I hate throwing things away. One of my favorite things about the town where we live right now is curb side recycling. I'm a huge fan of donating - food, used clothing, whatever. I dream about being amazing at re-purposing. When I do my dishes I ponder over tupperware vs. plastic bags.
This morning I was putting away laundry and realized I have a ton of stuff just hanging out in my closet because I don't know what the heck to do with it. Old layering shirts hang beside their new replacements, and their new replacements. Shoes that have holes in the bottom and haven't been worn since before I was married are gathering dust. I can't make myself throw them in the trash. It seems like such a waste. Am I sick? Am I hording things that are unfit to donate? I wouldn't dare take these things to the D.I. (like Goodwill, in case you don't live in UT). So I'm asking you: what do you do with stuff when it's unfit to donate? Are you an amazing re-purposer? I don't need one more cleaning rag. Help!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
a pebble in my shoe
I've been thinking about this off and on since the Monday morning after the General Relief Society Broadcast. It's been kind of like a pebble in my shoe. Sometimes it moves around to an empty space and I don't notice it, other times it gets stuck by a toe and I notice a lot.
I loved President Uchtdorf's talk at the broadcast as much as the next gal. Sitting in the conference center I diligently wrote down the 5 things I should not forget. Making special note to remember the "why" of the Gospel, as the Spirit whispered to me that in my checklist driven life, I could definitely use a little more focus on the why. I thought about how remembering these things could help me improve my discipleship as I had committed to do after listening to Sister Beck. I felt committed to really remember these five things. To internalize them. To truly forget them not.
By the time Monday morning rolled around all I could see everywhere I looked was the 5 things I should not forget. "Now, Kayce" you're certainly saying to yourself right now, "that's a good thing, isn't it? Having a constant reminder of what you said you wanted to remember?" And I guess you're right. But here's the pebble: I can't shake the feeling that the talk that inspired so many women had been reduced to nothing more than home decor. Not even two days after it had been given I could purchase countless different vinyl cuttings of five phrases to put on a freshly painted board and hang on my wall. Did it even have time to sink in yet? Was the first thought after the talk to apply the principles to our lives, or to think how cute they will look on the blank spot on the wall? What font? What color? Will I get to purchase a new cricut cartridge? Will it sell at a boutique?
I'm not trying to judge or condemn. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving ourselves visual reminders in our homes of gospel principles. And I don't think it's bad if these things look nice, either. We have even been encouraged to have a picture of a temple in every room. I am a firm believer that what hangs on our walls, sits on our tables, and adorns our shelves, are reflections of who we are and what we value. I just wonder sometimes if our culture has gotten to the point that the focus is on the craft and not the thing the craft is supposed to remind us of. I want to do better than that.
I loved President Uchtdorf's talk at the broadcast as much as the next gal. Sitting in the conference center I diligently wrote down the 5 things I should not forget. Making special note to remember the "why" of the Gospel, as the Spirit whispered to me that in my checklist driven life, I could definitely use a little more focus on the why. I thought about how remembering these things could help me improve my discipleship as I had committed to do after listening to Sister Beck. I felt committed to really remember these five things. To internalize them. To truly forget them not.
By the time Monday morning rolled around all I could see everywhere I looked was the 5 things I should not forget. "Now, Kayce" you're certainly saying to yourself right now, "that's a good thing, isn't it? Having a constant reminder of what you said you wanted to remember?" And I guess you're right. But here's the pebble: I can't shake the feeling that the talk that inspired so many women had been reduced to nothing more than home decor. Not even two days after it had been given I could purchase countless different vinyl cuttings of five phrases to put on a freshly painted board and hang on my wall. Did it even have time to sink in yet? Was the first thought after the talk to apply the principles to our lives, or to think how cute they will look on the blank spot on the wall? What font? What color? Will I get to purchase a new cricut cartridge? Will it sell at a boutique?
I'm not trying to judge or condemn. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving ourselves visual reminders in our homes of gospel principles. And I don't think it's bad if these things look nice, either. We have even been encouraged to have a picture of a temple in every room. I am a firm believer that what hangs on our walls, sits on our tables, and adorns our shelves, are reflections of who we are and what we value. I just wonder sometimes if our culture has gotten to the point that the focus is on the craft and not the thing the craft is supposed to remind us of. I want to do better than that.
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