we will remember!!!
 Actions not words, Karen, actions not words.

Our Christmas card 2011

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

7 Life Lessons learned from Star Trek!

This article was not written by me. I really liked it though and find it to be so true. Although I was alive when Star Trek was on TV I didn't watch it until I was older. Just thought these were good things to remember! 7 Life Lessons You Can Learn From 'Star Trek' by David Borgenicht Let me start out by coming clean: I am a closet Trekkie. I went to my first "Star Trek" convention when I was nine. I have owned dozens of "Star Trek" toys, models, props and books over the years (and yes, I used to make my Kirk and Uhura action figures kiss). I even have a communicator app on my iPhone (and I'm eagerly waiting for the tricorder app now that Siri has arrived). I don't own a uniform, but I wish I did (Hint hint: Channukah's coming, family. I'll take the classic Captain's shirt in M, please, so that it rips easier when I get into fights). My love of "Star Trek" began at an early age and has lasted to this day. But why? It isn't just because of the campy sets and costumes that are still iconic. It isn't because of the terrific performance by Leonard Nimoy (Spock) or Captain Kirk's Shatnerific overacting. It isn't even because of the superb sci-fi storytelling and writing or the fact that the toys and accoutrements were (and are) so cool that the culture seems to be obsessed with making them real. Although all of that is true. No, my love of "Trek" has lasted this long because of what I have learned from my friends on the Enterprise over the years. From the joys of exploration to the simple pleasures of curling up in your own quarters (often with a hot yeoman and a cold drink), from the value of friendship to the value of calling someone's bluff, I've learned dozens of life skills, lessons and even values from the iconic show that ran only three years in prime time when it originally debuted (before I was born). I think that's what ultimately motivated me to create and publish (via my company, Quirk Books) "THE STAR TREK BOOK OF OPPOSITES," as an attempt to familiarize children today (including my own) with the world of "Trek." There are no great life lessons in "THE STAR TREK BOOK OF OPPOSITES" (although learning the difference between BIG and LITTLE, HOT and COLD would certainly serve anyone well). But beyond the basics of opposites, the book is a great way to introduce kids to the world and characters of "Star Trek," in the hopes that someday they will come back to it and begin to appreciate its power and cultural resonance. I would say there are seven life lessons I learned from "Star Trek" that I take with me to this day. These are lessons I hope to pass along to my own children someday--but for now, I will share them with the interweb. The best way to travel is to boldly go where no one has gone before. This is true for vacations, for self-exploration, for life itself. If you want your days filled with adventure, laughter, love, learning and the occasional mind-meld, follow this route. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few--or the one. Sometimes you must make great sacrifices for the greater good. And, like the Genesis device, it will all come back around. Expressing your emotions is a healthy thing. Sure, McCoy seemed angry all the time when exclaiming, "Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor not a mechanic/bricklayer/soothsayer," but he knew that by expressing his anger and frustration it wouldn't get the best of him and he could then perform at his peak capacity. When estimating how long a job will take, overestimate--and when you do better your captain will always be impressed. Replace the word "captain" with "teacher" or "mom/dad" and you'll see what I mean. Sure, Mr. Scott might have been telling the truth--maybe it would take six hours to get the warp engines back online in the heat of the battle. Or maybe he was padding things so he looked good. Either way, when the engines did come back on line, everyone was happy. Wearing red makes you a target. This is true of cars, dresses and, most especially, shirts. Red gets you noticed--which is good if you want to be noticed, bad if you don't want to end up vaporized. When you don't know what to say, pause. It will give you the time to figure it out. Or at the very least, you'll sound like you're being thoughtful. "But....Spock.....why?" The most powerful force in the universe is friendship. It's more powerful than phasers, photon torpedos, even more powerful than the force itself. With friends, you can accomplish any task, escape any perilous situation, defeat any enemy--and you get to laugh together when it's all over. I am convinced that these lessons will serve us all, adults and children, well as we seek out new life, new civilizations, new experiences. In short, thanks to "Star Trek," we may all live long and prosper.

Harry Potter and Twilight

Found this video on another blog, it moved me to tears. Of course I had only 4 hours of sleep after watching the other movie sensation of recent years, "Breaking Dawn". I am not sure I am any more capable of defining why these stories capture our imaginations and hearts than any other writer. I just know that they do. That for those hours that I am reading or watching or discussing them, my everyday life goes away. I don't have a bad life at all, I have an absolutely wonderful life but all of us have our doubts, our tiredness, our worries, our petty complaints. Escape is a joy for anyone, it's that rush of being caught up in an adventure or a great love. Those things happen rarely (thankfully) in our real lives so being able to live them, even vicariously is a terrific feeling! I think I just want to say thank you, to the authors,the actors, the directors and all who worked to make a fantasy come to life. It sure does brighten up my sometimes dreary days!

