I run down the stairs with my purse swinging wildly behind my back and cry out, “I have to take the girls shopping. They need new socks and underwear. I can’t find one thing for them to wear! “
“Are you sure they need more?” my dear husband asks in response.
“Yes,” I nod my head. “Definitely.”
We return home, and in order to stack all of our new stuff neatly in their drawers, it occurs to me to refold the little one’s underwear drawer because it’s a tangled vine of swirling tights, wads of underwear, and socks without partners. You can’t see a thing in there.
This is why I went shopping.
I dump the whole drawer out, isolate items, and begin the slow process of refolding.
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| Long Lost Pink Mitten |
That underwear drawer had 30 panties (that’s thirty!), 10 pairs of socks, 4 leotards, 6 tights, and 1 missing mitten. Did I mention how many underwear? Didn’t I? Thirty.
I learned my lesson.
We have stuff to spare. The mess just created an illusion that I was missing something. Had I paused and assessed the truth of the circumstances, I once again would have found abundance where I perceived scarcity.
What theme is this God continues to show me? Living with flair means seeing God’s abundance. It might mean I sort through my life–isolate the blessings–and see all I have. Once I’m organized, I find I have more than I need.
0 Responses
That kind of stuff happens a lot to us too! We go shopping for socks, but then realize that in the basket in the hall, there are about 20 pairs of socks! And all of the socks have a partner! We have to keep organizing them or they will become our whole house!
Um, I can't believe you just showed all of her underpants on national internet.
😉
I told her I was blogging about the underwear. She said, “you can keep the mitten picture, but now take down the underwear picture.” She's right; I'm wrong.
Tucker routinely says he needs new jeans when he just needs to do laundry! Laurie
I had similar thoughts as I was folding my husband's 16—yes 16–white undershirts. I'm pretty sure that's excess. On the upside, it does give me a reason not to wash whites for two weeks. 😉
Just discovered your blog through SCL. I look forward to reading more!
This sock and underwear issue must be a universal experience for those of us with young children and busy lives… What you wrote is so true for us as well. For me, the mess is an indication of imbalance. And it just grows the more I do 'other stuff'.
A friend of mine recently remarked — upon reflecting upon our very hectic lives — “It seems like we're balancing a lot. And when it becomes solely about balancing, we'll tire of it”
After frantically scrambling to find socks this morning, I thought: I am tired of this. Time to figure something else out.
As far as socks go, try buying ALL the same so it doesn't matter, Then of course you can do like my teenage daughters did, wear mismatched socks! Start a trend!
I recently cleaned out my “kitchen implements” drawer. I found that not only did I have plenty of servin spoons, I also had 3 handheld can openers, 3 nutcrakers, 2 garlic presses a turkey baster minus the bulb, 3 ice cream scoops… I think you get the picture! Once I cleaned it out, it is almost enjoyable to open the drawer to get out a needed item. Instead of having to dig around, I can SEE exactly what I need at first glance!
I am blessed!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/what-are-you-focusing-on/