After six exams, eight hours of packing, and a 13 hour drive I am home for the summer! This means time to re-establish home life with the family. One of our biggest places of contention is the bathroom. It makes sense: I have two sisters. It's also why my parents put two sinks in our bathroom when we built the house. When I'm at school it works well: two girls, two sinks. When I come home, the drama begins as we re-establish the pecking order, I mean bathroom organization.
When it comes to bathroom time, I'm pretty low maintenance: brush my tooth, pop in the contacts, lotion, comb the now-short hair, done. My sisters...not so much. I asked Dad to "handle the situation upstairs," and he didn't know what I was talking about until I showed him our bathroom. I then went to find a shovel to help him get his chin off of the floor. He went downstairs and told my sisters to get some of their "crap" off the counter.
"What crap?" my sisters responded innocently.
"Make-up, bottles, cords, I don't know... girl stuff."
It was their turn to use the shovel. I also think the stuff was levitating because there was no counter visible. The shower was just as bad. Between the two of them there were: fourteen bottles, four loofas, and three razors. I just don't understand.
After they moved their "crap" (and I evicted Mom's "overgrown toothbrush mold" of a decor) I was able to move-in. I opened my drawer and found four open bottles of contact solution. I practically drink the stuff, so I don't have any idea how I managed to get four open bottles (one from home, one from school, one from Dad, and one from some trip? I don't really know), but I do know I won't be needing to buy anymore this week. No promises on next week, though. As I was sorting through the surplus of hotel lotion, unused orthodontia rubber bands, and old contacts God got my attention.
Every August I get new contacts whether I need them or not. Most years it's a not. This means I have an ever-growing stack of out-dated, old prescription contacts that I don't know what to do with. Every August Mom tells me to keep wearing the old contacts to use them up and start the new ones in September. It's a great plan since "your eyes will never be closer to what they were than they are right now" (does that make sense?). Besides, normally I don't know how bad my prescription is until I get the new one. Flaw in the plan: when you go to the eye doctor they fit you for new contacts and you have to prove you know how to put them in. I've been wearing contacts everyday for the last six years, but sure you can teach me how to insert them into my eye... Yes, I'm a fast learner. Anyway. Once you put in the new contacts you instantly realize how much of the world you've been missing. There is no going back to the old prescription once you've tried the new.
You don't realize how messed up your life is until God starts fixing it. But, like with the contacts, once you've seen the new way there's no going back to how life used to be. Like the hymn says, "I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back; no turning back." Once you've allowed Him to work in your life there should be no holding back, no pulling away. No turning back.
<>< Katie
Showing posts with label old. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Conversation
Katie
God
It's such a miserable day today.
Excuse me?
I mean, it's so rainy and cold.
This is the day that I have made.
No offense, but could we please have some sunshine? If the sun doesn't have to be up, I don't have to be up, right?
Wrong.
Why the rain?
I like the rain. We need the rain. Do you see how low the lake is?
We don't want a flood either!
I promise I won't flood the earth again.
Ok, fine. I'm up, but today is a perfect day to crawl up with a good book. Quick, cancel classes.
I give the orders here.
I know, I know, You don't need my advice. But, really, God, why the cold? Today of all days! Do You know what today is?
Do I know? Of course I know. Today was the day I welcome you into my family. Twenty years ago.
You make me sound so old!
Do you really want to talk old with the Eternal God?
God
It's such a miserable day today.
Excuse me?
I mean, it's so rainy and cold.
This is the day that I have made.
No offense, but could we please have some sunshine? If the sun doesn't have to be up, I don't have to be up, right?
Wrong.
Why the rain?
I like the rain. We need the rain. Do you see how low the lake is?
We don't want a flood either!
I promise I won't flood the earth again.
Ok, fine. I'm up, but today is a perfect day to crawl up with a good book. Quick, cancel classes.
I give the orders here.
I know, I know, You don't need my advice. But, really, God, why the cold? Today of all days! Do You know what today is?
Do I know? Of course I know. Today was the day I welcome you into my family. Twenty years ago.
You make me sound so old!
Do you really want to talk old with the Eternal God?
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Holding History in my Hands
I kind of want to just see how many days in a row I can update my blog. Posting comments might encourage me to be more diligent.
I don't remember where I read this, but I read it within the last few days. It said, "Everyday, do something you don't want to do." I had to read it twice before I really understood it. Everyday, do something you don't want to do. Some days I just don't want to get up in the morning. Other days, I don't want to clean. Today was both of those days.