Adjusting

Karen says:
August 24, 2011 at 3:04 pm
My summer has been wrapped up with getting my 3rd child ready for college. We just dropped him off at WSU last week. I managed to make it home without sobbing but my heart literally feels as if someone has ripped off a piece and I have left it in Pullman! I agree with many other commenters that this is a very bittersweet time. I know he needs to go but he has been near me for 18 years and now he isn’t. He has however called every day and we have talked more on the phone in the last 5 days than we ever have before!

The house is so quiet now with only my last daughter here and she’s in 10th grade and getting very independent. My other 2 go to college in Seattle so they are closer and we see them a couple times a month. I am learning to enjoy them as adults and trying not to “parent” them too much. That is a tricky transition too!

I like the comments to treat yourself gently and nap when necessary…that is definitely true! Slowing down is also just a natural part of life. All the rushing to do and go and accomplish somehow seems less important as I get older. Spending time appreciating life and my family and friends seems more important.

I hope that you will come to find a good balance for you, family, work , quiet time and hopefully inspiring all your blog readers with your stories and insights. thanks

I seem to write more when I am inspired by someone to write! this was in response to Stacy's blog again. she is adjusting to her oldest leaving for college and asked for advice on coping. I hope she continues to blog, I would miss her like a close friend...

Growing

It seems like a natural human activity, watching things grow. We all like to see a garden grow from tiny seedling to bushy greens to flowers or vegetable. There is a fascination with watching a house being built, or a new store. We can't wait to see how it will look when it's finished. So it makes logical sense that we love watching our children grow! But not only our children but others. I think that is one aspect of Girl Scouts I never thought of before. How privileged I am to watch them grow and to even help a bit. That is partly why I feel sad when they don't rejoin, I am missing out on watching them grow.
There is more to write on this I am sure but I have to go sew Sean's robe which is kind of like growing something too!

summer changes

When I had 4 kids under 10 and it was summer vacation, it was not really a vacation for mom. I remember days spent wishing for just 30 minutes of peace, so I could read a book or take a nap in the sun. I spent my days doing all the same stuff I did all school year, dressing the baby, making breakfast , cleaning the kitchen, doing some laundry, picking up after the kids, making lunches, and trying to keep everyone entertained and somewhat educated and happy! I signed them up for camps to teach them things and keep them busy,soccer and summer fun camp, but then I had to be sure they were dressed and sunscreened and delivered, sack lunch in hand. I am exhausted just remembering all this.
Now, I sleep until the dogs wake me up at 6 and then 7. I spend 30 minutes feeding and walking dogs but then I am pretty well done with them for awhile. There is still laundry and dishes but no children to entertain. I do still have to drive Niki places but come the fall I won't even have to do that! What will I do then? I am having serious trouble settling to a task so far this summer. If I have a deadline I can rush around and get stuff done but otherwise, I waste lots of time on this computer. Yes, farming but also reading blogs and answering emails and deleting emails!
At this moment there is no-one at home but me and the dogs. Both kids slept over at the Mullen's last night for Haley's party. Niki came home after a run, took a shower, ate an egg and then I drove her back. I am trying to focus this AM. Cleaned up the kitchen, started a load of clothes but now look where I am, meanwhile I have clothes to fold, an entire Eagle album to make, a craft booth to prepare for, an Eagle ceremony to plan...Sigh...
I have lots of time to read and I do enjoy reading so much, but it feels wrong to have so much time. I mentioned to Curt that I was out of sorts and he said, well you better figure it out because Niki will be gone in 3 years and then what will you do? While not the kindest advice, it is true. I had better start getting some self motivation to accomplish what I have to accomplish and what I want to do or I will end up entirely useless, probably actually watching soap operas and eating bonbons like I always joke about doing!
I miss my little kids, I miss the zoo and Disney movies and blowing bubbles in the back yard. Why is life a feast or famine thing??? Why can't I have little kids and an occasional day to myself? Why do I have all this time to myself and not take advantage of it ?? sigh.............
Alright, off to fold and gather crafts and then scrap!!!! Gotta get this done!