I awoke this morning to "Moving Day" at my grandparents house. No one was really moving, but the furniture was. It's hard to sleep when someone's carrying beds and dressers down the hall and stairs right next to your room anywhere much less in an old farmhouse where the floor squeaks if you look at it. Then--go figure--they need something out of your room. It's hard to keep four dogs out and ten people quiet anywhere, but it's even harder at my grandparents'.
The men loaded the furniture into trucks and the women decided we should take the opportunity to go through some boxes. After all, we were all there, and the boxes needed to be moved anyway. It was a job no one really wanted to do but desperately had to be done! My grandmother is a pack-rat, and it seems whenever someone passes away, she gets their stuff. She has all of her mother's stuff, all of her friend Ruth's stuff, and some of other miscellaneous friends' stuff. As a result, my grandparents' five-bedroom farmhouse, barn, and garage are FULL! Someone had to sleep on the floor last night. Not because there weren't enough beds, but because we couldn't GET to all of the beds. Every room in their house is a fire hazard.
We started going through boxes. Ruth's stuff has the least sentimental value, takes up the most space, and has been sitting un-touched for the most years (because we don't know what's in there), so it was a good place to start. We went through a plethora of old boxes and each of us came home with an item or two. Then, a truck load when to Good Will. We even made sure the truck left and everything wasn't piled back into the house, too! (We're getting smarter in our old age).
There were some cool items. Like a WWI military pin that my cousin snatched up before I could claim. A plethora of handkerchiefs we gave to a friend. My mom got a martini shaker. My aunt found a pretty crystal vase. My sisters took necklaces, books, and bent-out-of-shape rings. I wasn't so excited about Ruth's stuff, although I did find a fun-colored kitchen set I'm storing at my grandparents' house until I have an apartment.
I was more excited about the fact that Grandma let me go through her books and see if there was anything in there I wanted. After all, I am an English major. She'd already gotten rid of a lot of them (yay for Grandma!), and she wanted to rid of the rest before we came back at Thanksgiving. I'd already read most of the titles and searched for a good book to read on other visits, but this time I was searching with a different intention.
I only pulled out a few books. A dictionary of quotable definitions from 1970. Grandma was sooooo excited that I wanted it. I'll have to add "reading the dictionary" to my interests on facebook... haha.
I asked Grandma if I could have her hymnal. It was a confirmation gift given to her by her parents in 1952! She said I couldn't take it today, but at some point, yes, I could have it. I pray maybe she'll read it, though the chances are unlikely.
One of my coolest finds for the day was actually in Ruth's stuff. It's a medical book from 1912. It's well-loved, even though all of the pages are still in tact. Even though I know it's really out-dated, and I don't really plan on reading it, it's still something cool to have. How many people have books from before World War One? Not to mention one where it's very easy to note changes and technological advancements since then! I just felt like it was something that shouldn't be lost in the house (or the piles for Good Will). If you ever want to know the 1912 treatment for something, let me know! :-)
Even though cleaning anyone's house does not sound like a fun job and was not on my list of things to do today: it was well worth it! There are only six words that seem appropriate for the hard work done today:
"Well done good and faithful servant."
Ok, maybe a little sac-religious, but it works!
Sorry, this is a really long, pointless post, but thanks for reading!
In Christ
<>< Katie
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:21
I don't remember where I read this, but I read it within the last few days. It said, "Everyday, do something you don't want to do." I had to read it twice before I really understood it. Everyday, do something you don't want to do. Some days I just don't want to get up in the morning. Other days, I don't want to clean. Today was both of those days.
I awoke this morning to "Moving Day" at my grandparents house. No one was really moving, but the furniture was. It's hard to sleep when someone's carrying beds and dressers down the hall and stairs right next to your room anywhere much less in an old farmhouse where the floor squeaks if you look at it. Then--go figure--they need something out of your room. It's hard to keep four dogs out and ten people quiet anywhere, but it's even harder at my grandparents'.
The men loaded the furniture into trucks and the women decided we should take the opportunity to go through some boxes. After all, we were all there, and the boxes needed to be moved anyway. It was a job no one really wanted to do but desperately had to be done! My grandmother is a pack-rat, and it seems whenever someone passes away, she gets their stuff. She has all of her mother's stuff, all of her friend Ruth's stuff, and some of other miscellaneous friends' stuff. As a result, my grandparents' five-bedroom farmhouse, barn, and garage are FULL! Someone had to sleep on the floor last night. Not because there weren't enough beds, but because we couldn't GET to all of the beds. Every room in their house is a fire hazard.
We started going through boxes. Ruth's stuff has the least sentimental value, takes up the most space, and has been sitting un-touched for the most years (because we don't know what's in there), so it was a good place to start. We went through a plethora of old boxes and each of us came home with an item or two. Then, a truck load when to Good Will. We even made sure the truck left and everything wasn't piled back into the house, too! (We're getting smarter in our old age).
There were some cool items. Like a WWI military pin that my cousin snatched up before I could claim. A plethora of handkerchiefs we gave to a friend. My mom got a martini shaker. My aunt found a pretty crystal vase. My sisters took necklaces, books, and bent-out-of-shape rings. I wasn't so excited about Ruth's stuff, although I did find a fun-colored kitchen set I'm storing at my grandparents' house until I have an apartment.
I was more excited about the fact that Grandma let me go through her books and see if there was anything in there I wanted. After all, I am an English major. She'd already gotten rid of a lot of them (yay for Grandma!), and she wanted to rid of the rest before we came back at Thanksgiving. I'd already read most of the titles and searched for a good book to read on other visits, but this time I was searching with a different intention.
I only pulled out a few books. A dictionary of quotable definitions from 1970. Grandma was sooooo excited that I wanted it. I'll have to add "reading the dictionary" to my interests on facebook... haha.
I asked Grandma if I could have her hymnal. It was a confirmation gift given to her by her parents in 1952! She said I couldn't take it today, but at some point, yes, I could have it. I pray maybe she'll read it, though the chances are unlikely.
One of my coolest finds for the day was actually in Ruth's stuff. It's a medical book from 1912. It's well-loved, even though all of the pages are still in tact. Even though I know it's really out-dated, and I don't really plan on reading it, it's still something cool to have. How many people have books from before World War One? Not to mention one where it's very easy to note changes and technological advancements since then! I just felt like it was something that shouldn't be lost in the house (or the piles for Good Will). If you ever want to know the 1912 treatment for something, let me know! :-)
Even though cleaning anyone's house does not sound like a fun job and was not on my list of things to do today: it was well worth it! There are only six words that seem appropriate for the hard work done today:
"Well done good and faithful servant."
Ok, maybe a little sac-religious, but it works!
Sorry, this is a really long, pointless post, but thanks for reading!
In Christ
<>< Katie
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:21
Thursday, June 26, 2008
He's nuts!
I can't claim this thought as my own. My sister came up with it, but I thought it was pretty good and felt the need to share. She was all embarrassed about it, but it's actually pretty accurate! (The more I think about it, this didn't seem like a new idea: so maybe it was mine, but I forgot about it... I don't know).
There's this one coach at school who is crazy! Absolutely crazy. He kind of came with the woodwork; he's one of those people that if you go to that school, you know him. He's been there forever. I was in the last grade to have him in the classroom, and I had him for two years. That means I've worked with him for EIGHT years. Two in the classroom and six (plus) on the court. That's enough to see any one's quirks, and this coach has more than anyone I can imagine! Everyone loves him, but no one understands him. He's got a very creative teaching style both on the court and off. Half the time his team has no idea what he's doing, but he knows. Half the time his team has no idea what he's talking about, but he knows. Even though the team doesn't see it, there's enough trust to believe there is a method to his madness.
Do you trust God enough to believe there is a method to his madness? Even though you don't know what He's doing, He knows. Even though you don't know what He's talking about, He knows. His plans are better than ours, even if they are a bit peculiar. Maybe it's not the way you would have gone about it, but He has much more experience, so let Him do what He wants.
<>< Katie
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
There's this one coach at school who is crazy! Absolutely crazy. He kind of came with the woodwork; he's one of those people that if you go to that school, you know him. He's been there forever. I was in the last grade to have him in the classroom, and I had him for two years. That means I've worked with him for EIGHT years. Two in the classroom and six (plus) on the court. That's enough to see any one's quirks, and this coach has more than anyone I can imagine! Everyone loves him, but no one understands him. He's got a very creative teaching style both on the court and off. Half the time his team has no idea what he's doing, but he knows. Half the time his team has no idea what he's talking about, but he knows. Even though the team doesn't see it, there's enough trust to believe there is a method to his madness.
Do you trust God enough to believe there is a method to his madness? Even though you don't know what He's doing, He knows. Even though you don't know what He's talking about, He knows. His plans are better than ours, even if they are a bit peculiar. Maybe it's not the way you would have gone about it, but He has much more experience, so let Him do what He wants.
<>< Katie
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
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